Old Bear Meeting Recap

Upcoming Tee Times

Nov. 22: Old Bears Fall Invitational - More details to follow later this week
Dec. 5/6: Deer Boy (John Jackson)
Dec. 12/13: RT
Dec. 19/20: KJ

Winter Social Event

Please think of a few ideas and bring them to the next meeting. This event will likely be in January as the December calendar is already filling up for people.

Dave Session Winter Festival

This will be a one day event at Lake Chabot (the only Old Bears sanctioned course). Tee times will be in the morning and the scoring system will be based on number of beers consumed. Official rules will be released later this winter.

For now, we need to select which Saturday works for the most people. The two dates we are looking at are Feb. 20 or Feb. 27.

Please respond to this email with which day works for you. I want to have a date set by Thanksgiving.

Next Meeting

Where: Applewood Pizza (Menlo Park)
When: Friday, November 22 - 5:30 pm

See you there

RT

Reminder: Old Bear Meeting Tomorrow

Where: Norton's Vault (Sacramento and Sansome)
When: Wednesday 7:00 (I will be there earlier)

See you there.

Old Bears Team Meeting - SF

November Tee Times

Oct. 31 / Nov. 1: Deer Boy
Nov. 7 / 8: Dan
Nov. 14 / 15: Kevin
Nov. 21 / 22: Fall Invitational (KJ/AJ)
Nov. 28 / 29: Jarrett

Old Bears Meeting

When: Wednesday - November 4th 7:00
Where: Norton's Vault - 500 Sacramento St. SF
What: Old Bear Meeting

Topics:

* December Tee Times
* Fall Invitational
* 1st Annual Dave Sasson Tournament Date Selection (February)
* Holiday Social Event
* New Member program

See you then

OB #1

Tee Time: Sunday Oct. 11

Given the overwhelming excitement for last weeks tee time, I made one reservation for this week.

Where: Shoreline Golf Course
When: 2:43 - Sunday
Cost: $28

First come, first served

T

President's Cup and Meeting

President's Cup Details:

When: Friday, October 9th - ~8:30
Where: Harding Park SF
Cost: $55

Please respond to this email if you are in so we can coordinate tickets.

Next Meeting Details:

When: Wednesday, October 7th 7:00
Where: Applewood Pizza Menlo Park

Email me directly if you are coming to this meeting rtaylor@gmail.com

Talk to you soon

RT

Old Bears Meeting: September Recap

Golf Tee Times

* Sept. 26/27: Open (If you want to play this weekend, make a time and see who is interested)

* October 3/4: Ben

* October 10/11: RT

* October 17/18: Nick

* October 24/25: AJ

* October: 31/1: DB

Events

* President's Cup - Tickets are $55 and the thought is to attend on Friday, October 9th. I will send out an email later this week to see who can make it.

* Fall Invitational - There was a lot of discussion about a Fall tournament. AJ and KJ have taken the lead to try and figure out a good weekend to play at The Preserve Golf Course in Carmel. More details to follow shortly

* Social Event - Numerous ideas were thrown out but the one with the most support was a drinking frisbee golf outing in Golden Gate Park or some other venue. We need someone to take the lead on this event.

* Practice - Once again a practice schedule was suggested so we can all improve our games. We will try to do the first on a week from Tuesday.

Next Meeting

For the next couple of months, we will be having two meetings a month. One meeting in SF and one meeting on the peninsula. I think this change will keep more people involved in the team.

When: Wednesday, October 7th - 7:00
Where: Applewood Pizza
Who: You

I will send a reminder email for this meeting so there is not need to RSVP

Thanks

OB Meeting Reminder

Where: Pete's Tavern (across from Pac Bell Park)
When: 7:00 - tomorrow night
What: OB Meeting

Topics to be discussed:

* President's Cup tickets
* Up coming golf schedule
* Bandon Dunes Trip in March (never too early)
* Fall Golf Invitational?

There is no need to respond to this email

The Return of the Old Bears

Fall is upon us and it is time for the Old Bears to come out of hibernation.

