MASTERS WIN FOR LATTANZIO, OPENING SCRAMBLE...and more stuff

LATTANZIO OVER COMES HOSTILE CROWD TO WIN MASTERS

John Lattanzio scored a best two rounds total of (67-72) 139 to overtake his neighbourhood rival Serge Pasquali (71-71) 142 and last year's Club Championship Low Net winner Ken Swanson (70-73) 143. The hostile crowd, 2 pesky Crows and cranky Robin, seemed to take delight in making noise on every backswing and on every putt — ok the crows might have just been trying to steal Al Piccolo's snack from his cart.

One member of the hostile crowd

OPENING SCRAMBLE THIS WEEK

44 players are on the entry list to play in this season's opening scramble and lunch. The weather forecast is for sunny skies and mid-20's.

Check-in: 8:30 - 9:15am
Player meeting: 9:15 - 9:20 (last minute changes)
Shotgun start (back 9): 9:30 or sooner (listen for the horn)

HANDICAP, INDEX, AND COURSE HANDICAP

1. Handicap Index is a portable, standardized number (calculated from your 8 best scores of the last 20) representing your potential playing ability worldwide. It is a decimal number, for example 12.3

If you are NOT using Golf Canada for your handicap index, you need to keep track of your best 8 of your last 20 scores and use the handicap calculator (link at the top of the screen). The Chronogolf app does not calculate it correctly.

2. Course Handicap is the whole number of strokes you receive on a specific course and set of tees, determined by applying your Index to the course's difficulty (Slope/Rating).

3. The term handicap should be replaced with COURSE handicap. When entering events at other courses you should always use your Handicap Index

4. Our weekly events use NET scores with your COURSE handicap from the WHITE TEES or the appropriate COURSE handicap for the tee you are playing. Our scramble events and championship are WHITE TEES.

All clear as mud?

BIRCHBANK INVITATIONAL - MAY 21

Go to the top of this page and click on ONLINE REGISTRATIONS to read all about it and enter. That entry fee information is only for our members since you do not pay a green fee. Sign up now. Volunteer now to help with set up and clean up - talk to John Lattanzio.

SERGE LEADS, JOHN DISAPPEARS, and the sun is back

RETIREES MASTERS this week

It was a week of change at the top of our Masters Month leaderboard. Serge Pasquali 'serged' into a 4 shot lead with a 2 round NET total of 142 over chasers Marlin Frederick and Ken Swanson at 146. 

One more round coming this week, which gives the chase group another chance to improve their total score.

Remember we use your best 2 rounds to determine your score AND you should use the same course handicap for all rounds in April. This simplifies the job of scoring — please update your course handicap when starting your first round of next month's RETIREES PGA MONTH.

2025 PGA Month Champ Mike Vlanich

EARLY BIRD MEMBERSHIP CLICK HERE TO START

Only a couple of weeks left to get your Retirees Early Bird membership ($30), price goes up on May 1. 

FYI - A portion of your membership fee and 50/50 draws is used for each of our events to reduce the price we charge for the entry fee and to cover the expenses for the meal and prizes. Our aim is to break even at the end of the season, not to make a profit.

Pay via eTransfer (preferred method) - if you did it last year it will be ready to go in your online banking

OPENING SCRAMBLE AND LUNCH CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

April 30 - 9:30 am Modified Shotgun ENTRY FEE: $30 (Pulled Pork buffet)

Check-in starts at 8:30 - be sure to check in upstairs when you arrive

Entry Deadline is Saturday April 25 at noon.

Scorekeepers needed - talk to John if you can help out.

WEEK 2 OF RETIREES MASTERS and some other important stuff

 RETIREES MASTERS Fake News Headline

Scary news for this year's Retirees Masters Month, only two more rounds  to be played and John "Rory" Lattanzio tells me he is leading after last week's round. I have it on good authority that if John wins the Masters he will take the prize money and walk away from the game forever.

So get out there, play your best ever rounds and make sure John doesn't leave. ;)

REAL MASTERS NEWS

This Thursday is week 2 of 3 rounds for the Retirees Masters Month. If you choose to participate, remember we take your best 2 round NET scores to determine the champion. If you missed last week, you will need to play both of the next two in order to qualify.

OPENING SCRAMBLE AND LUNCH APRIL 30

Get yourself entered in the starting scramble and lunch. Paper sign up will be posted Monday, but why wait (or if you are away) sign up now online 

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

DEADLINE TO ENTER Saturday, April 23 — Entry fee is $30 and must be paid by the entry deadline, please pay via eTransfer (preferred method)

BIRCHBANK INVITATIONAL SIGN UP NOW

Use our ONLINE Registrations link on the website (link below) to sign up for almost every tournament for this season and just wait until closer to the event to pay the entry fees. 

Full details are available if you CLICK HERE TO ENTER

MASTERS MONTH and more..

