7th Annual Sacramento Amputee Open June 3,4, 2006

Curtis Baker, Double Dipper

Twenty amputees participated in the 7th Annual Sacramento Amputee Open. Besides the individual scoring, normies partnered with the amputees for better-ball competition over both days.

For the first time in my experience at an amputee tournament, the format was ALL NET. Most of the amputee players had a USGA index, while some reported average score. This format gives high-handicap players an equal chance to compete.

Notable newcomers were BK Greg Wyman, from California; Rick Stockman, a double BE from Iowa; and BE Tom Johnston from California.

Curtis Baker, of Glendora, California, played as a favorite to win the Low Gross Trophy. Curtis and his partner, Robert Ryan of Sacramento, also won the Better Ball event by four strokes

Low Gross Curtis Baker 76-75 = 151
Low Net Steve Holsinger 69-68 = 137

Championship flight
1 st Place Chris Wicks 73-67 = 140
2 nd Place Bob Cox 75-69 = 144 T
3 rd Place Luis Vivas 70-74 = 144 T

Presidents Flight
1st Place Mike Lorenz 83-65 = 148 T
2nd Place WC Fields 69-79 = 148 T
3rd Place Fred Pears 75-74 = 149

Better-ball competition format was to pair amputees with normies, but we were short on non-amputee partners. As a result, a few teams were both amputees. The winning team of Curtis Baker, of Glendora, California and normie Robert Ryan of Sacramento scored 127 over 36 holes to win over locals Mike and David Lorenz at 131.

Scorers Jeannie Cassella and Dorothy Trevethick, both members of the Sacramento Golf Council, were invaluable as volunteer scorekeepers for the tournament.

During Sunday's play, the Sacramento Bee sent a sports reporter to the golf course. Several players were interviewed, and an excellent article about amputee golf and this tournament was printed in Monday's newspaper.