The Swan Lake Wednesday Men's league at one time was named the Jeffersonville Business league and has been operating as far back as the 80's.

League administrator Bob Menges noted that the league has been played at three different courses, the Villa Roma, Sullivan County Golf & Country Club and now at the Swan Lake Golf & Country Club beginning in the early 90's.

Prominent golfer Doug Immoor was president of the league for many years from 1999 to 2018. Taking over and running the league now is Bob Menges. He said the league has had as many as 20 teams competing at one time but that league team members now total 12 teams (24 golfers).

Last year's league champions were John Fink and Jim Graham.

Team members for 2020 are Rich Schmidt and Boomer Russell, John Fink and Jim Graham, Bill Orr and Drew Tanous, Doug Immoor and Harold Tighe, Terry Krantz and Fred Stabbert III, Rob Esposito and Dave Hoskings, Frank Barrett and Dan Hendrickson, Dave Kuebler and Roy O'Mara, Josh Hinkley and Paul Alden, Larry McAllister and Ron Lennon, Eric Stratton and Marc Brand, and Chris Rodriguez and Matt Kovsh.

Ed's Outlook

If amateur golf tournaments in Sullivan County ever reached the status of being called a Major Tournament the Sullivan County Democrat Two-Man, better Ball golf tournament would definitely be the leader in that category.

The 39th Democrat tournament will take center stage this weekend at the fabulous Villa Roma Resort.

This premier tournament showcases the talents of the area's finest amateur golfers.

With good weather golfers will show off their talents.

Our talented sports editor will capture the winning moments.

Golf Tip

By Bob Menges

Scoring is all about getting the ball in the hole with the least amount of strokes.....and the short game is a key component to accomplishing this.

One of the ways to improve the short game is to work on distance control.

In this drill, I set up four targets....whether it's buckets or whatever visual object you can find...with distances ranging from 10 to 40 yards.

After the targets are in place you then hit one ball at each target in sequence. By hitting at different targets in sequence, you once again will prevent yourself from locking in to one distance. In the long run, this will help you develop better feel for your distance control. As far as club selection, I suggest you start with a 5-degree wedge for this drill and then experiment with your other wedges.

The key here is to develop your touch for the different distances.

Robert Menges is the head golf professional at the Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Mt. Hope Road, Swan Lake. He is available when the course opens in mid-May. If you have a question or subject you would like covered, he can be reached at 845-292-0323, 845-866-5567 or via email at bobmenges22@gmail.com

Putting Tip

By Geoff Walsh

We have watched top contenders in the World Putting Championship, and I've always known that if golfers want to score well, they must learn to putt well.

An area that is so important in scoring well is the speed of the putt.

You “feel” the speed with your eyes, mind and hands.

Imperative that you look at the distance between the ball and the hole six to nine times before you putt during the pre-putt routine.

It's a triangle. Your eyes see the distance....a signal is sent to your mind....your mind sends a signal to the muscles in your right fingers (left fingers for lefty's) for the amount of acceleration needed.

Then you pull the trigger. Get the ball nearest the hole, no-stress two putt, three putting is not.

Two putting is hot.....three putting is not.

Geoff Walsh is a Class A PGA Professional at the Tarry Brae Golf Course at 387 Pleasant Valley Road, South Fallsburg. At this time private lessons are not available. If you have a question or subject you would like covered, he can be reached by telephone 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 in writing and compiling the information for this column. When leagues and courses are fully in operation send your league or tournament information to Ed at 845-439-8177, email to bghtnews@aol.com or fax to 845-205-4474. View this column and Ed's photos at http://bght.blogspot.com We are also on Facebook and Twitter.

