Bala’s Kreamer triumphs on home track in Spring Net

 PHILADELPHIA, Pa.- Homeclub hopeful Brian Kreamer made the definition of “home-field advantage” come to fruition Thursday at Bala Golf Club (par 68, 5,306 yards).

| Scorecards | History |

  With consistent play and valuable course knowledge on his side, Kreamer collected 39 Stableford points en route to the overall Men’s title in the Tee It Forward – Spring Net Championship. He topped an overall field, sorted in three divisions based on handicap index, of 50 players.

  “I was thinking about it this afternoon after my round, about the possibility of winning,” said Kreamer, who teed off in the first group of the day. “When I signed up, I didn’t think twice about it. I knew I could be competitive, but to win any event with the golfers the GAP fields is an exciting thing. And it feels even better to do it on my home course.”

  Consistency, as per usual, was the name of Kreamer’s game on the familiar track. Seven net birdies helped propel him to the top, along with eight solid net pars.

  The most memorable came on No. 10 (par 5, 487 yards). Kreamer faced a difficult 18-footer, one he “didn’t think was going to make it”, and sunk it for a crucial net birdie to start the back nine. Another defining moment came on the finishing hole (par 4, 362 yards). The overall champion hit his approach shot long over the green, to the left, but got up-and-down for par to finish the eventual winning round off strong.

  “The round was just all-around consistent,” said Kreamer, 47, of Wynwood, Pa. “I didn’t make any gross birdies today, but on the front with the wind howling I was able to get up and down from a few spots when I needed to. That was the difference.”

  Being the only Bala member in the field was “a little surprising” to Kreamer, but at the end of the day, it worked out for the club’s Golf Chairman.

  “I’ve been a member here since 2004. I’m pretty involved and get out to play a lot,” he said.

  Kreamer, along with the club, who is celebrating its 115th year of existence in 2016, welcomed the Association today with open arms and hopes to host more GAP events moving forward.

  “We always love getting people here to see the club and how it performs,” said Kreamer, who works in the real estate business. “If you look at the scorecard, most people don’t necessarily see it as a challenge. But getting an event here today, like the Spring Net, it shows that our course is a good test and is enjoyable.

Satterley takes inaugural Women’s Division title

  In the Women’s Division – the first year the Division has been fielded in the Spring Net – Betty Satterley of The Bucks Club took home the inaugural prize with 27 Stableford points.

  Satterley, playing alongside her husband, Tom, collected three net birdies and five pars on her way to the top of a seven-player field. The Richboro, Pa. resident competed from the forward ladies’ tee (par 68, 4,213 yards).

  “Whenever there is an opportunity to play with my husband – he used to travel a lot and now he has more time – it’s wonderful,” said Satterley, 59. “And, I got a trophy! That was an unexpected pleasure.”

  A pair of great friends, Emily and Jeff Garrett, rounded out the champion’s playing foursome.

  “It was great to be with our good friends, who we’ve known for over 28 years,” she said. “We always have a great round together and we really enjoyed it out there today.”

  The Spring Net Championship, formerly known as the First Handicap Tournament, is open to players 18 years of age and older with handicap index less than 36.0. The event began in 1946. The Association adopted the Tee It Forward parameters in 2012. It also changed the scoring format to net stableford.

  The Tee It Forward initiative encourages golfers to play the course at a length that is aligned with their average driving distance.

Golf Association of Philadelphia
  Founded in 1897, the Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) is the oldest regional golf association in the United States and serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. Its 151 Member Clubs and 57,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. As Philadelphia’s Most Trusted Source of Golf Information, the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.