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