Two-day golf invitational held on Fort Bragg

By Tina Ray
Paraglide

	Photo by Tina Ray/Paraglide Competitors practice at the Fort Bragg Golf Invitational Saturday. They were competing in a two-day tournament, which took place Saturday and Sunday at Ryder and Stryker golf courses.

George Erwin teed off using a King Cobra driver. The retired Army master sergeant participated in the Golf Club Invitational, held July 24 to 25 at Ryder and Stryker golf courses.

The tournament was the first golf club invitational for Fort Bragg.
The gross score tournament featured about 60 competitors, with the best players advancing to play again July 25.

“Every time I tee off, I expect to win, whether I do or not,” said Erwin, who regularly participants in tournaments at Ryder.

He was partnered with fellow retirees, Robert Green and Luis Rodriguez.

Golfing events are competitive, said Green, who noted that the winner of the golf invitational would be based on individual scores.

He has been golfing for nearly 30 years and has a 12 handicap, he added.

Rodriguez’s handicap is an 11, he said and golfs about three times a week.

But, chasing Erwin, Green and Rodriguez was another retiree, Bob Proulx, who said he won the summer blast off tournament in June.

Proulx, a retired sergeant first class, has a handicap of 10 and takes part in about 15 tournaments per year.

“This is a pretty nice course,” said Proulx, who teed off just before 8:30 a.m., and stroked the ball about 220 yards.

It cost the competitors $35 to enter the tournament, plus applicable cart and green fees. Money collected from entry fees would be used for gift certificates for the winners, said Jeff Johnson, director of golf at the two golf courses.

By Sunday, advancing players were prepared to move to Stryker.

Bob Proulx said he had played badly on Saturday, shooting a 91. By Sunday afternoon, his score was a 79.

“I did not place in the money because of my poor game on Saturday,” Proulx said. “Ryder has some very deep rough whenever you miss the fairway, and I feel that this led to a lot of high scores on Saturday. Stryker’s rough is not nearly as deep as Ryder’s. It is very difficult to advance the ball from deep rough (grass.)”

Rodriguez fared a little better, placing second place in the first flight, senior division.

Rodriguez, according to Robert Taylor, head golf professional, is one of the outstanding members at Ryder.

The courses will continue to hold tournaments in the future, Johnson said.

If that is the case, then retired Master Sgt. Daniel Bullock said he plans to participant in those tournaments.

“The value for the money is fair,” Bullock said.

For more information about Ryder and Stryker golf courses, visit www.fortbraggmwr.com.

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