Friday TEE TIMES for Mill Creek here; waiting list for others

Greatest Golfer 2015 - Matt Gurska

Video

Vindicator reporter Kevin Connelly talks to the 2014 Greatest Golfer champ Matt Gurska at Avalon Lakes Golf Course about his last year at RMU, playing in this years Greatest Golfer of the Valley Tournament, and taking a shot at turning pro this fall.

Friday Tee times for Mill Creek linked here; Waiting list starts for Greatest; one player wins a Myrtle trip

The current field for Friday's adult tourney is at 285 players.

ALL TEE TIMES FOR FRIDAY AT MILL CREEK ARE LISTED HERE.

Players can get on waiting list by emailing tfranko@vindy.com.

Here's the cool thing new in 2015: If you play Greatest, you have a chance for you and 3 of your pals to get a golf trip to Myrtle Beach courtesy of Greatest and Vacation Myrtle Beach.

All your Greatest 2015 details are below.

To follow all the action, click here.

We hope to see you this week.

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We get lots of letters at Greatest Golfer Central. Some make you pause a bit longer, like this one:

"Thanks for 2015 changes. I've had no shot at winning against a stone cold 10 handicap, but with the different divisions, I think I have a puncher’s chance.

But honestly, I’m just glad to be playing.

In October, I had a total abdominal colectomy, which in layman's terms is a 30-inch incision to remove your colon and in my case, also the large intestine.

I was very fortunate that we have The Cleveland Clinic in NE Ohio, as they are at the forefront of this procedure. I had over 33 polyps found and 3 large masses that required complete removal of both the colon and large intestine, as they were cancerous.

Didn't know if I would be able to play golf again, but I'm truly blessed, got stronger and set a goal of playing in Greatest again.

So playing in the Greatest is a little different for me this year; blessed to be standing upright in good health on a beautiful golf course to play a game I truly love is the win for me.

See you at the Greatest; feeling pretty blessed just to play.

Thanks for the GGOV."

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Golfers:

Here are your projected course assignments for 2015 Greatest Golfer — Aug. 21, 22 & 23.

If you have not done so, please get your registrations in by TODAY — for your guaranteed placement.

After that date, you are at the mercy of the courses on what time they decide to return their courses back to regular play on their days.

WE WILL POST/PRINT ALL PLAYER TEE TIMES BY MONDAY, AUG. 17.

Here are division plans:

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Friday, Aug. 21:

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Mill Creek North (Off 1 and 10 Tees)

8 a.m.-9:30: Men's Open and 17+ divisions

1 p.m.-2:30: Men's 9-12 Division

Mill Creek South (Off 1 and 10 Tees)

8 a.m.-9:30: Seniors, Seniors 10+ Super Seniors, Ladies, Ladies 9+

1 p.m.-2:30: Men's 5-8 Handicap, Men’s 13-16

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Saturday, Aug. 22:

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Trumbull — Men’s Open, Ladies Open and 9+, 10 a.m.

Youngstown — Men’s 5-8 and Super Seniors, division 10:30 a.m.

Tippecanoe — Men’s 13-16, Seniors, Sen 10+, 10 a.m.

Oak Tree — Men’s 9-12, Men’s 17+, 11 a.m.

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Sunday, Aug. 23

The Lake Club starting at 9 a.m. off 1 and 10

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PRACTICE ROUNDS

The Saturday and Sunday courses are available for practice play at normal course rates. Please contact the respective pro shops for times and prices.

OAK TREE — 724-528-9984

TIPPECANOE — 758-7518

TRUMBULL — 372-5127

YOUNGSTOWN — 759-9589

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HANDICAP VERIFICATION STARTING NOW!!

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We are working on handicaps now, with calls going out to all courses for all players in flighted divisions.

Here’s where you can play a role with handicaps and in creating a great Greatest:

– Self report:

We will gladly switch your division through Aug. 17. Just email vindygreatest@vindy.com. If your game hits stride these next 2 weeks, that’s outstanding. We’ll gladly shift you.

— Field report:

If there’s a player in the Greatest field scoring better than their assigned division, let us know. Email us at vindygreatest@vindy.com.

Your outreach stays with us.

And we’re polite when we check in with that player and their course. It’s not a Donald Trump “Your Fired” situation. “Jonah Karzmer — You're Moved!!!!”

It comes down to this — winning Greatest is secondary to playing Greatest.

To us at Greatest Central, to our many sponsors, and to the field as a whole, Greatest means putting up some great numbers around some great people in your general skill area.

Please work hard the next 2 weeks to get the field in the proper place.

If you are a bubble player in a flight division (For MEN, that’s a 5 hcap, a 9, a 13 or a 17; for WOMEN, a 9, for SENIORS, a 10) please consider leaning to the tougher flight. Here’s what happens during Greatest: Your game will be at peak, as will your adrenaline and motivation. Put yourself to the best test while your game is at that level.