Special Recognition

Special Recognition Photos

Don Dean 1979 – 1988, Don was a tall and lanky guy with a great smile, nicest guy you’d want to meet, however when you played him in a match he was tough as indicated by his 0.647 winning percentage in Pyramid play. He always kept the ball in play, was a great iron player, a good putter and occasionally sneaky long with his drives. He won at least one tournament per year for 7 straight years. He was one of a few players that dominated play in the early eighties.

12 tournament wins, 30 top 3’s, 149.5 tour. points, 74.37 career net scoring average, 10 CP’s, 3 LD’s, 11 pyramid match wins, 11 birdies and 2 major championships.

1980 – Tournament Points Champion, tied for the most tour. wins, tied for the most birdies and finished 5th for Player of the Year.
1981 – Tournament Points Champion, Scoring Average Champion, won the Winners Tournament and was the 1981 Player of the Year.
1982 – Pyramid Tournament Champion, tied for the most tour. wins, had the most improved handicap and finished 3rd for Player of the Year.
1983 – Had 2 tour. wins and tied for the most CP’s.
1984 – Won most CP’s for the year.
1986 – Won most CP’s for the year and tied for the most LD’s for the year.

Tom Palilonis 1979 – 1984, Tom was a big guy and a prolific long driver of the golf ball. His iron play was highlighted by the giant divots he took, he put tremendous back spin on the ball. Once on the green he was a very good putter and made lots of birdies. He was tough in head to head competition completely dominating the 1983 match play Club Championship winning 4 & 3, 3 & 2 and 8 & 7 in the finals. His only nemesis in head to head play was Andy Marquez.

He averaged 21 points/year 1982-84, Set the record for the most long drives in one year, the record stood for 14 years, his runner-up record for career long drives wasn’t broken for 17 years. His runner-up record for most career birdies stood for 12 years. He was the club’s Tournament Director from 1982 – 1984.

6 tournament wins,15 top 3’s, 83 tour. points, 75.99 career net scoring average, 6 CP’s, 19 LD’s, 5 pyramid match wins, 25 birdies and 2 major championships.

1979 – Had the most birdies for the year.
1980 – Tied for the most LD’s for the year.
1981 – Set the low gross course record @ Green Tree GC which still stands today, was runner-up for the most improved handicap.
1982 – Won the Exxon Cup and had the most LD’s for the year.
1983 – Won the Club Championship and tied for the most tour. wins for the year.
1984 – Broke the record for the most long drives for the year and had the most birdies for the year, Tom was only able to play in the first 4 of 10 scheduled tournaments for the year.

Rollin Podwys 1971 – 2003, Rollin with that strong right hand grip and windmill finish would wind up and let it rip. His iron shots were noticeable by the giant divots he took. Like Jim McDonald he was a man of firsts. He won the first Pyramid Tournament ever held and the the first Club Championship ever held. He was a strong Pyramid player with 21 match wins and a 0.512 winning percentage. His Player of the Year finishes; 4th in 1983, 5th in 1984, 5th in 1993 & 7th in 1994.

12 tournament wins, 33 top 3’s, 145.5 tour. points, 74.56 career net scoring average, 4 CP’s, 15 LD’s, 21 pyramid match wins, 26 birdies, 1 eagle and 3 major championships.

1974 – Runner-up in the Winners Tournament
1976 – Won the first Pyramid Tournament
1977 – 3rd place in the Pyramid Tournament
1979 – Runner-up in the Points Championship
1982 – Won the first Club Championship
1983 – Runner-up in the Winners Tournament
1993 – Runner-up in the Pyramid Tournament & the Points Championship
1996 – Won the Pyramid Tournament

Dan Riley 1993 – 2003, No one ever accused Dan Riley of being cheated on a golf swing, when he took a swing it was an all out assault on the ball and the golf course. Ironically due to injuries he had to scale back his swing in 2000, this led to his best career year ever. A great team player he was on the winning scramble teams in 1994, 95, 96, 99 & 2003 and best-ball teams in 1997, 02 & 03 and a revenge team in 1996.

He holds the record for the most stableford points + handicap and in 2000 tied the record for the most consecutive top 3’s in one year. Dan also holds the low net course record @ Oakhurst CC.

10 tournament wins, 35 top 3’s, 138.5 tour. points, 74.96 career net scoring average, 10 CP’s, 11 LD’s, 25 birdies, 5 pyramid match wins & 4 major championships.

1993 – Won the Exxon Cup
1995 – Won the Exxon Cup
1997 – Had the most improved handicap
2000 – Won the Winners Tournament, won the Club Championship, won the Points Championship, won the Scoring Championship, had the most tour. wins, was the most improved player and had the most improved handicap, was runner-up in the Valero Cup and was the 2000 Player of the Year.

Cullen Stephenson 1980 – 1986, Cullen had a beautiful golf swing, his hero being Ben Hogan. He worked hard on his game and lowered his handicap from 22 to 11 over a 5 year period. He was a consistently good player and a very good putter especially on fast greens, this was shown when he won the Exxon Cup @ Green Valley CC on the fastest greens we have ever played on. Cullen was the Club’s dominate player from 1984 – 1986.

He won at least one tournament. per year for 5 straight years and averaged 26 points/year, 1982 – 1986. He was the first player to win 2 Scoring Championship’s and he did it back to back. His runner-up record for the most birdies in a year still stands (tied by Mike Cook in 2002). He was the club’s Tournament Director from 1985 – 1986.

10 Tournament wins, 29 top 3’s, 133 tour. points, 72.37 career net scoring average, 4 CP’s, 6 LD’s, 6 pyramid match wins, 1 eagle, 20 birdies and 1 major championship.

1982 – Most improved handicap runner-up, made a eagle on the old 12th hole at Diablo Creek GC.
1984 – Was the Scoring Average Champion, finished 2nd in tour. points, finished 2nd in the Pyramid, won the Exxon Cup, had the most improved handicap and was the 1984 Player of the Year.
1985 – Was the Scoring Average Champion, the Tournament Points Champion, runner-up in the Winners Tournament, tied for the most CP’s and was the 1985 Player of the Year.
1986 – Finished 3rd in the Pyramid Tournament.