Tee it Forward - Spring Net: Philmont - The Golf Association of Philadelphia

Jun 08, 2021

Tee it Forward – Spring Net: Philmont

Altieri, Kellock lead Spring Net at Philmont

Scorecards | History |

HUNTINGDON VALLEY, Pa. – A severe thunderstorm, mixed in with thousands of lightning strikes, washed play off the course as the last group stood on No. 18 fairway. Gus Altieri, playing in his first competitive event, waited inside as his ball sat lonely in the short grass.

The wait was well worth it for Medford Village Country Club’s Altieri. Despite the 90-minute lightning stoppage, the overall champion eventually carded a net par to take the Tee it Forward – Spring Net Championship with 42 Stableford Net points.

On a sizzling hot day at Philmont Country Club (par 70, 6,275 yards), Altieri, playing to a 26 USGA Handicap Index, fired a 20-over 90 for the win in a match of scorecards with playing partner and friend Joe Zulli of Trump National Golf Club – Philadelphia.

“I just started playing golf four or so years ago, and I wanted to take things up a notch by playing in a competitive event. This was a great start,” said Altieri, 66, of Ocean City, N.J. “Joe has been very influential in kind of motivating me to get better. He was the reason I was out here today.”

In the end, ironically enough, it was Altieri who beat out Zulli for the top spot with a clutch performance down the stretch. On No. 16 (par 4, 420 yards), Altieri’s 3-wood, 3-wood combination landed just in front of the green. From there, a chip up to six feet left a net-eagle putt that was jarred. On the par-3, 117-yard 17th, Altieri’s 9-iron tee sheet came up just short, as did his greenside wedge attempt. Left with another six-foot tester, Altieri stepped up and drained it. After teeing off with a perfect 3-wood on No. 18 (par 4, 307 yards), Altieri’s ball was abandoned for the weather delay. As the only group left on the course, the foursome waited it out in Philmont’s grill room.

“All day, I had no idea where I stood. I wasn’t even thinking about the points,” said Altieri. “But once we got inside for the delay, I knew where I stood and what I needed to do.”

Consider the pressure a plus. After play resumed, Altieri’s wedge approach rolled in the right fringe. Then Zulli stepped up and threw a wedge approach that landed within a foot of the cup and rolled out to 10 feet. Altieri would putt next, leaving his birdie short, followed by a second miss. Zulli’s birdie putt — which would have won the overall prize — lipped out. Altieri’s bogey putt earned him a net par and the two points needed to take the scorecard tiebreaker.

“If you would have told me that I would win at the beginning of the day, I would be the last guy to believe that,” said Altieri. “It feels great to win. It shows that I’m improving.”

Today’s event also marked a record-breaking Spring Net field in the Women’s Division with 19 players teeing it up Tuesday.

Playing to a scorecard of par-72, 5,222 yards, the overall Women’s prize went to Flourtown Country Club’s Alison Kellock, who finished with 37 Stableford Net points.

Both the highlight and lowlight of Kellock’s day both came in the sand. On No. 16 (par 5, 420 yards), Kellock blasted out of a fairway bunker with a wedge and placed her ball to 15 feet. That gross birdie putt was jarred, and with it came four crucial net points. Following that, Kellock was forced to pick up on No. 17 (par 3, 117 yards) after finding bunker issues and unable to escape, leading to zero points. Kellock got into the clubhouse with the lead, which prevailed over the rest of the field. Kellock bettered LedgeRock Golf Club’s Charlotte Kocher, who won last week’s Women’s Division in the Francis B. Warner Cup (Net) at Talamore Country Club, by two net points.

“After winning the [Winter Series Women’s Net Player of the Year], my game was kind of up-and-down to start the season. I took some time off because all of the snow in February, and I think that’s what hurt me a little,” said Kellock, 55, of Oreland, Pa. “My game is starting to settle down now and I’m starting to consistently shoot around the 80s, and that’s what I saw today. I’m proud of how I played today.”

This marks the fifth year of a Women’s Flight in the Spring Net. Two years ago in 2019, Kellock was the only Women’s competitor in the field at Heidelberg Country Club. Two years later, a crowded field had Kellock beaming with pride.

“It’s amazing to see how many ladies we had show up and play today. The word really has started to get out,” said Kellock, who also took home the 2019 title. “I’ve been encouraging others to come out and play, and today we had some other ladies out here from Flourtown, so that was really exciting for us to see.”