It is about time we meet for some food and drink

Here are the details.

When: Thursday, September 17th - 7:00
Where: Pete's Tavern - 128 King St. San Francisco (by the ballpark)
Who: Old Bears
What: Discuss the upcoming golf schedule

I figured it was time to have the meeting in SF as there seems to be more of us in the city. Also, this place is close to the Cal train station and street parking is slightly easier in SOMA than other parts of the city so I hope some of you from the peninsula can make it.

Let me know if you plan on attending.

See you soon

RT

OBs go to the Ballpark

What: D’backs v. Giants (Game of the Century)

When: Tuesday, August 25th

Where: Front Room Pizza (4:30 to 5:30), 21st Amendment (5:31 to 7:30) and Pac Bell Park (7:31 to the NENith inning)

Who: You and anyone else you want to bring (also, I am sure I am forgetting someone so please pass this along)

How Much: $18 for view reserve tickets

Please let me know if you plan on attending and how many you will be bringing with you by next Thursday.

I look forward to seeing you there.

RT

The Old Bears Return to Lake Chabot

When: Saturday, August 1. 2:18 and 2:27
How Much: $30 per person
Where: Lake Chabot Golf Course in Oakland
Who: Old Bears - First come, First Serve

See you there

RT

OB Meeting

Where: Steelhead Brewery in Burlingame
When: 7:00 on Thursday

We will be discussing the upcoming schedule for August and other ideas for the charity event in September.

See you then

First Ever Old Bears Hole-in-One

It's always an interesting round when balls can be lost in the dead center of the fairway. And at Lincoln Park, a true municipal course in San Francisco, this can happen in any number of ways. (click to enlarge images)

The first, depicted to the right, is quite simple and that's just by hitting the ball into the grass. And by grass, I mean thousands of white flowers (daisies?) that populate
the course. Is it really that hard to run a
lawn mower once a week?

The other way to lose your ball in the fairway is a strategy implemented by a Mr. Dan Barker, which is putting your drive into a sink hole just in from the right rough. The first OB Hole in One? Congrats Dan, well played sir.

The rest of the round was pretty much as expected, beautiful views from the top of the Presidio, 260 yard-par 4s followed by 240-yard par 3s and a very large amount of club throwing and expletive laced rants about putting on greens better suited for off roading than putting.

DeerBoy is well on his way to being crowned the OB most improved golfer of 2009 -- they may go right more often than not, but those drives are getting longer and longer.

The highlight of the round, for me anyway, was stopping to grab hot dogs after the 8th hole and, in looking in wonder at what sort of viscus fluid the aforementioned dogs were floating in, the BBQ wench smiled and said, "They're soaking in beer."

Lucky dogs.

To view all the photos from the round check out Box.net (click here for link)

OB Meeting Recap

OB Championship

The Players:

Charlie, Kev, J, Dan, T, JHo, AJ, KJ, Dave, Tino (10) - we need two more

Round 1: Shorline in Mountain View. Tee times will be between 8 am - 9 am

Round 2: Palo Alto Muni in Palo Alto. Tee times start at 1:30

Format: Best Ball

Handicaps: J will be announcing official handicaps before we tee off

Pairings: Pairings will be announced on the first tee at Shoreline. Low handicap players will be paired with high handicap players.

Post Championship Dinner: Applewood Pizza in Menlo Park

La Quinta

Dates: August 13 - 15

Rates: $146 - $159 a night (double occupancy). Rates include unlimited golf

Plan: We will most likely drive down early on Friday the 13th and play that afternoon. Two rounds on Saturday and one round on Sunday. We drive home late at night on Sunday.

RSVP: Please RSVP by July 8th so we can make reservations

July Tee Times

July 18/19: Dan

July 25/26: RT

Giants Game

Sunday June 19th against the Padres. We will start with a BBQ at Dave's place which is within walking distance of the ballpark. Cost will be determined once we know how many people are coming. Please RSVP by July 3rd

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be at Steelhead on Thursday July 23rd.

