2023 El Compadre Member/Member Recap

The 2023 El Compadre was held on March 3 and 4 and the field was broken into six flights competing in four different formats. The winning team from each flight advanced to a shootout. For these events, we play a continuous nine holes (turn from #9 to #1 or #18 to #10) and change formats after each nine. On the first day, the teams played the traditional best ball format followed by shamble. After play that evening, we gathered near the shaded area between #4 and #7 for a delicious dinner prepared by Chef Isaac and his team. On the second day, the formats got a little more interesting with scramble and then modified alternate shot. This is where you typically see some movement within the flights. Congrats to the teams below for winning their flight and advancing to the shootout.

1^st Flight – Chris Hill & Charlie Hill

2^nd Flight – Ken Nibling & Todd Hampton

3^rd Flight – Jerry Merck & Will Hill

4^th Flight – Nick Schommer & Bill Clements

5^th Flight – Reed Smith & Scott Wilson

6^th Flight – Mac Northington & Tom Gimple

The shootout format is alternate shot and the rotation is #16, #17 and then #18. It’s becoming a tradition — we had more balls hit in the water than on dry land on #16 — apparently the most beautiful hole in Texas also has some teeth! While there were some chunks, blocks and others … Bill Clements actually hit the flagstick. On that first shootout hole, defending champions Chris Hill and Charlie Hill had to take two penalty shots and ultimately withdrew when they were putting for 7 on the short par-3. That same hole also snuck up on the team of Smith/Wilson who had a chip-off with Merck/Hill. Even though Scott is from California, he used the Texas Wedge from the rough but didn’t hit it hard enough and left it about 15 feet short of the hole. The shootout veteran, Jerry Merck, went the conventional route with a wedge and plopped it up there to a few feet, which knocked out Smith/Wilson.  

On #17, Mac Northington hit his first tee shot from the blue tees in over 16 years and piped it down the middle … on top of that, he didn’t even give me a hard time about not playing the Golden Bear tees! Unfortunately for the Northington/Gimple team, that would be the last highlight of their shootout as Tom Gimple hung his second shot out to the right, which led to a lost ball and the end of their run. The team of Merck/Hill pulled their second shot a little left and had to take penalty relief, but managed to get it up and down from there for a net par. Schommer/Clements left their second shot in good position just short right of the green and had a little luck on their side when the pitch shot raced past the hole, but caught the slope and rolled back down to the flat where they were able to secure a net par. Ken Nibling and the long-hitting Todd Hampton nestled it up there to about three feet for birdie and had the opportunity to go straight to the final shootout hole, but a disappointing 3-putt ended their run. 

On the 18th hole, two teams were left standing — Merck/Hill and Schommer/Clements. The only difference between the two teams — Schommer/Clements were getting a pop. Both teams hit their tee shots a little left and were forced to layup. From there, Schommer/Clements left it below the hole while Merck/Hill left it above the hole — this along with that little pop were the deciding factors. Congratulations to our 2023 El Compadre Champions: Nick Schommer and Bill Clements.