PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. — A back-nine birdie bonanza brought Charles Caparo into the winner’s circle Tuesday. The 30-year Plymouth Country Club member inked red on five of his final seven holes to win the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s Tee It Forward — Spring Net Championship on his home course. He edged Brookside Country Club’s Michael Sloane and Manufacturers Golf & Country Club’s Kent Spade in a match of cards to prevail. All three players posted 42 points; Caparo registered 26 on his inward tour to win the tiebreaker.
“I was striking the ball well,” Caparo, 66, of Plymouth Meeting, Pa., said. “Frankly, I had three or four feet for the birdies that I made,” he said. “That certainly did help me.”
Boy did it ever. Caparo, playing from the gold tees (par 72, 5,897 yards), converted a bundle of three-footers to shoot up the leaderboard: a 8-iron on No. 12 (par 3, 134 yards); a 5-wood on No. 14 (par 3, 180 yards); a 7-iron from 145 yards on No. 15 (par 4, 333 yards) and a 5-wood from 185 yards on No. 16 (par 4, 413 yards). Another birdie seemed evident on No. 17 (par 5, 483 yards); Caparo stood 97 yards from the flagstick but failed to reach the green in regulation.
“I have trouble with my 52-degree wedge, so I decided to hit half a pitching wedge,” Caparo, who is entering his ninth year as Plymouth’s president, said. “I nonchalantly hit a pitch-out and made bogey.”
But the mistake didn’t extinguish Caparo’s momentum. He knocked a 60-degree wedge 78 yards to four feet for a closing birdie on No. 18 (par 5, 468 yards).
“My game is coming around,” Caparo said. “The spring is usually tough for me, only because of allergies. Now the allergies have started to go by the wayside, so I’m feeling much better and the ball-striking is much better.”
In addition to his rising golf game, course familiarity contributed to Caparo’s success Tuesday. “Obviously, knowing the greens well and where you have to hit it helps,” he said. “On this golf course, you have to keep it in play. I was fortunate, especially on the back nine, to hit it very well. From the sixth hole on, I was 4 under.”
Sloane, playing in the event’s final group, turned with 22 points in his coffers, but a one hour and 47 minute weather delay skewed his scoring direction.
“I played just about as good as I could play,” Sloane, 47, of Pottstown, Pa., said. “It was a perfect distance for me. What a difference it is to be able to hit par 4s in two. I needed one more par after the rain and couldn’t get it. That just took the momentum away.”
Sloane, Brookside’s general manager, points to back-to-back birdies early as highlights on the day. He rolled in a pair of 15-footers on Nos. 7 (par 3, 115 yards) and 8 (par 5, 445 yards). Sloane played from the red tees (par 72, 5,661 yards).
Spade frequently drove past Plymouth when he worked in employee benefit consulting. He finally experienced it firsthand, and the results were pleasant.
“It was challenging,” Spade, 62, of Fort Washington, Pa., said. “I struggled with my driver. I don’t think I had any drives that stayed in the fairway. I had to scramble quite a bit in getting back on.”
Par saves on Nos. 1 (par 4, 363 yards) and 2 (par 4, 345 yards) highlighted Spade’s scrambling ability. Wayward drives prompted punch-outs, and Spade lofted a pair of wedges to within 10 feet on both. Those saves “kept the round going,” Spade said. A chip-in birdie on No. 4 (par 4, 271 yards) shifted it into high gear. After another loose drive left Spade, who played from the gold tees, in the tree-line, he returned to the fairway and sent a bump-and-run from 20 yards into the jar.
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 150 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.
Overall
Name, club
Points
*Charles Caparo, Plymouth Country Club
42
Michael Sloane, Brookside Country Club
42
Kent Spade, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
42
Vito Caracappa, Golf Course at Glen Mills
41
William Erskine, Philadelphia Publinks GA
40
Dennis O’Donnell, Old York Road Country Club
40
Steve Poorman, Meadia Heights Golf Club
39
Edward Blomstedt, Moselem Springs Golf Club
39
Edward Osciak Jr., Loch Nairn Golf Club
39
Don Neill, Lu Lu Country Club
38
Leonard Davis, White Clay Creek Country Club
38
Brian Mulvenna, White Oaks Country Club
38
Joseph Donahue, Sandy Run Country Club
38
Allan Shannon, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
37
Richard Turner, Llanerch Country Club
37
Luke Pape, Tavistock Country Club
37
Brian Winters, Plymouth Country Club
36
Robert Agran, Reading Country Club
36
Kelly Jensen, Old York Road Country Club
36
Joseph DeAngelis, Jericho National Golf Club
35
James Miller, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
35
Scott Sherman, Mercer Oaks Golf Course
35
C. Michael Conway, Plymouth Country Club
35
Scott Dichter, Meadia Heights Golf Club
35
J. Kirk Luntey, Merion Golf Club
34
Jerry Whitman, Commonwealth National Golf Club
34
Mike Kyle, Talamore Country Club
34
James Konnick, Brookside Country Club
34
James Barron, Hartefeld National
33
Patrick McCusker, Jr., Plymouth Country Club
33
Robert Kowalski, Philadelphia Publinks GA
33
Stephen Silvano, McCall Golf & Country Club
33
Trent Scott, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
33
Michael Mannon, Phoenixville Country Club
33
Ned Moore, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
33
Keith McQueen, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
32
Steve Backstrom, Little Mill Country Club
32
