Four-Player Team: Moselem

Team Concord takes 26th Four-Player Team at Moselem

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FLEETWOOD, Pa. – Three-over par through two. That’s not how you draw it up when dreaming about a title-winning scorecard.

But today, that was the championship blueprint, thanks to a birdie party on the remaining 16.

Concord Country Club’s formidable foursome of Larry Benedetto, Doug Fedoryshyn, Matthew Vandevere and T.R. Gatti filed a 6-under 134 to earn the overall title in Wednesday’s Four-Player Team at Moselem Springs Golf Club (par 70, 6,322 yards).

The Four-Man Team scoring format is two best balls of four.

As mentioned, three bogeys to begin the round on Nos. 10 (par 4, 383 yards) and 11 (par 4, 416 yards) didn’t inspire much confidence for the champs. And then a change of “batting order” occurred. The coaching change was crucial.

On the par-5, 490-yard 12th, Fedoryshyn gave the group its first birdie of their round. Vandevere followed that up with a chip in on No. 13 (par 3, 189 yards) to get the team back to even par. And then things got good. The Concordians would go on to make the turn at 2 under, feeling like they had a chance.

Eleven birdies would drop over the next 16 holes. The most impactful, however, would arrive late. After a bit of scoreboard watching thanks to Golf Genius hole-by-hole entries, they knew it was time to make a move with just a few holes to play. That’s when Gatti blasted Driver, followed by a wood approach, to reach the par-5, 521-yard 7th in two — a feat not accomplished frequently on the blistering-hot Wednesday. He two putted there to get the team to 5 under and tied for the clubhouse lead. They’d need one more.

“Yeah, we were watching it. We knew we had to make that last one,” said Benedetto, 51, of West Chester, Pa.

Benedetto, on the 330-yard 9th, would place his driver in the right rough near a fence. However, with a welcoming angle to the flag, he tossed his wedge shot 20 feet past the hole. Once again, knowing he needed to make it, Benedetto did just that. Six under.

“We needed that one,” said Fedoryshyn, 62, of Downingtown, Pa. “Everyone made some birdies today. Everyone contributed at some point.”

“It’s good to come out and have a good showing. I think it’s great for the club,” said Vandevere, 51, of Havertown, Pa. “I haven’t been able to play in one of these things in a long time due to traveling, so it meant a lot to do that, and to play well on a nice golf course.”

Benedetto is the common factor on Concord’s Four-Player team, year in and year out. He was a part of the club’s last Team title in 2009, joining that year with Jeff DellaFranco, Conrad Von Borsig & David Woods for the win at Whitford Country Club. He takes it upon himself to recruit top talent from the club each year to make a run at the trophy. This year, his selections seemed to be spot on. Evidence? The trophy.

“You know, Concord has some really good players. We like to pick a few guys and bring them out each year and see what we can do,” said Benedetto. the 2017 Marston Cup Champion. “I think it’s cool that we’re all over 50 [years old], too. We played awesome.”

“I just joined Concord after moving from Western Pennsylvania. I was told this is the place I needed to be,” said Gatti, 56, of West Chester, Pa.

If you’re a talented golfer looking for a home, maybe Concord is in fact the place to be.

At 4-over 150, taking the day’s Women’s overall prize was the squad of Jackie Beck of Lehigh Country Club, Taylor Hollander of Kennett Square Golf & Country Club, Nicolina Kulhamer of Green Pond Country Club and Katrin Wolfe of Northampton Country Club. The foursome garnered five birdies on the day, earning them the top spot over a field of four other teams.

“The whole day was great — a little hot, but it was a beautiful day on the golf course, which was in fantastic shape. That definitely helped us with scoring,” said Wolfe, 37, of East Stroudsburg, Pa. “It was also so much fun to play alongside these ladies.”

“It’s always wonderful to win a trophy,” said Beck, 57, of Allentown, Pa. “It was even more fun that I could have imagined.”

GAP
Celebrating Amateur Golf since 1897, GAP, also known as the Golf Association of Philadelphia, is the oldest regional or state golf association in the United States. It serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. The Association’s 274 Full Member Clubs and 75,000 individual members are spread across the Eastern half of Pennsylvania and parts of New Jersey and Delaware. The GAP’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.