The second tee time has been canceled for Sunday so it is J, Charlie, Dan and RT at 2:48 @ Palo Alto Muni

See you guys soon

Meeting Agenda - 6/24/09

I will bring copies of the agenda to meeting tonight. See you there

Golf On Sunday - 2:48 @ Palo Alto Muni

* Dan, Charlie, J and T

OB Championship – July 4th and 5th

* Tee Times
* Pairings
* Format
* Help Needed

La Quinta

* Dates
* Rates
* Transportation
* Help Needed

Charity Event

* When?
* Where?
* What Charity?
* Father / Son?

July Tee Times

* 11/12 –
* 18/19 –
* 25/26 –

Next Meeting

* Thursday – July 23rd

OB Championship - Practice Round and Meeting reminder

SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY!

Where: Palo Alto Muni (site of the Final Round)
When: 2:48 and 2:56 - Sunday June 28th
Cost: $32

Please let me know if you are in.

Also, we have a meeting this Wednesday, 7:00 at Steelhead. We will be discussing:

* OB Championship on July 4th and 5th
* Trip to La Quinta
* Charity Golf Event
* Web Site Improvements

See you there.

June Golf Schedule

Here is the schedule for June:

June 6-7: Ben
June 20-21: Deer Boy
June 27-28: RT

We will have a meeting at Steelhead Brewing Company on Wednesday, June 24th at 7:00

Remember: The 1st annual Old Bears Championship is on July 4th and 5th.

See you on the links

Tomorrow

As a reminder, our tee times are at 3:21 and 3:29 with a meeting at 2:00.

See you at Harding

RT

Harding / Meeting

When: Saturday - May 23rd 2:00
Where: Harding Park Golf Course, SF
What: Old Bears Meeting

The meeting will be followed by two tee times: 3:21 and 3:29

These are twlight times so we are getting a significant discount on greens fees.

The current players are: J, Kev, Charlie, Ben, DB, Danny, Jarr and RT.

No need to respond to this but please try to make it to the meeting.

Thanks

Harding Park / Meeting update

Old Bears,

Decision Time.

Option one

Twilight begins at 3:00 and the Greens fees are the following

$125 (standard)
$79 (Northern California County resident - all you need is a driver's license)
$44 (SF Resident - have to have a residence card)

Right now 3:12 and 3:21 are available for Saturday the 23rd BUT I have to pay a $10 non-refundable fee per player to make the reservation in advance.

Option Two

Play earlier (noon to 2:00)

$155 (standard)
$99 (Nor Cal)
$59 (SF)

and call into the lottery on Saturday morning at 7:00 am and take what time we can get

PLEASE let me know if you are playing and what option you prefer. Also, we will be having the meeting ~ 1 1/2 before the tee time.

Thanks

RT

Old Bears Meeting - April 9th

Committees

The group determined we needed to have committees. At the next, we will be determining who will be the chairman for the following committees:

* Charity Event
* Championship - Jason Stevens
* Scheduling (Tee times)
* Social
* Website
* Treasury

Website

Our web address is www.oldbearsgolfteam.blogspot.com

Contact list

It was determined that it will be much easier for us to coordinate transportation to and from events if we know where everyone lives. Please forward me the following information:

* Name
* City
* Cell Phone Number

I will create a master list and post it on the website

Tee Times

April 19th: RT (Lake Chabot)
April 25/26: Eric
May 2/3: Dave
May 9/10: KJ

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be unique as I have been trying to get more people to come to meetings. As I brainstormed, one thing kept popping in my head "Harding Park". The next meeting will be a meeting and then golf at Harding Park. We will meet a couple hours before the round and then play.

Date: Saturday, May 23
Time: 10:00 meeting (I will try to get 3 tee times starting at noon)
Where: Harding Park in SF

Obviously, the times could change based on availability but please leave May 23rd open if at all possible.

Talk to you soon

RT

Old Bears on budget

When: Sunday April 19th @ 2:00
Where: Lake Chabot
Who: 4 people
How much: $30 (We can chip in for a cart if we like)
What: Golf

First come first serve.