Golf Scores

Twin Village

Monday Mens

1. Green & Glantzis 108.0

2. Husson & Husson 101.0

3. Trask/Mooney/Huggins 99.5

4. Harris & Spalding 87.0

5. Wilcox & Gray 86.0

6. Brock & Brock 82.5

7. Madera & Madera 82.0

8. Haas & France 81.5

9. Thomas & Hendrickson 80.0

10. Tallman & Ackerly 78.5

11. Templin & Lee 78.0

12. Rowan & Bennett 74.0

13. Tucker & Smith 72.5

13. Darbee & France 72.5

15. Ryder & Ryder 69.5

16. Jester & Winters 69.5

17. Rampe & Hill 68.5

18. Murphy/Murphy/Gilmour 57.5

Tuesday Ladies

1. C. Bowers & S. Feeney 86.0

2. A. Bury & S. Clark 83.0

3. L. Kuehn & E. Kuehn 82.5

4. E. Casey & E. Carlson 81.5

5. A. Husson & B. Ackerly 80.0

6. Bye, Team 67.5

7. Y. Rowan & D. Mantzouratos 67.0

8. L. Hendrickson & D. Greenthal 56.5

9. S. Ferber & J. Husson 48.0

10. K. Harris & S. Green 38.0

Tarry Brae

Tuesday Mens

1. Delacruz & Garcia 110.5

2. Sauchuk & Martin 107.0

3. Yaun & Gilmore 106.5

4. Aymes & Schneider 102.5

5. Collette & Iqbal 99.0

6. Pollock & Carey 97.5

7. Bonsick & Cassaveh 97.0

8. Johnson & Johnson 94.5

9. Simpson & Wolcott 93.0

10. Kawauchi & Altbach 91.5

11. Flores & Kukas 86.5

12. Stoddard & Kushetsky 84.0

13. Mullen & Rohrback 81.0

SWAN LAKE

Tuesday Night Birdie Division

1. J. Sazoff & S. Ottino 117.5

2. C. Roth & C. Roth 109.5

3. H. Kerhley & J. Rhupert 99.5

4. A. Torrens & Z. Cody 97.0

5. J. Franke & R. Franke 94.5

6. D. Byrne & T. Byrne 90.5

7. D. Luczyski & M. Garigliano 81.0

8. T. Merklin & S. Austin 80.0

9. T. Ditmar & N. Rusin 78.5

10. K. Torrens & M. Lagatutta 76.0

Tuesday Night Eagle Division

1. N. Bell & M. Freaney 114.5

2. Todd & Taylor VanKeuren 106.0

3. J. Tanous & J. Wilhelm 102.0

4. N. Huggler & M. Murphy 101.0

5. W. Herzog & K. Clifford 97.5

6. P. Fanning & A. Marciano 93.0

7. P. Donovan & K. Scheibe 91.5

8. J. Finn & J. Russell 89.0

9. M. Diehl & A. Bradley 86.0

10. B. Strong & P. Umphries 64.0

Tuesday Night Par Division

1. C. Hicks & B. Garber 110.5

2. K. Wheeler & S. Hamlin 109.0

3. J. Van Keuren & T. Nieman 108.5

4. J. Rusin & R. Ellison 103.0

5. T. Gallo & T. McCausland 96.5

6. E. O'Malley & T. Ellison 94.5

7. P. Clifford & A. Hauser 91.5

8. M. Williams & D. Divita 90.0

9. C. Schadt & W. Mall 72.5

10. J. Merklin & O. Trask 69.0

Wednesday Night League

1. F. Barrett & D. Hendrickson 76.0

2. R. Schmidt & H. Russell 72.5

3. M. Brand & E. Stratton 72.0

4. B. Orr & D. Tanous 71.0

5. J. Hinkley & P. Alden 70.0

6. J. Fink & J. Graham 66.5

7. D. Immoor & H. Tighe 62.0

8. F. Stabbert & T. Krantz 60.0

9. D. Kuebler & R. O'Mara 58.5

10. L. McAllister & R. Lennon 56.5

11. D. Hoskings & R. Esposito 45.5

12. M. Kovsh & C. Rodriguez 19.5

Thursday Travel League

1. Thomas & Husson 115.0

2. Martinez & Sherman 113.0

3. Bacigalupo & Mitchell 112.0

4. Gilmore & Bernstein 108.5

5. Collura & Fisher 107.5

6. Schmidt & Ackerly 106.0

7. Winters & Winters 98.5

8. Stevens & Snihura 95.0

9. Jardine & Stanley 90.5

10. Lubniewski & Martin 87.0

11. Coney & Mace 85.5

12. Hutchins & Mack 77.5

13. Benzenberg & Benzenberg 77.0

14. Cawley & Todora 74.5

15. Poli & Cunningham 60.5

16. Heavey & Magill 55.0