Dealing with cold, sloppy conditions has become an unwelcome way of life for golfers in Southeast Texas determined to keep playing. Hello pullovers, hoodies, wet shoes and muddy clothes.

Though he prefers not to get into the numbers of how big the drop-off in terms of rounds from 2017, Babe Zaharias pro Mitch Duncan admits business has suffered. Duncan says Zaharias was closed for approximately two weeks in January.

It’s a stark contrast to a year ago when one of the warmest months of January on record triggered a near record number of rounds. It also allowed the maintenance staff to get ahead of the norm in terms of top dressing and fertilizing.

With so many nights when temperatures have been in the 30s and lower this year, not much can be done because grass is not growing.

“It’s up to God,” Duncan said with a shrug, after being asked when he thought serious work on the course could begin. “Nothing much can be done until it gets warmer.”

Duncan went on to say that he was pleasantly surprised at how many rounds have been played, despite the hazards of standing water, sub-normal temperatures made even more biting by gusty north and east winds and the Cart Path Only signs that have been necessary way too often.

“Rounds played are still good, all things considered,” he said. “Once it warms up and dries out, I have no doubt we are going to be really busy.”

One thing the weather has not dampened is the modernization of Aquila Golf’s operation at Zaharias. Up and running is a website — www.thebabegc.com — that enables golfers to book tee times online from a telephone or computer.

The site also details any questions a golfer might have about fees, memberships and lessons.

CHIP SHOTS

Braden Bailey’s impressive victory at the Arizona Intercollegiate last week in Tucson vaulted the Baylor junior from No. 19 to a career best No. 5 in Golfweek’s college player rankings. The PNG ex is the only player from a Texas school ranked in the top 10.

Texas’ Doug Ghim is No. 11, Baylor’s Garrett May is No. 12 and Texas A&M’s Chandler Phillips is No. 23.

Bailey fans can watch him play next Friday, Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 16-18) in the University of Houston’s All-America Intercollegiate at the Golf Club of Houston. At the UH event, he will be looking to extend a remarkable string of 14 rounds this season at 72 or better that includes seven rounds in the 60s …

Both Chris Stroud and Andrew Landry shot 36-hole totals of 143 last week to miss the cut by two shots in the Waste Management PGA Tour event in Scottsdale, Arizona. Both arrived at their scores in vastly different ways.

Stroud raised a lot of eyebrows with starkly contrasting rounds of 77-66. The rest of the story on the uncharacteristic 77 was that he got dizzy and became dehydrated in Scottsdale heat after his very first hole. After asking for assistance, he was treated with fluids and staggered his way to a five-over-par 40 on his opening nine holes.

The former Lamar All-America then regrouped a bit to shot one-over 37 for the 77, then came out smoking the next day with five birdies in a six-hole stretch to get to six under through 12 holes. No more birdies were forthcoming, so he settled for 66 and caught a plane back to Houston in order
to celebrate his 36th birthday on Saturday with his wife and two daughters.

Stroud headed back to California on Monday to play in the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

Landry, meanwhile, shot rounds of 73-70 to miss his second consecutive cut since placing second at the CareerBuilders Challenge. Unlike at the CareerBuilders, where his ability to scramble kept him near the top, he was 79th in the field in the scrambling stat. That led to seven bogeys in two days, which was six more than he made in 76 holes at the CareerBuilders.

Landry is taking this week off …

La Torretta, a challenging layout on Lake Conroe, beat up many of the teams that will be playing the 5A Region III tournament there in April. In what was billed as a Region III preview tourney last weekend, Magnolia won with a team score of 657 and Tristan Hawkins of Magnolia took medalist honors with a 151.

PNG’s Josh Elmore placed seventh in medal competition with a 164 on rounds of 82-82 that helped the Indians to a third place finish at 695.

Other PNG scores were Chase Selman 171 (86-85), Bryce Parsley 180 (87-93) and Timothy Feemster 180 (91-89).

“Weather was a factor,” said PNG coach Ricky Keyes. “It was chilly and it rained on Saturday. “But that is one tough golf course. It’s really tight off the tee. It will be interesting to see what happens at regional.” …

Micah Depew of Beaumont (84 in Boys 14-15), Montana DiLeo of Orange (92 in Girls 12-13) and Lincoln Parks of Orange (35 in Co-ed 10-11, 9 holes) were the only Texas winners Saturday in the Texas-Louisiana Junior Winter Tour event at The National.

Louisiana players won five flights, giving them a 9-6 edge after two tournaments, both of which were played in Louisiana. The final two tournaments are set for Saturday at Babe Zaharias and Saturday, Feb. 17 at Henry Homberg Golf Club.

Players who would like to enter should contact the Zaharias golf shop at 722-8286 or go to www.bluegolf.com and search for Texas Louisiana Junior Tour …

The team of Adam Noel, Ronnie LaSalle and James Trahan won the front in plus 4 and tied the back at plus 1 in the Monday Senior Game at Zaharias.

Tying the back with the Noel team was the foursome of Doug LeBlanc, Pete Robroi, Dwayne Benoit and Rick Pritchett.

In the Cooksey 2 ball Monday at Zaharias, the team of Peanut Lawson, Charles Cooksey, Larry Thompson, Walter Jack and Butch Cross tied the front at minus-3 and won the back with minus-4. Also shooting minus-3 on the front was the foursome of Larry Stone, Richard McClelland, Jerry Boudreaux and Tommy Prejean …

The team of Dennis Walsh, David Girouard, Tommy Prejean and Mike Brown won the front with minus-4 in the Friday Cooksey 2-ball at Zaharias. That same number won the back for the foursome of Boudreaux, Cooksey, Cecil Norris and Jack …

The Thursday points game at Zaharias was won by the team of Cap Hollier, Larry Reece, Bill Jones and Brad Royer with plus 10. Second at plus six was the foursome of Bobby Wactor, James Trahan, Richard Menchaca and Art Miller …

Closest to the pin winners were Hollier (No. 2), Bim Morrow (No. 7, No. 12) and Charles Leard (No. 15).

The Wednesday DogFight at Zaharias was won with 15 points by the team of Pritchett, Morrow, Larry Johnson and Charles Perez. Closest to the pin winners were Morrow (No. 2), ommy Duhon (No. 7), Dillard Darbonne (No. 12) and Cricket Owen (No. 15).

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