Let me know if you are in

Reminder: Old Bears Meeting

Where: Steelhead Brewing Company
When: Tomorrow, 7:00
Who: You

The agenda will follow.

See you there

RT

Old Bears Meeting - Thursday, April 9th - 7:00

Where: Steelhead Brewing Company
When: Thursday, April 9th - 7:00

Please let me know if you can make it

Thanks
RT

Clarification

OB Ben Poole made a good point. The seed is multiplied by the round the team you picked is going into.

If you pick 8 seed Ohio St. to beat 9 seed Siena in the first round the total points you get if Ohio St. wins is 16.

8 (seed) x 2 (round they move into) = 16 points.

Also, when you fill out the bracket, it will tell you how many points you are elgible to receive if you pick everything perfectly.

I hope this clears up any confusion.

A better NCAA Bracket than you are already in

OBs

I have come up with a new way of "wagering" on the NCAA tournament. Here are the basics:

* You pick every round and team like you normally do

* Points for each pick are determined by multiplying the round by the seed. For example - if you pick Ohio State beats Siena you get 16 points = 8 (seed) x 2 (round).

* The champion's seed is multiplied by 10 as opposed to 7

* Tie-breaker is the total # of points in the championship game

* Entry is $20 with a max of two entries.

* Payment is due next Monday

* Entries are due by 9 on Thursday

* The goal of the new system is to reward underdog picks

If you want to be part of the revolution, please send me an email (rtaylor@gmail.com) and I will send you a spreadsheet.

OB Golf Outing 3/8/09

Here are some good pics from the last old bears golf outing:

Dave and Kev in perfect position to unleash:

Lincoln Park - 3/14

While we wait for the write from yesterday's round, here is the information for this weekend ...

Where: Lincoln Park (SF)
When: 11:30 am - Saturday
How much: $38

Please let me know if you want to play.

Thanks

RT

Old Bear's Bear Crawl

When: Tomorrow Night – 6:00
Who: Old Bears and friends of Old Bears (anybody you want to bring)
Where (the Bear Track):

River #1: Mr. Bing’s (Columbus and Jackson)
River #2: Giordano Brothers (Columbus and Broadway) – we will grab some grub here
River #3: Maggie McGarry’s (Grant between Vallejo and Green)
River #4: Gino and Carlo’s (Green between Grant and Columbus)
River #5: O’reilly’s (Green between Columbus and Mason)
River #6: Boardroom (Mason between Green and Union)

I look forward to seeing you there.

RT

Meeting Date Change

Please note I am moving the meeting to Thursday 3/5/09

Location: Steelhead Brewing Company
Time: 7:00

I apologize for the late change in plans.

See you there.

RT

OB Meeting Tuesday March 3rd

I realize this meeting is a little close to the last one but I figured we have some exciting topics ahead of ourselves and who doesn't like friends. Please let me know if you can attend.

Thanks

OB Golf Team Meeting Agenda – 3/3/09

Location: Steelhead
Time: 7:00

Topic #1: Bear Crawl 3/7/09


Topic #2: 1st Annual OB Golf Team Championship Brainstorm


Topic #3: OB Charity Event


Topic #4: Team Dues


Topic #5: Ranking Ladder

OB Golf Team Recap

Meeting Date: 2/18/09
Meeting Place: Steelhead Brewing Company
Attendance: Tino, Kev, KJ, JHo, Danny, and T

Topic #1: Schedule for the next 6 weeks

March 7-8: Dan
March 14-15: T
March 21-22: Bandon Dunes
April 4-5: Tino
April 18-19: JHo

Topic #2: Blog

* The person responsible for the weekend needs to post a short recap with the scores.

* T will post the spreadsheet with all the historical scores each week

Topic #3: Events

* Bandon Dunes: Kev, J, T and Dan (any additional people need to confirm by next Wednesday)

* Bear Crawl: There will be Bear (Pub) Crawl in North Beach on Saturday March 7th. Old Bearettes are invited to this event along with other friends of the Team. More details will be released next week. Plan on a 7:00 start at T's apartment.