W. Frank Skilton, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
32
Timothy Horan, Radley Run Country Club
32
Gary Ames, Bala Golf Club
31
Dennis McCarty, Little Mill Country Club
31
Jack Endicott, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
31
Bob Abramski, Talamore Country Club
30
Joe Greitzer, Bala Golf Club
30
Gary Chlapaty, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
30
Paul Hagan, Philadelphia Cricket Club
30
Joseph Templin, LedgeRock Golf Club
29
George Hilley, McCall Golf & Country Club
29
James Generoso, Schuylkill Country Club
28
Charles Gallagher, III, Flourtown Country Club
28
James Cardano, Cedarbrook Country Club
28
Patrick Riley, The Bucks Club
28
Jason Kowalski, Yardley Country Club
27
Stephen Barry, Sakima Country Club
26
Tom Bender, Waynesborough Country Club
26
John O’Rourke, McCall Golf & Country Club
26
Joseph Flynn, North Hills Country Club
26
J. Frederick Merz, Jr., Merion Golf Club
24
Robert Logan, Overbrook Golf Club
24
John VanDame, Five Ponds Golf Club
23
W. Garth Sprecher, Lancaster Country Club
23
Jack Walls, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
23
Rick Rutter, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
22
Pat McCarthy, Old York Road Country Club
21
Neil Fine, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
20
Hank Collins, Philadelphia Publinks GA
WD
Timothy Joyce, Edgmont Country Club
WD
Art Brosius, Golf Course at Glen Mills
WD
David Kearney, Lehigh Country Club
WD
Jay Vasil, Greate Bay Country Club
WD
Lester Michael, Lehigh Country Club
WD
Anthony Barbine, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
WD
Conrad Radcliffe, Esq., Applebrook Golf Club
WD
Scott Hutchinson, Lookaway Golf Club
WD
Steven Cucinotti, Talamore Country Club
WD
Frank Andrusiewicz, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
WD
First flight
Name, club
Points
Charles Caparo, Plymouth Country Club
42
William Erskine, Philadelphia Publinks GA
40
Brian Winters, Plymouth Country Club
36
Joseph DeAngelis, Jericho National Golf Club
35
J. Kirk Luntey, Merion Golf Club
34
James Barron, Hartefeld National
33
Patrick McCusker, Jr., Plymouth Country Club
33
Robert Kowalski, Philadelphia Publinks GA
33
Stephen Silvano, McCall Golf & Country Club
33
Trent Scott, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
33
Gary Ames, Bala Golf Club
31
Bob Abramski, Talamore Country Club
30
Joe Greitzer, Bala Golf Club
30
Jason Kowalski, Yardley Country Club
27
Stephen Barry, Sakima Country Club
26
John VanDame, Five Ponds Golf Club
23
W. Garth Sprecher, Lancaster Country Club
23
Art Brosius, Golf Course at Glen Mills
WD
David Kearney, Lehigh Country Club
WD
Jay Vasil, Greate Bay Country Club
WD
Lester Michael, Lehigh Country Club
WD
Second flight
Name, club
Points
Steve Poorman, Meadia Heights Golf Club
39
Don Neill, Lu Lu Country Club
38
Allan Shannon, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
37
Richard Turner, Llanerch Country Club
37
Robert Agran, Reading Country Club
36
James Miller, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
35
Scott Sherman, Mercer Oaks Golf Course
35
Michael Mannon, Phoenixville Country Club
33
Ned Moore, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
33
Keith McQueen, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
32
Steve Backstrom, Little Mill Country Club
32
Dennis McCarty, Little Mill Country Club
31
Gary Chlapaty, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
30
Paul Hagan, Philadelphia Cricket Club
30
Joseph Templin, LedgeRock Golf Club
29
James Generoso, Schuylkill Country Club
28
Tom Bender, Waynesborough Country Club
26
Anthony Barbine, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
WD
Conrad Radcliffe, Esq., Applebrook Golf Club
WD
Scott Hutchinson, Lookaway Golf Club
WD
Steven Cucinotti, Talamore Country Club
WD
Third flight
Name, club
Points
Michael Sloane, Brookside Country Club
42
Dennis O’Donnell, Old York Road Country Club
40
Edward Blomstedt, Moselem Springs Golf Club
39
Leonard Davis, White Clay Creek Country Club
38
Kelly Jensen, Old York Road Country Club
36
C. Michael Conway, Plymouth Country Club
35
Scott Dichter, Meadia Heights Golf Club
35
Jerry Whitman, Commonwealth National Golf Club
34
Mike Kyle, Talamore Country Club
34
W. Frank Skilton, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
32
Jack Endicott, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
31
Charles Gallagher, III, Flourtown Country Club
28
James Cardano, Cedarbrook Country Club
28
Patrick Riley, The Bucks Club
28
Rick Rutter, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
22
Frank Andrusiewicz, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
WD
Fourth flight
Name, club
Points
Kent Spade, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
42
Vito Caracappa, Golf Course at Glen Mills
41
Edward Osciak Jr., Loch Nairn Golf Club
39
Brian Mulvenna, White Oaks Country Club
38
Joseph Donahue, Sandy Run Country Club
38
Luke Pape, Tavistock Country Club
37
James Konnick, Brookside Country Club
34
Timothy Horan, Radley Run Country Club
32
George Hilley, McCall Golf & Country Club
29
John O’Rourke, McCall Golf & Country Club
26
Joseph Flynn, North Hills Country Club
26
J. Frederick Merz, Jr., Merion Golf Club
24
Robert Logan, Overbrook Golf Club
24
Jack Walls, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
23
Pat McCarthy, Old York Road Country Club
21
Neil Fine, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
20
Hank Collins, Philadelphia Publinks GA
WD
Timothy Joyce, Edgmont Country Club
WD
*-won in scorecard playoff
WD-withdrawal