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 2020 edition of the Spring Net was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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

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 300 Member Clubs and 80,000 individual members are spread across the Eastern half of Pennsylvania and parts of Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey. The GAP’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.

**Stableford scoring used**
Men’s 
Overall
Name, clubPoints
*Augustine Altieri, Medford Village Country Club42
Joe Zulli, Trump National Golf Club – Philadelphia42
Ernie Menold, The Springhaven Club41
Duncan Herder, Pinecrest Country Club40
Matthew Miller, Five Ponds Golf Club39
Terrance Schmidt, Talamore Country Club38
Paul Gruzeski, Paupack Hills Country Club38
Keith Bewley, Wyncote Golf Club38
Chuck Simalchik, Glenmaura National Golf Club37
Jeff Vecere, The Shore Club37
Ed Osciak, Loch Nairn Golf Club37
Eric Martin, Penn Oaks Golf Club36
William Erksine, Philadelphia Publinks Golf Association36
Mick Dunphy, Flourtown Country Club36
Nathaniel Oxman, Philadelphia Publinks Golf Association35
Joseph DeAngelis, Makefield Highlands Golf Club35
Robert Schermerhorn, Moselem Springs Golf Club35
Patrick Foley, Moselem Springs Golf Club35
Ted Hospodar, Overbrook Golf Club35
Allan Shannon, Makefield Highlands Golf Club35
Chace Caruso, Conestoga Country Club34
Matt Peters, Five Ponds Golf Club34
Ed Kocher, LedgeRock Golf Club34
Robert Hsu, Lookaway Golf Club34
Robert Riley, Scranton Canoe Club34
Bob Moore, Trump National Golf Club – Philadelphia33
Gerry McCloy, Flourtown Country Club33
Jay Dilworth, The Shore Club33
Malachy Duffin, Flourtown Country Club33
Joseph Templin, LedgeRock Golf Club32
Todd Shelly, Wyncote Golf Club32
Edward Attarian, Commonwealth National Golf Club32
John O’Rourke, McCall Golf Club32
Lee Oxman, Moselem Springs Golf Club32
Scott Miller, Five Ponds Golf Club32
David Bulman, Jeffersonville Golf Club31
Thomas Brennan, Moselem Springs Golf Club31
Jason Marie, Five Ponds Golf Club31
Thoma Weinman, Mercer Oaks Golf Course31
Tom Watterson, Loch Nairn Golf Club31
Terrance Welsh, The Shore Club31
Richard Breder, The Shore Club30
Chuck Caparo, The 1912 Club29
J.T. Clarke, Running Deer Golf Club29
Don Neill, LuLu Country Club28
Tom Bell, Meadia Heights Golf Club28
Gregg Rosenfeld, LuLu Country Club27
Mike Connell, The Springhaven Club27
George Crouse, Ramblewood Country Club26
Michael Penso, Metedeconk National Golf Club26
Mac R. McGroggan, Makefield Highlands Golf Club25
Frank Andrusiewicz, Mercer Oaks Golf Course25
Richard Turner, Llanerch Country Club22
Vince Pitcherella, Applecross Country Club22
Tom Clarke, Scotland Run Golf Club20
Larry Glazerman, Hartefeld NationalNS
Scott Bracken, Medford Village Country ClubNS
Paul Depaoli, Honesdale Golf ClubWD
First Flight
Name, clubPoints
Joe Zulli, Trump National Golf Club – Philadelphia42
Terrance Schmidt, Talamore Country Club38
Chuck Simalchik, Glenmaura National Golf Club37
Eric Martin, Penn Oaks Golf Club36
Nathaniel Oxman, Philadelphia Publinks Golf Association35
Chace Caruso, Conestoga Country Club34
Joseph Templin, LedgeRock Golf Club32
Todd Shelly, Wyncote Golf Club32
David Bulman, Jeffersonville Golf Club31
Thomas Brennan, Moselem Springs Golf Club31
Chuck Caparo, The 1912 Club29
J.T. Clarke, Running Deer Golf Club29
George Crouse, Ramblewood Country Club26
Richard Turner, Llanerch Country Club22
Scott Bracken, Medford Village Country ClubNS
Second Flight
Name, clubPoints