* 1st Annual OB Golf Team Championship Chair: Jason Stevens

While he was not in attendance, the group nominated Jason to chair the first annual Championship. These is a monumental responsibility so please be willing to help him when he requests your aid.

Topic #4: New Members

* All potential members need to attend a meeting in which they will be approved. By attending the meeting, the new member will be showing their commitment to the original group.

* Guests will be allowed to play with the Team whenever there is an open space. Guests can be of any race or creed as the Team does not discriminate. An example of our openness would be best proven in our willingness to play with parents of Team members.

Topic $5: Making the Club Better

As all attending members agreed, this was by far our most productive meeting and nothing is better proof of that fact than some of the great new ideas that were spawned.

1) Ranking Ladder

All OBs would fall on this ladder which would allow us to understand the quality of our play. Rules regarding the ladder will be discussed at the next meeting.

2) OB Charity

It seems pretty obvious that in this time of economic decline, the Old Bears Golf Team needs to be there for the more less fortunate. A charity event will be discussed and planned at the next meeting. Charity Golf and BBQ??

3) Team Dues

To encourage attendance at meetings and social gatherings, we have decided that dues are required for the group. We are thinking $150 a year and all of that money goes to meetings and social events. As an example, the OB Fund could pay for the first three rounds of drinks at the Bear Crawl. You tell me who is not coming to that event!

Topic #6: Next Meeting

Given the fact that I love drinking, having fun and hanging out with my friends, I have decided that the next meeting will be Tuesday, March 3rd. I have not determined a location yet but I would guess it will be at Steelhead once again.

Remember: It doesn't matter how you score, it matters who you score with!

RT

Monarch Bay - January 25 '09

Highlights:
*Gayle force winds.
*Hitting driver on par 3's and not reaching the green.
*Monsoon style rain storms.
*8 buddies out fighting the elements and feeling alive.
A perfect day of golf!!!

Scores:
Dan 101
T 91
Kevin 83
Harl 95

OB Golf Team Meeting Agenda - 2/18/09

Topic #1: Schedule for the next 6 weeks

Topic #2: Blog

- Posting Recap and Scores

Topic #3: Events

- Bandon Dunes: Who is in?
- Bear Crawl: March 14th?
- 1st Annual OB Golf Team Invitational: Chairman?

Topic #4: New Members

Topic #5: Making the Club Better

Lake Chabot - December '08

Highlights:

*a team best-ball start of 5-under after 4 holes, including Dan's two-putt birdie on the par 5 3rd.  

*hills resembling shaved ice (cherry flavor) replicas of Himalayan peaks.

Scores:

Charlie 72

Kevin 72

Jason 76

Dan 97

The Aspect

The Aspect

It was a near perfect day in Palo Alto as 4 Old Bears (J, Kev, Dan and T) embarked on what seemed like a normal round of golf. After #1 hole, we knew the world was in balance when Kev made par and I ended up with something higher than a 5. No one could have predicted that Dan Barker was about to share one of golf’s deepest secrets with the rest of us.

To put it mildly, Dan has a thirst for a physical challenge. If it is trying to surf some of the world’s biggest waves or trying to keep a beat up VW van upright while driving to Eugene, OR by way of the Pacific Coast Highway, he loves to tread were others cower in fear. This unwavering desire to push himself to the edge has to be the only reason he uses golf clubs that were forged in the same year Arnold Palmer was born. Needless to say, Tiger could not break par with these heavy metal lightening rods.

Half way through hole #2, I think even Dan must have been questioning not only his clubs of choice but also why he had paid to play golf on this day. Little did I know that Dan had a much deeper understanding of the game than any of his playing partners.

True to his nature, Dan had given himself another difficult challenge on hole #2. His ball was ~35 yards from the green and he needed to make a perfect chip to even get on the putting service. With intangible confidence, Dan struck the ball perfectly and landed it within 10 feet of the cup. As J, Kev and I stood in amazement, we received a piece of wisdom usually uttered by only the most enlightened of individuals (the Dali Lama and Ghandi are the first that come to mind).

