General Manager Brian Roberts & Golf Course Superintendent Clayton Simmons hosted the 17th Annual State Championship at Calderone Golf Club in Grass Lake on October 17th. This event is not just for those competing for the trophy there is also a 1 of 4 net team event so everyone can get in the game. If you have not yet had the chance to visit Calderone get it on your list, it is the definition of a hidden gem and phenomenal operation. From the breakfast burritos. to the incredible greens every part of the day was as good as it gets!
A frosty morning led to a slightly later 10:30 start time but also led into a perfect bluebird fall day in Mid Michigan. In the end our 2023 Champion Mike Gianopoulos, CGCS from Kent C.C. defended his title and won the State Championship with a -1 score of 71. With this win Mike will return to the Michigan Open in 2025 thanks to the exemption offered by our friends at the Michigan PGA. The low net champion was our host Superintendent Clayton Simmons with a net 71. This year there was a separate flight for our Assistant Superintendents for a State Champion. Eli VandenBrand, Assistant Superintendent at Cascade Hills C.C. shot 75 to win that title and Connor Paul, Assistant at Forest Lake C.C. took low net with a score of 72.
The best 1 of 4 net team game was won by our host team Garrett Spink, Tony Spink, Brian Roberts & Clayton Simmons with a score of 58. The second place team of Josh Teitsma, Jay Eccleton, Mike Gianopoulos & Thomas Utter shot 59 and third place in a scorecard playoff was Erwin McKone, Jesse Shaver, Adam LaFrance & Evan Herman with a 62.
The individual prize winners from the day are:
Closest to the pin: #2 - Clayton Simmons, #8 - Ken Ransomes, #15 - Mike Gianopoulos & #17 - Shane Conroy.
Long Drives: #6 - Mike Wyeth & #13 Mike Gianopoulos
Longest Putt on #18 went to Korben Ransomes
Skins Game: Hole #2 with a net 1 Garrett Spink, Tony Spink, Brian Roberts & Clayton Simmons. Hole #4 with a net 2 Erwin McKone, Jesse Shaver, Adam LaFrance & Evan Herman. Hole #5 with a net 2 Marc McCoy, Michael Leavitt, Troy Loney & Jeff Smith. Hole #6 with a net 3 & Hole #9 with a net 1 - Lauren Crownover, Felicia Childs, Eli VandenBrand & R.J. Karsnick. Hole #9 with a net 2 Scott Rettmann, Victor Anderson, Matthew Dishon & Luke Martell.
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The 2024 State Champion
Mike Gianopoulos, CGCS |
Our 2024 Assistant Superintendent
State Champion Eli VandenBrand |
2024 Low Net Assistant
Champion Connor Paul |
2024 Low Net State
Champion Clayton Simmons |