Metedeconk’s Penso places at top of Chapman (Net) at Bala

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PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – After retiring last year, Metedeconk National Golf Club’s Michael Penso is hoping to to improve his swing and scores.

Consider Thursday at Bala Golf Club (par 68, 5,048 yards) a nice start.

In an 18-hole individual Stableford Net format, Penso fired a gross score of 8-over 76, translating to 42 Net points, en route to the Frank H. Chapman Memorial Cup (Net) overall title. Penso bested a field of 38 players for the win at Bala.

Under pleasant skies featuring lingering summer temperatures, almost identical nines — 4-over gross on each side — helped Penso pick up the trophy. At the turn, he stood at 21 points. Bala’s back side hosted the champion’s lone, true birdie.

On the par-5, 470-yard 10th hole, Penso blasted a drive and approach shot into appealing position at 115 yards out. A perfect punch 9-iron cozied up to 15 feet and the sliding putt fell for 4.

“I hit a ton of greens today and the putting was solid,” said Penso, 60, of Millstone Township, N.J. “I definitely hit more greens than I usually do at home at Metedeconk, and these greens are very small. I was proud of that.”

Due to a difficult double bogey on No. 13 (par 3, 159 yards) thanks to a bunker blunder, Penso was trending in the wrong direction for a moment. However, four-straight gross pars arrived just in time on Nos. 14-17, steadying the ship. A net par on Bala’s finisher (par 4, 354 yards) after escaping tree trouble off the tee sealed the deal.

“I was surprised with today’s round. I haven’t shot in the 70s in years, and I know this is a par 68, but it’s still a really nice result,” said Penso, a Metedeconk member of six years.

After 38 years spent at Prudential, Penso is now enjoying the golf course more and more. With more free time, and now a trophy to his name, future GAP tournaments may help him achieve his goal of lowering scores.

Picking up trophies is one way to reach that goal.

“GAP does such a great job at every event, really making [golf] fun,” said Penso. “Whether it’s net events, Member Play Days, you name it. It’s all great.”

Women’s Division

In a five-player Women’s Division, Saucon Valley Country Club’s Tracey MacGown took the top honors.

Filing a 14-over gross score of 82, MacGown’s 36 Stableford points earned her the trophy. Six net birdies helped propel the GAP Executive Committee member to victory.

“I just felt like I was playing well altogether, hitting the tee ball well. The distances were manageable, so it was a very fun day,” said MacGown, 61, of Bethlehem, Pa. “[Bala] is a nice course, and it played very friendly from the women’s tees. But you had to have a good short game because the greens are like postage stamps. You need to be able to get up-and-down here.”

MacGown, also a member of the GAP Women’s Committee, was excited to see another Women’s Division in the mix.

“Everything has been great. We had [14] players [Monday in the Tee it Forward – Fall Net Championship],” she said. “I think it’s important to continue get the word out. We’re trying to get people talking about it.”

Frank H. Chapman, a Whitemarsh Valley Country Club member, served as the Association’s secretary-treasurer for 23 years. He died on June 7, 1955 at the age of 88. The Net tournament is held in his honor.

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.