2015 James E. Vos Memorial Teams Announced

Glen Arbor, MI--The tournament committee today announced the teams for the 28th playing of the James E. Vos Memorial Invitational, now just days away.

The executive committee made the decision to select the teams in advance to save time and create event efficiency. The committee did consider randomly picking teams on Saturday evening before the tourney, as we have done before, drawing names out of hat. Picking teams creates a tremendous gathering event on the eve of first round. Excitement builds as everyone watches and wonders on which team they will land. Randomly picking teams that evening is also time consuming and, given the higher than expected participants in this year's event, the tournament committee made its decision to select teams in advance.

Care was taken to pair family members and to keep rookies on the same team as those who brought them, while also putting people on teams that haven't traditionally been teammates in the old "Grand Haven vs. The World format." Care was also taken to match as evenly as possible overall team handicaps and the handicaps of A-level and B-level participants.

Also to save time, the tournament committee has also created the complete list of tournament pairings. The pairings sheet will be sent in a separate email and post.

Nuff said.

Herewith the teams for the 2015 James E. Vos Memorial Invitational.

Team A/Handicap (final name tbd; see below)
Anema, Dick, +31
Anema, Thom, +16
Baker, Jim, +21
Mulder, John, +19
Rosema, Dan, +10
Rosema, JD, +16 (rookie)
Van Zee, Don, +10
Vos, Jack, +17
Vos, Jon, +10
Vos, Sam, +5
Vroon, Tony, +17
Warners, Jim, +16

Team B/Handicap
*Elenbaas, Steve, +15
Grek, Chris, +14
Ox, Mark, +6
Rice, Mark, +18
Rice, Rodger, +22
Tanis, Dave, +13
Tanis, Dirk, +17
Tanis, Jack, +17 (rookie)
Tanis, Jeff, +8
Tanis, Owen, +23
Topliff, John, +20
*Vandenberge, Mark, +29
Vander Wal, Dan, +10

* Mark Vandenberge and Steve Elenbaas are sharing one spot. Steve is playing Thursday and Mark is playing Friday and Saturday.

Team names will be selected at the Wednesday evening Gathering event (approx. 9:30pm Saturday evening, details to follow in another post). It is a tournament tradition the reigning MVP retains the right to select his team's name between either the Fairway Finders or the Recovery Shots. We will wait to see what John Mulder chooses.

Final...Final Lodging List

One last change. See below. Sundance #7 and #15 have changes from the last post.

Sundance #7
Jeff Tanis
Dave Tanis
Owen Tanis
Dirk Tanis

Sundance #15
Don VanZee
Jim Baker
Jim Warners

Sundance #27
John Mulder
Dan Rosema
J.D. Rosema
Chris Grek
Mark Ox

Sundance #1
Mark Rice
Rodger Rice
Thom Anema
Dick Anema
John Topliff

Gentle Winds #23/24
Jack Vos
Jon Vos
Sam Vos
Tony Vroon
Mark Vandenberge
Dan Vander Wal

Mark Ox Joins Tournament!; Rooming List Change!

Glen Arbor, MI--The tournament committee announced today Mark Ochsankehl (Ox) has joined the tournament bringing the total number of participants to 24. The tournament is full.

Ox joined the tournament in 2013 and has been a welcome presence ever since. Welcome Ox!

The smooth swinging Ox enters the 2015 tournament with a +6 handicap index having shot 78-80-82-76 in 2014 for a 79 average. Ox's handicap index has steadily dropped since joining the tournament as a +8.

The addition of Ox changes has caused a slight revision of condo assignments. Some condo assignments have changed. The most up to date condo lodging list is below and has been sent to The Homestead management.

Sundance #7
Jeff Tanis
Dave Tanis
Owen Tanis
Dirk Tanis

Sundance #15
John Mulder
Dan Rosema
J.D. Rosema

Sundance #27
Don VanZee
Jim Baker
Jim Warners
Chris Grek
Mark Ox

Sundance #1
Mark Rice
Rodger Rice
Thom Anema
Dick Anema
John Topliff

Gentle Winds #23/24
Jack Vos
Jon Vos
Sam Vos
Tony Vroon
Mark Vandenberge
Dan Vander Wal

Trending Down: 2015 Handicaps and Tee Assignments Announced

Glen Arbor, MI--In a complete reversal of last year's tournament, when almost every player's handicap had gone up going into the tournament, almost every returning player's handicap has gone down heading into the 2015 event. Clearly, Lakewood Shores courses were agreeable to last year's participants.

Leading the charge with the greatest differential, both Jeff Tanis and Rodger Rice lowered their handicap indexes a full five points (-5).

Jeff played spectacular golf all weekend going 78-85-82-84 for an 82 average and lowering his handicap from +13 to +8.

Rodger played well too, but his downward movement may also have been a function of how uncharacteristically high it was going into the 2014 tournament. Rodger entered the 2014 tournament with an index of +27 and cries of "sandbagger" from most of the participants. He quickly silenced those cries going 100-98-97-101 for a 99 average, lowering his index from +27 to a more reasonable +22.

Not to be outdone by his son, tournament tall timber, Dave Tanis, also lowered his handicap four points, going 86-86-88-94 for an 89 average and dropping his index from +17 to +13. Dave has been a model of consistency since joining the tournament, always hovering around a +9 to +13 index until 2012 and 2013's courses (Garland & Hawk's Eye/The Chief, respectively) threw him off his game. He's back where he belongs and the tournament is thankful for that.