Duncan Herder, Pinecrest Country Club40
Matthew Miller, Five Ponds Golf Club39
Paul Gruzeski, Paupack Hills Country Club38
Keith Bewley, Wyncote Golf Club38
William Erksine, Philadelphia Publinks Golf Association36
Joseph DeAngelis, Makefield Highlands Golf Club35
Robert Schermerhorn, Moselem Springs Golf Club35
Matt Peters, Five Ponds Golf Club34
Ed Kocher, LedgeRock Golf Club34
Bob Moore, Trump National Golf Club – Philadelphia33
Gerry McCloy, Flourtown Country Club33
Edward Attarian, Commonwealth National Golf Club32
Jason Marie, Five Ponds Golf Club31
Michael Penso, Metedeconk National Golf Club26
Mac R. McGroggan, Makefield Highlands Golf Club25
Paul Depaoli, Honesdale Golf ClubWD
Third Flight
Name, clubPoints
Ernie Menold, The Springhaven Club41
Mick Dunphy, Flourtown Country Club36
Patrick Foley, Moselem Springs Golf Club35
Ted Hospodar, Overbrook Golf Club35
Jay Dilworth, The Shore Club33
Malachy Duffin, Flourtown Country Club33
John O’Rourke, McCall Golf Club32
Lee Oxman, Moselem Springs Golf Club32
Thoma Weinman, Mercer Oaks Golf Course31
Gregg Rosenfeld, LuLu Country Club27
Frank Andrusiewicz, Mercer Oaks Golf Course25
Vince Pitcherella, Applecross Country Club22
Tom Clarke, Scotland Run Golf Club20
Fourth Flight
Name, clubPoints
Augustine Altieri, Medford Village Country Club42
*Ed Osciak, Loch Nairn Golf Club37
Jeff Vecere, The Shore Club37
Allan Shannon, Makefield Highlands Golf Club35
Robert Hsu, Lookaway Golf Club34
Robert Riley, Scranton Canoe Club34
Scott Miller, Five Ponds Golf Club32
Tom Watterson, Loch Nairn Golf Club31
Terrance Welsh, The Shore Club31
Richard Breder, The Shore Club30
Don Neill, LuLu Country Club28
Tom Bell, Meadia Heights Golf Club28
Mike Connell, The Springhaven Club27
Larry Glazerman, Hartefeld NationalNS
Women’s
Overall
Name, clubPoints
Alison Kellock, Flourtown Country Club37
Charlotte Kocher, LedgeRock Golf Club35
Jill Marie, Five Ponds Golf Club34
Pat Ellis, Doylestown Country Club33
Muffy McCabe, French Creek Golf Club33
Lynn Schmidt, Talamore Country Club33
Kathleen Gallagher, Penn National Golf Club32
Barbora Maralikova, Honeybrook Golf Club31
Sandy Silbiger, Talamore Country Club30
Mary Conway, French Creek Golf Club30
Carol Landgraf, Riverton Country Club29
Sarah Reese, French Creek Golf Club29
Kathy Echternach, Philadelphia Publinks Golf Association29
Tish Lawson, Talamore Country Club28
Virgil Maderich, Riverton Country Club27
Jane Ludlow, Talamore Country Club26
Lisa Hogan, Talamore Country Club24
Margie Rothfeld, Flourtown Country Club23
Roseanne Dalton, Flourtown Country Club22
First Flight
Name, clubPoints
*Pat Ellis, Doylestown Country Club33
Muffy McCabe, French Creek Golf Club33
Barbora Maralikova, Honeybrook Golf Club31
Carol Landgraf, Riverton Country Club29
Tish Lawson, Talamore Country Club28
Virgil Maderich, Riverton Country Club27
Second Flight
Name, clubPoints
Alison Kellock, Flourtown Country Club37
Lynn Schmidt, Talamore Country Club33
Kathleen Gallagher, Penn National Golf Club32
Sandy Silbiger, Talamore Country Club30
Mary Conway, French Creek Golf Club30
Sarah Reese, French Creek Golf Club29
Lisa Hogan, Talamore Country Club24
Third Flight
Name, clubPoints
Charlotte Kocher, LedgeRock Golf Club35
Jill Marie, Five Ponds Golf Club34
Kathy Echternach, Philadelphia Publinks Golf Association29
Jane Ludlow, Talamore Country Club26
Margie Rothfeld, Flourtown Country Club23
Roseanne Dalton, Flourtown Country Club22
*-decided in scorecard tiebreaker 
NS-no show; WD-withdrawal

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