Good Start Important At Jackson Valley

By Jim Riggs

jriggs@post-journal.com'>jriggs@post-journal.com



Don’t get off to a slow start at Jackson Valley Golf Club and expect to have a successful round.

That is the advice of Jackson Valley club champion Dave Ostrander to the competitors in Sunday’s Post-Journal Champions at the North Warren layout.

Ostrander is one of 16 men’s scratch club champions from regulation 18- and nine-hole courses in The Post-Journal circulation area who are playing in the 19th annual event. And included in the field is defending champion Tim Kasperek from Shorewood Country Club.

The field dropped to 16 this week when Kevin Maytum from Chautauqua Point Golf Course had to withdraw because of another commitment.

Ostrander has been a member at Jackson Valley for 25 years and he won his eighth club championship there in 2007. The Frewsburg resident’s best score at the layout was a 5-under-par 66 about 10 years ago. He had a 68 last year and that brought his career rounds in the 60s at Jackson Valley into the 20s.

So Ostrander knows the course well and he pointed out that the opening four holes are the key to success.

‘‘The front side plays a couple of shots harder than the back,’’Ostrander said. ‘‘I think the key on the front side is No. 1 and No. 3 are both par 5s. No. 1 is reachable, I would say by probably everyone in the field, but it’s a risk-reward hole because you’ve got out of bounds left and woods right.’’

No. 2 is a par 3 (193 yards) and No. 4 is a short par 4 (400 yards).

‘‘If you can be standing on No. 5 tee at 1-under or even, you’re not in too bad a shape,’’ Ostrander said. ‘‘You need to try to pick up a birdie on No. 1 or No. 3 or both because I think five through nine is kind of like ‘Amen Corner’ It’s a tough little stretch there.’’

And starting the stretch is the 441-yard par-4 fifth.

‘‘No. 5 is a tricky little dogleg right,’’ Ostrander said.

Then comes a long par 3, the 224-yard sixth hole.

‘‘It’s like a tri-level,’’ Ostrander said about the sixth green. ‘‘I think that’s the hardest hole on the course. It’s a really tough hole. If you walk away with a par on No. 6, you feel pretty good.’’

And what will make a participant feel pretty good after nine holes?

‘‘If somebody can make the turn at 1 or 2 over they’re in pretty good shape,’’ Ostrander said. ‘‘The backside plays a couple shots easier.’’

Ostrander noted that on the backside a pair of par 4s, 13 and 16, can make a difference depending on the conditions.

‘‘Now if the wind is in your face, those holes play tough,’’ he said. ‘‘If there’s no wind or if the wind is behind you, they don’t play too bad.’’

And if one of the participants is a shot or two behind coming into the final two holes, he’s still in the running because Ostrander noted that 17 (543-yard par 5) and 18 (322-yard par 4) are both birdie holes.

‘‘Eighteen is a short hole, that’s a birdie hole,’’ Ostrander said. ‘‘If you hit a good drive, you’re in good shape.’’

And that also describes Jackson Valley’s condition.

‘‘The course has been in really good shape this year,’’ Ostrander said.

And he noted the greens have been exceptionally good.

‘‘I think they’re fast for this time of year,’’ Ostrander said. ‘‘If you’re used to fast greens, you’ll be OK.’’

When asked to predict a winning score, Ostrander said, ‘‘I’m thinking somewhere between 2 under and 1 over. You’ve got some pretty good players in the field.’’

The first of four groups will tee off at 10 a.m. and if there is a tie after 18 holes, a playoff will begin at No. 1.

Jackson Valley will provide complimentary greens fees and a light meal after nine holes for each participant. They will also receive a sleeve of golf balls from The Post-Journal, which will also award the winner and runner-up silver bowls.