Two exciting open tournaments take place each week at the Town of Fallsburg 18-hole Lochmor Golf Course.

All golfers are welcome at the 4:30 p.m. Wednesday Scramble and the 4:30 p.m. Friday Best Ball event.

There are no league membership requirements (just show up and pay the golfing fee of $20 plus the $10 prize fee) and golfers we have talked to say they enjoy the competition and camaraderie plus the opportunity to win Cash prizes while playing an outstanding well maintained golf course.

The Wednesday golf event uses golf scramble rules and can give less experienced golfers a chance to win....creating a more competitive overall atmosphere.

Simultaneously, this event can alleviate the stress put on individual golfers.

There are multiple variations in which Scramble golf events can be held, however, the basic rules are always the same.

The basics include the fact that scramble events are made up of teams. Teams can be as small as two players but are typically made up of four golfers.

Each team posts one score per hole and for scoring purposes, that score acts as one single golfer.

All team members tee off, the team then chooses the best shot and all team members will move their ball to within a club’s length of the selected tee shot. All team members will hit their second shot from this position.

After hitting their second shot, the team will repeat the selection process and play their third shot and so on.

Once on the green, the teams select the ball that is the closest to the hole and that ball must be marked (ideally with a golf tee) and each golfer must putt within a putter’s head length of the tee (no closer to the hole.)

Scoring only counts the selected shots. Teams are expected to score much lower than an individual scores on their own.

Lochmor Golf Pro Mike Decker said the teams in the Scramble event must have at least one (A) player and 1 (B) player to even out the competition.

In this type of competition the score is recorded as if the team is a single player.

In the Best Ball competition each golfer hits his own ball throughout the round but after each hole only the best score amongst the team members is recorded and counts as the score for the whole team for that hole.

The best scores on each hole are added up to give the final total score for the team. The team with the lowest score wins.

Both the scramble and best ball formats add excitement and fun for golfers. For additional information call the Lochmor Golf course at 845-434-1257.

Ed’s Outlook

I like those Cleveland RTX full-face wedges.

Cleveland has a very functional RTX Zipcore wedges, and they are now available with full-face grooves in 50 through 64-degree lofts in Tour Satin and raw Tour Rack finishes. The prices range from $159.99 for the Tour Satin and $179.99 in Tour Rack.

From what we can see the Cleveland RTX Full-face wedge is ready to make a smooth entrance and it’s a stick you’ll want to pay attention to.

A very interesting wedge that you will be intrigued by.

Golf Tip

By Robert Menges

It never hurts to try something new.

We all have different ways of doing thing on the golf course, which is why one technique or strategy might work for one person but not another.

For example, some of us will visualize the shot we want to hit in our mind, because it helps us execute the shot. For others, they have to experience the shot.

With that said (or written in this case) it never hurts to try something new.

So here are several “pep talks” you can create to help build your confidence for the next round.

After each round of golf, take 60 seconds to sit quietly and replay three best shots of the round. Visualize them in slow motion and lock every detail into your memory. They’ll come back to cheer you on in the future.

Tell someone about your best shot of the day, but never talk about your worst shots. Professionals can usually remember every shot during a tournament, but there is one shot they “just don’t recall”…it’s their worst shot.

Let the bad shots go, and never ever talk about them.

After every shot, remember to say, “great shot” and mean it when you say it…the results may not be exactly what you wanted, but the ball went where you hit it. So go do it again.

Breathe before every shot or putt, remember to breathe deeply and softly. It will relax your body and allow you to focus on the task at hand.

Make it a part of your pre-shot routine to consciously expect a great shot. As you pull the club from your bag, smile. As you look down the fairway or line up your putt, smile. As you stand over the ball, smile. Expect the best.

Finally, but perhaps most importantly, have fun out there. Golf is a game. Yes, it can be very challenging and frustrating at times, but it is intended to be a form of enjoyment. Enjoy the day, the weather and the time with friends. Chances are, you’ll enjoy the wonderful game of golf as well.

Robert Menges is the head golf professional at the Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Mt. Hope Road, Swan Lake. He is available for private lessons and if you have a question or subject you would like covered, he can be reached at 845-292-0323 or via email at bobmenges22@gmail.com.

The Putting Tip

By Geoff Walsh

Waiting for that one-putt opportunity?

Meanwhile, stay calm and patient, be reasonable, steady, conservative, get your solid 2 putts, and then when the time is right, the distance, the undulation manageable, you feel comfortable and most positive.

Then you strike, like a cat on the prowl, stalking her prey while lurking in the shadows for that opportunity.

For that opportunity that you knew was coming and you begin sinking those one putt shots.

Geoff Walsh is a Class A PGA Professional at the Tarry Brae Golf Course and is available for private lessons at 387 Pleasant Valley Road, South Fallsburg. If you have a question or subject you would like covered, he can be reached at 845-434-2620.

Ed Townsend is a Public Relations Consultant to the Sport of Golf and brings over 60-years of sports journalism experience writing and compiling the information for this column. If you have league or tournament information, score a hole-in-one or score your age, let Ed know at 845-439-8177, email to bghtnews@aol.com. View this column and Ed’s photos at http://bght.blogspot.com. We are also on Facebook and Twitter.

SWAN LAKE

Tuesday Night Birdie Division

1. P. Clifford & A. Hauser 80.5

2. D. Luczynski & M. Garigliano 74.0

3. M. Welsh & S. Duquette 72.0

4. T. Ditmar & N. Rusin 71.0

5. Todd & Taylor VanKeuren 67.5

6. H. Keherley & J. Rhupert 62.0

6. D. Byrne & T. Byrne 62.0

7. J. Merklin & W. Huebner 61.5

8. N. Bell & M. Freaney 60.5

9. K. Torrens & M. Lagatutta 60.0

10. N. Huggler & M. Murphy 59.5

11. C. Hicks & B. Garber 55.5

12. A. Atkins & R. Festa 42.5

13. T. Osterhout & B. Meyer 39.5

14. M. Williams & D. Divita 39.0

15. T. Merklin & S. Austin 38.0

Tuesday Night Par Division

1. C. Roth & C. Roth 70.5

2. E. O’Malley & T. Ellison 68.0

3. C. Schadt & W. Mall 67.5

4. T. Gallo & C. Roth 65.5

5. J. Finn & J. Russell 65.0

6. K. Wheeler & S. Hamlin 64.5

7. J. J. Van Keuren & T. Nieman 62.5

8. J. Rusin & R. Ellison 59.0

9. J. Sazoff & S. Ottino 56.0

10. Walter & Quintin Herzog 54.5

11. J. Frankie & R. Frankie 47.0

12. K. Clifford & B. Menges 45.0

13. J. Tanous & J. Wilhelm 44.0

14. P. Fanning & A. Marciano 41.5

15. M. Diehl & A. Bradley 40.0

16. P. Donovan & K. Scheibe 31.5

Wednesday Night

1. R. Schmidt & B. Russell 87.5

2. E. Stratton & M. Brand 81.5

3. F. Barrett & D. Hendrickson 77.5

4. D. Kuebler & R. O’Mara 70.0

5. W. Mall & F. Stabbert 68.5

6. T. Martin & T. Martin Jr. 68.0

7. R. Meihoffer & T. Doughty 64.0

8. R. Heyman & J. Weinstein 61.5

9. J. Hinkley & P. Alden 60.0

10. P. Wegman & R. Lennon 55.5

11. D. Immoor & H. Tighe 54.0

12. J. Fink & J. Graham 46.5

13. G. Ziegler & J. Wunder 42.5

14. R. Esposito & D. Hoskings 36.5