2018 Teams Announced

Bellaire, MI--The tournament executive committee today announced the teams for the 31st playing of the James E. Vos Memorial Invitational, now just a week away. The executive committee made the decision to select the teams in advance to save time and create event efficiency in what will be a very busy weekend with tight schedules.

In announcing the 2018 teams the executive committee made a bold, somewhat unprecedented, and perhaps even controversial decision to move away from the tradition of keeping families together and having complete family units play together against other complete family units. Instead, the 2018 teams break some family units apart, putting them on opposite teams, facing off against each other. Vos' will now play against Vos'; Tanis' against Tanis', and so on. How interesting it will be to see Dave Tanis and his grandson, Owen, face off against his son, Jeff and other grandson, Dirk. This year, we will get to find out.

In another rarity, it is also the first year in quite some time where the three remaining founding members--Thom Anema, Jack Vos, and Mark Rice--and several of their college roommates and friends will play together as teammates--a reunion of sorts.

Pre-tournament round at Chase Hammond  Golf Club
(l to r: Thom Anema, Jack Vos, Mark Rice, Tony Vroon)
circa May 1989

As usual, very few strokes separate the team handicap totals, but as we've seen in the past, that rarely matters. Grit, determination, who's playing well that week, and luck play a huge role in determining the winning team. Who will it be this year?

Herewith the teams for the 2018 James E. Vos Memorial Invitational.

Team A/Handicap (final team name tbd; see below)
Anema, Dick, +28
Anema, Thom, +17
Baker, Jim, +20
Elenbaas, Ben, +6
Elenbaas, Steve, +15
Rice, Mark, +13
Tanis, Dirk, +11
Tanis, Jeff, +12
VanderWal, Dan, +13
Vos, Jack, +20
Vroon, Tony, +25
Warners, Bob, +22

Team B/Handicap (final name tbd; see below)
Anema, John, 26
Mulder, John, +22
Rice, Rodger, +22
Tanis, Dave, +13
Tanis, Owen, +18
Terpstra, Ken, +18
Topliff, John, +16
Vos, Jon, +10
Vos, Max, +9
Vos, Sam, +13
Vroon, Anthony, +27
Warners, Jim, +15


Team names will be selected at the Wednesday evening Gathering event (approx. 9:00pm Wednesday 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. Alas, the 2017 MVP, Cam Van Koevering, is unable to participate in this year's tournament. We will have to devise another method for choosing this year's team names.

2018 Handicaps: Up, Up, and Away

Byron Center, MI--As expected, and as has been the case historically, the 2017 tournament courses at Garland were brutal on scores and handicaps. Almost every player in this year's tournament who also played last year saw their handicap indexes go up--some significantly so. A few players remained even, and only two players saw their indexes drop--a truly remarkable achievement given the brutality that is the Monarch and Swampfire courses at Garland.

Jim Warners has been a model of consistency for a long time.

Since 2015 Jim's index has never fluctuated more than one point, always bouncing between +15 and +16. The tough Garland courses had no affect on him, as he proved by being one of only two players dropping his index that week, going from +16 to +15. Congratulations JW!

The only other player to drop his handicap index is, of course, the ageless Dick Anema

Uncle Dick entered the 2017 tourney with a sizeable index (+30) which was a full six strokes higher than his 2016 index. Nonetheless, playing at a +30 in 2017, Dick managed two scrape a full 2 strokes of his 2018 handicap index. He enters the 2018 tournament at +28. Sheesh, who is this guy?!

Every other player either went up or stayed the same, some suprisingly so and it is important to note them, perhaps as warning signs for those who will face them day one of the 2018 tournament.

Most surprising, perhaps even shocking, is Master Samuel Vos.

Like Jim Warners, Sam has been a model of consistency. Since the 2015 tournament, his index has never gone above +5. Perhaps that's why his 2017 scores of 89-91-88-85 are so shocking--even hard to believe. Nonethelss, his 88 average puts him at a +13 going into the 2018 tournament. Woe to everyone who has to deal with this beast on day one of the 2018 tourney.

In like fashion, Dan Vander Wal, fresh off a 2017 hip replacement surgery, entered the 2017 competition +9. While medically cleared to play, he was advised to swing easy (a term Dan has zero concept of) and play from white tees, which he did. Danno gets hero status for even playing and his scores reflected his healing hip. His 89-97-93-92 gave him a 93 average and a +17 index. Dan will move back to his normal blue tees for the 2018 tournament, but still, Danno on fresh hips at a +17 from the blue tees. Ouch.

Sam and Dan: enjoy tournament day one. Day two will be a different day....!

There are other notable upswings. Players will be wise to watch out for:

Jim Baker, who moves from +14 to +20
Tony Vroon, who moves from +20 to +25
Bob Warners, who moves from +17 to +22

These are three exceptional players who are always dangerous, especially with higher than normal handicap indexes. Beware.

All this sets up for a terrific 2017 tournament. Indexes and tee assignments are below. Tees assignments indicate the tee played in the last tournament to achieve the current handicap index (with the exception of Dan Vander Wal). Rookie handicaps are estimated.

Name, Tee, Index
ANEMA, DICK, Red, +28
ANEMA, JOHN, White, +26
ANEMA, THOM, Blue, +17
BAKER, JIM, White, +20
ELENBAAS, BEN, Blue, +6
ELENBAAS, STEVE, Blue, +15
MULDER, JOHN, White, +22
RICE, MARK, Blue, +13
RICE, RODGER, Gold, +22
TANIS, DAVE, Gold, +13
TANIS, DIRK, Blue, +11
TANIS, JEFF, White, +12
TANIS, OWEN, White, +18
TERPSTRA, KEN, White, +18
TOPLIFF, JOHN, Blue, +16
VANDERWAL, DAN, Blue, +17
VOS, JACK, White, +20
VOS, JON, Blue, +10
VOS, SAM, Blue, +13
VOS, MAX, Blue, +9
VROON, ANTHONY, White, +27
VROON, TONY, White, +25
WARNERS, BOB, White, +22
WARNERS, JIM, White, +15

2018 Rooming List Announced

Bellaire, MI--The tournament committee today announced the rooming list for 31st annual James E. Vos Memorial Invitational. Participants in the 2018 tournament will be staying in standard 2-bed accommodations in Summit Village at the Lakeview Hotel and Conference Center.

The Lakeview Hotel is at the heart of Shanty Creek and offers offers million-dollar views of Lake Bellaire, miles of pristine hardwood forests and out-the-door access to The Legend and Summit Golf Courses. The guest rooms also have walk-to access to The Lakeview Restaurant, Arnie’s Grill, The Spa at Shanty Creek, indoor and outdoor pools. Standard rooms include: two queen beds, refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, balcony/deck.

Herewith the rooms and participants assigned. The numbers assigned to each grouping are actual room numbers. If you wish to switch room assignments from what is below, work that out directly with the resort staff, not with the executive committee.

Rm. 2208
John Anema
Dick Anema

Rm. 2201
Thom Anema
Dan Vander Wal

Rm. 2211
Steve Elenbaas
Ben Elenbaas

Rm. 2220
John Mulder
John Topliff

Rm. 2207
Mark Rice
Rodger Rice

Rm. 2209
Dave Tanis
Owen Tanis

Rm. 2204
Jeff Tanis
Dirk Tanis

Rm. 2210
Jon Vos
Max Vos

Rm. 2203
Jack Vos
Sam Vos

Rm. 2202
Tony Vroon
Anthony Vroon

Note: Jim Baker, Jim Warners, Bob Warners, and Ken Terpstra are staying in Ken's condo in Schuss Village.