Tall Timber, Dave Tanis, prepares to unleash

Speaking of sandbagging, Mark Rice played brutal golf in the 2014 tournament (his teammates almost kicked him off the team) going 90-94-97-96 for a 94 average, skyrocketing his handicap a full eight (yes, 8) points from +10 to +18. After receiving several tips and complaints from 2014 participants, a full investigation by the tournament's rules committee determined no sandbagging occurred. The player in question simply sucked. All charges were dropped amidst uproarious laughter and snickering by the committee.

Sandbagger, Mark Rice

Going ever lower, young gun Sam Vos, continues to tear up the tournament and lead all players. Sam entered the 2014 tournament tied with Mark Ox for the low index of +7. He shredded that in 2014 going 73-81-81-78 for a 78 average and lowering his index by two more points to +5--tying a tournament record. Only one other player in the in the 27-year history of the event (Donovan Van Zee) has entered the tournament with a +5 handicap index or a scoring average below 80. Dononvan Zee entered the 2012 tourament with +5 and 78 scoring average. How utterly fitting this new record tying feat should be held by none other than the grandson of the tournament's namesake and co-founder. Congratulations, Sam Vos. Your grandpa would have been so proud.

Sam Vos: tournament co-record holder for low scoring average and handicap index

All this sets up for a terrific 2015 tournament. Indexes are below and tee assignments are below. Tees assignment indicate tee played in the tournament to achieve the current handicap index. Rookie handicaps are estimated as are the tees from which they play.

Name, Tee, Index
Dick Anema, Gold, +31
Thom Anema, Blue, +16
Jim Baker, White, +21
Steve Elenbaas, Blue, +15
Chris Grek, White, +14
John Mulder, White, +19
Mark Rice, Blue, +18
Rodger Rice, Gold, +22
Dan Rosema, Blue, +10
J.D. Rosema, Blue, +16
Dave Tanis, Gold, +13
Dirk Tanis, White, +17
Jack Tanis, White, +16
Jeff Tanis, White, +8
Owen Tanis, White, +23
John Topliff, Blue, +20
Mark Vandenberge, Blue, +29
Dan Vander Wal, Blue, +10
Donovan Van Zee, White, +10
Jack Vos, White, +17
Jon Vos, Blue, +10
Sam Vos, Blue, +5
Tony Vroon, White, +17
Jim Warners, White, +16

2015 Rooming and Final Participant's List Announced

Glen Arbor, MI--the tournament committee today announced the final confirmed list of participants and the rooming list for 28th annual James E. Vos Memorial Invitational. Participants in the 2015 tournament will be staying in five different condos along the Crystal River and near the lakeshore.

Because the condos are privately owned, each condo is unique, offering different floor plans and very different sleeping arrangements--everything from a king bed to bunk beds. These are not standard one-size-fits-all condos as we've stayed in the past. Even the per night price of each condo is different.

Despite the different condo prices, and to keep things as simple as possible, the executive committee has decided to maintain a same-price-for-all pricing policy. Everyone will pay the same lodging price regardless of which condo you are in or which bed you choose/are assigned. The Homestead staff has been instructed to create same-price invoicing for every golfer.

Having said that, each condo may work out these differences among themselves. If you do, the tournament committee is suggesting a $30 price difference between those sleeping in kings/queens vs. those in twins and bunks. But, that is entirely up to your condo-mates and any price variances must be worked out among yourselves, not with the Homestead staff. They will be charging each person the same price regardless.

A separate post will be made later in the week about final golf and lodging pricing.

Herewith the rooms and participants assigned. The links to the condo web pages are also included.

Sundance #7
Jeff Tanis
Dave Tanis
Owen Tanis
Dirk Tanis
Sleeping: 2 queens, 2 sets of bunk beds
http://www.thehomesteadresort.com/realestate/search_display_rentals.php?propertyid=2094

Sundance #15
John Mulder
Chris Grek
Dan Rosema
J.D. Rosema
Sleeping: 2 queens, twin, sleeper sofa
http://www.thehomesteadresort.com/realestate/search_display_rentals.php?propertyid=2096

Sundance #27
Don VanZee
Jim Baker
Jim Warners
Dan Vander Wal
Sleeping: 2 queens, 2 twins, sleeper sofa
http://www.thehomesteadresort.com/realestate/search_display_rentals.php?propertyid=2097

Sundance #1
Mark Rice
Rodger Rice
Thom Anema
Dick Anema
John Topliff
Sleeping: king, 2 queens, 2 twins
http://www.thehomesteadresort.com/realestate/search_display_rentals.php?propertyid=2424

Gentle Winds #23/24
Jack Vos
Jon Vos
Sam Vos
Tony Vroon
Steve Elenbaas/Mark Vandenberge (splitting time and trip $)
Sleeping: 2 queens, four twins
http://www.thehomesteadresort.com/realestate/search_display_rentals.php?propertyid=2472

Note: joining us for golf but not lodging is also Jack Tanis. Yes, a fifth Tanis! They are everywhere. Jack is Dave's brother and Jeff's uncle. Jack also owns condo at The Homestead. Jack agreed to join us somewhat last minute when we had some late cancellations. Jack will be staying at his place. Welcome Jack!

The addition of Jack combined with the loss of Kyle Vander Wal (ankle surgery) and Mike Posby (new job) brings the total number of participants for this year's tournament to 23. A separate post will be made later in the week regarding handicaps and tee assignments.