Battle for the Bridge Golf Tournament

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Mainlanders vs Islanders
Each year the members of Coral Creek Club square off as Mainlanders and Islanders to battle it out on the golf course. The prize – the Boca Grande Bridge, at least in spirit! The seventh annual friendly competition was just as fun as exciting as previous years.

Men’s: In the year that would decide which team took the overall series lead, the Islanders showed that they were not going down without a fight. After a morning session that featured both a better-ball and scramble format, the Islanders were ahead by a slim two point margin. Following a quick lunch, a captains meeting, and some pairing changes, competitors went back out on the course for the third and final 9-hole match of the day; alternate shot. The format proved to be difficult for the Mainlander team and left Islander Captain Howard Wise and his co-captain Tom Bowers feeling good about their strategic moves. Day one came to a close with the Islanders holding a 17 to 10 lead.

The winds quieted overnight and Mainlander captain Art Kingsbury and his co-captain Chuck McMichael were intent on closing the gap. The final round featured 18 singles matches, many of which were decided on the final hole and none of which were halved. The strong play continued for the Islanders, as they got their points on the board early and never looked back, cruising to a 29-16 victory, and taking the overall lead four to three.

Ladies:The Ladies Battle for the Bridge was the most exciting one to date. With 16 ladies playing in two teams of eight, there were 12 total points up for grabs on the first day. After the better-ball and alternate shot formats, the Mainlanders held a slim one point lead over a tough Islanders team. The always difficult alternate shot format proved to be a more comfortable fit for Captain Georgia Yusk’s Mainlander team, as they picked up another point on the way to a first day seven to five lead.

With a total of eight points to be had on the final day, the Islanders team, led by Babs Vanyo, fought hard to earn five of them and avoid an outright loss. After a final match victory by the Islanders, the final score was 10 to 10, and the 2010 champion Mainlanders retained the cup. The win gives the Mainlanders a three to two overall series lead.