“I usually have only one aspect of golf working for me in a given round.”

For the duration of the round, Dan peppered the dance floor with 35 yard chip shots that always landed within 10 feet of the cup. It didn’t matter if he was in the rough, the fairway, a bunker or toxic poop (Harrell knows what I am talking about), he executed these shots with Chesley Shellenberger like precision.

We were all witnesses to the power of The Aspect and what it can do for not only your final score but also your golf outlook. Dan proclaimed after his trying round of 105 – “I just want to keep playing.” The only explanation for this unwarranted optimism is the power of The Aspect.

There really are only three reasons to play golf – physical activity, hanging out with friends and binge drinking. However, it is safe to say we need to add the power of The Aspect to this list

From all the Old Bears, I say thank you Dan Barker for providing us with another reason to face our fears head on and know that the power of The Aspect is in all of us!

RT

(See you at the meeting on Wednesday February 18)
Scores:

Kev – 74
J – 79
T – 85
Dan “The Aspect” Barker – 105

Monarch Bay Golf Club -- Dan's 30th Bday - 1/26/09

The wind blew, oh how it blew.

And despite the Old Bears' second group having nearly consumed a 30-pack by hole number 7, they played on through the blustery torrents of driving rain, ubiquitous goose shit and impossible to read greens where the ball seemed to ebbed and flow to its own natural rhythm, mirroring the crooked trajectory of a tee shot blown seventy-odd yards to the left or right by the howling wind, only to fall and lay asunder while the confounded (and drunk) Bears searched hopelessly through thick, matty clumps of grass and weeds, almost always to no avail and almost always without a care for the Old Bears, skilled though they may be, depart wives, girlfriends and masters of fins for the wide fairways and oddly placed pot bunkers of the Bay Area's finest (and cheapest) golfing establishments for one reason, and one reason only: Vanquishing our foes, those foes being the sloth and complacency so common as once great athletes, legendary conquerors of Midwest sorority sluts and dudes who are totally OK living with their parents at age 26 slide down the slippery slope of middle age. But we, the Old Bears, battle on, steadfast in our belief that beer, pot, golf and good friends (in that order) will always overcome our fears of becoming old and boring and almost always stem our steadily retreating hairlines, forestalling the inevitable in a puff, a sip, a chip.


Amen.

Palo Alto Municipal

The round began with beer. The crisp feeling was palpable. We all hit perfect shots until the beer ran out. Then, Deerboy got the shakes. For a moment, things looked grim. But we found some badwater in a puddle down the left side of number 12. Deerboy knelt beside the puddle, drank heartily, and returned to his smooth self. 

Eagle opportunities were in legion. Ryan reached the par 5 12th and Kevin reached the par 5 15th. The eagle putts didn't fall, but at least the holes got their kneecaps dirty. 

Shots were made, and the thing is, that was expected. You can't really discount a driving iron from 235 yards to set up an uphill eagle opportunity. 

Things got really weird on 18, when Deerboy sliced with such force that he actually disappeared for a good portion of the hole. Considering the landscape is flat and treeless, his venture beyond the visible horizon caused immediate concern. Yet he came swiftly back to a greenside bunker and got up and down for what could only be considered "a good bogey."

Scores:

Kevin 71

Jason 76

Ryan 92

Deerboy 134

Golf at Roddy Ranch

Well, it was one of those wintry Bay Area days, the kind that make you actually have to put on a jacket and even consider putting on pants - the kind of day that forced Harl to make a purchase - a purchase that very well may have saved his life, and his golf game. On December 12, 2008 Dan, Kev, Deerboy, and Harl ventured into uncharted territory, visiting the never-before-seen city of Antioch, CA. A virtual ghost town, on the drive in billboards for new houses read, "Move in For $1." Other signs clearly explained that this was, and always will be, a drug-free community. I guess they weren't planning on the four of us rolling in.

The golf was amazing. The scores were almost as low as the temperature, and almost as high as the wind speed.

Scores: to be entered when score card has been defrosted

Deerboy ?
Kevin 75
Harl ?
Dan ?