 MASTERS MONTH STARTS THIS WEEK

Last year's Masters champ Alex Birukow trying on the Green Jacket

Thursday is the first of two rounds to determine our Retirees Masters champion for this season — as always, it is your choice to participate or not. The winner will have the lowest net score for the two rounds played.

Play your round, turn in the scorecard, include your GROSS & NET scores clearly entered, THEN WRITE YOUR SCORES AND HANDICAP on the results sheet posted on our bulletin board. Please use the same handicap for both rounds.

Remember that the success of this competition requires everyone being accurate and following the instructions.

VOLUNTEER NEEDED to verify scores after they are entered on the results sheet. Check the score card score and the posted one are correct. If can help with this job please contact John or email us. (perfect job for you and your regular playing partners to volunteer for.)

RETIREES FEES ARE DUE

Your $30 early bird fee is due now — the rate goes up May 1. Please pay with eTransfer (use our email address: birchankretiress@gmail.com).

NOTE: 

If you eTransfered fees previously, it should still be set up in your banking app.

Please fill out the online registration prior to sending eTransfer or paying John. Click on the ONLINE REGISTRATIONS link at the top of this page.

ONLINE TOURNAMENT REGISTRATIONS OPEN 

Almost all the registration links are open so that you can sign up early for this year's tournaments. The our of town events do not many details yet, but I advise you to sign up now to make sure you don't miss out. 

If things change and you need to drop out that is better than trying to get in to the event at the last minute. Click on the ONLINE REGISTRATIONS link at the top of this page.

OPENING SCRAMBLE AND LUNCH - APRIL 30

Sign up online now for our opening team scramble and lunch on April 30.

Teams will be formed from the list of players who enter and pay the $30 entry fee. Total team handicaps will be as close to equal as we can make them, no handicaps will be used during play.

Teams play a scramble format from tee to green but using at least 4 drives from each player. A single team score is recorded for each hole.

Last year's Opening Scramble winning team

APRIL NEWS FROM RETIREES GOLF

 THIS WEEK (April 2) UPDATED

A couple of brave souls April 2 (not Retirees) brave the driving rain and snowflakes while we were warm and dry in the Bistro

Thursday - first round of Retirees Club season PLUS... 

Welcome back coffee & snack for returning and new members 9 - 11am 

REGARDLESS OF THE WEATHER. (yes it was snowing AND raining AND 3° C)

— pay your Retirees Club fee ($30) before the price goes up

— sign up for next week's tee time

— share any ideas you have for improving our events

— enjoy a cuppa while the rain falls, or snow, or frost clears; Typical April weather.

— let us know if you wish to continue with our monthly majors competitions or do you have another idea

APRIL 30 'I hope it doesn't rain' Opening Scramble & Lunch

Online registrations is now open for our first team scramble of the season. Teams are created from the players who sign up with the goal of having equal total team handicaps, with a mix of low, medium and high handicaps, and played in a scramble format. Entry fee includes golf, prizes, and lunch. 

Online Signups are found on our WEBSITE (link below)

ONLINE SIGN UP PAGE ON THE WEBSITE

The tournament schedule is starting to take shape with the possible addition of Redstone hosting in July. As details become available for each tournament it will be posted on the ONLINE SIGNUP page. 

NOTE: We have been updating the page and you can already sign up for many of them in order to reserve your spot. The rest will be updated this week as well.

A reminder of a previous 'I hope it doesn't rain' Scramble 

WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS WEEK.

• THURSDAY, April 2 is the official opening of the season and we are plan to have FREE coffee and treats available for all who attend. The weather forecast doesn't look great, but rain or shine we will be there.
• Drop in for a coffee, pay your Retirees Club fees ($30), sign up for a tee time for April 9, volunteer to help out with the May 21 Invitational or any other of the monthly events.  
• If you want to continue with the Retirees Majors events for each month, then we will need a group to look after the results (April would be Masters month).

REGISTER FOR RETIREES CLUB ONLINE - CLICK HERE

** Please use the online signup links and eTransfers for payment in order to cut down on the paper work for us.

OUR WEBSITE: birchbankretireesclub.blogspot.com

 Our email address: birchbankretirees@gmail.com

Winning team from last year's 'I hope it doesn't rain' Scramble and Lunch

2026 HERE WE GO!

 RETIREES SEASON BEGINS APRIL 2

Regular sign up sheet for designated Retirees tee times will be posted Thursday, March 26. 

Once the sign up sheet is turned into the Pro Shop, any changes must be done through the Pro Shop — empty tee times will be filled by them as needed. Please stick to your tee time unless told otherwise by the Pro Shop.

All players should check in with the Pro Shop before teeing off.

FEES & REGISTRATION

$30.00 if paid before the end of April, please use eTransfer. 

Please use the Online Registrations link at the top of the screen to register for the 2026 season — this cuts our paperwork to almost zero.

NEW MEMBERS

Please pass this information along to any newly retired golfers looking to join us and have them email us at: birchbankretirees@gmail.com