(♫Cue the spooky music, black light strobe and smoke machine) Down, down in the deep, dark recesses of a mid-Michigan cellar – tucked against the cold and clamy cement foundation wall – a large cardboard box sits in inconspicuous obscurity. Inside the box are repurposed expandable accordion-style legal folders stuffed with papers. No, these are not the dead sea scrolls, and I am not an archeologist. I am a golf league transcriber known as DaBlade, and this… is Snapper Lore.
Reminder that there is no golf today, Thursday, July 3rd, 2025 in early celebration of our nation’s Independence Day. Cousin Mike is still incredulous that there is no golf the day before this holiday, when point of fact we did actually GOLF on Juneteenth. In any event, I thought a short trip down memory lane was in order for this off week.
Back in the beginning in 1988, the golf sheets were hand-written then xerox’d and passed out. Here is page 1 final standings sheet from 1989… (there ya go Chuck)
I might have a sheet from year one, but these pages aren’t exactly in order. Here are a couple more historical documents that have left indelible marks on the league…
We will leave it there for now. I will post more in the future, assuming that father time doesn’t completely disintegrate the remaining lore. We did eventually go digital (i forget the year) but here are a couple snapshots of early website pages…
State of the art stuff! Here is a later version complete with now broken links (from 2015 I think?)
That’s it for now. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
DISHONERABLE MENTION: RICK CARLSON on hole # 11….drive went OB…drop within range thanks to senior tees… 3rd shot 12 feet from flag… par putt wow…. Short…long…short…gimmie 4 putt for “7”…hmmmm????
BEER BABE OF WEEK :Congrats JOSIE!!
Blade’s Slice: Ricktorical question – WHO TURNED A PAR OUT INTO A TRIPLE BOGIE WITH A $ PUTT? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT!!
CUDOS : CONGRATS! GREENIES: RICK NORTH and TONY T…. WAY TO GO! …
LOW ACTUAL… PAUL CROW WITH ANOTHER HO HUM “37” …nice!!
THAT SAID LET’S JUST CALL THE REST OF THE AWARDS CAM BARNETT DAY CUDOS
CAM WON: LOW NET “31”, 5-HOLE, TEAM SKIN WITH PARTNER CHRIS # 23
OH AND HAPPY JUNTEENTH (sp?)… HOPE NO ONE HAD TO GO TO THE BANK OR POST OFFICE ON THIS MEMORABLE HOLIDAY.
CONGRATS TO THIS WEEK’S MBBOTW WINNER, SOPHIA!
Blade’s Slice:
Golfteenth is not just some made-up holiday that is meant to divide golfers from non-golfers. Sure, it doesn’t have the rich history of having been created as an official Snapper League holiday dating all the way back to 2021 like some federal holidays. But I would contend that the game of golf has been played somewhere in the world on June 19th ever since the game of golf was invented in Scotland in the 15th century (and the fifth time the Snapper League has fallen on this date since it’s inception in 1988). It is my fervent hope and dream that some day, future generations of non-Snapper league members in this country will be forced to pay reparations in the amount of accumulated annual dues to our future generations. So in that spirit, have a happy Golfteenth!
In “honor” of this new holiday, I wrote a new song. And now it’s time for this week’s musical interlude with a 100% original tune that I call… “Like a Rolling Bridgestone” (any similarities to any Bob Dylan tune is strictly coincidental)
♫ Once upon a time you golfed so fine ♫ ♪ Marked your ball with a dime in your prime ♬ Didn’t you ♬ ♫ Then you putt the ball and it won’t fall, opponents cat-call, ♪ Does your husband golf too? ♪ ♬ You thought they were just kidding you ♫ You thought you’d get the last laugh with the next drive ♪ Slicing into the woods on the par five ♬ And now you don’t walk so proud ♫ Now you don’t talk so loud ♪ ♪ About having to be scrounging ♬ Your next meal ♬
[Chorus] ♫ How does it feel ♬ ♪ How does it feel ♪ ♬ To be on your own ♬ ♫ With no direction home ♪ ♪ A complete unknown ♪ ♬ Just like a rolling Bridgestone ♪
CUDOS : CONGRATS! GREENIES: CHRIS CARLSON & KEITH BROWN…. WAY TO GO! … 5-HOLE: JASON WOLFENDEN TEAM SKIN: 3 week skin pot broken by team Wolf/JWolf h both parred the par 3 12th ho;e…….Birdies???? Just 1 for SHANG 1 for KEITH….
… Paul with another Low actual and Yours truly – Rick Carlson & Tony T “36” with a Low Net.
NO FANFARE RULE CHANGE: Beginning week 5 and from hereafter all seniors (age 70 and older) tee off from the GOLD TEES also known as and aptly named by the golf course as “SENIOR TEES”. This privilege of age will not extend to the par 3 holes as those under the age of 70 and stronger and longer Snappers wish to continue their greenie dominance over the Seniors and do not believe they could comfortably do it if the seniors were allowed to move up within possibility range for them. SO all play whites on PAR 3s.
Blade’s Slice:
Congratulations to this week’s Majestic Beer Babe of the Week winners (Our first Trio!)
First is Chelsea, her second win in 2025!
Next we have a first time winner – Malyna!
Last but not least, congrats to Lizzie!
IN OTHER NEWS – Regarding Snapper’s single-handed authoritarian rule change that 70+ year-olds get to move up to the senior tees…. Here’s yer Senior tee!
In “honor” of this change, I wrote a new song. And now it’s time for this week’s musical interlude with a 100% original tune that I call… “The Senior Tees” (any similarities to any Bob Seger tune is strictly coincidental) ♫ Against the wind ♫ ♬ Always drivin’ against the wind ♬ ♪ No longer young and strong, Always drivin’ against the wind ♪ ♬ The ball rolled slowly past ♬ ♬ And I found myself alone ♪ Surrounded by strangers I thought were my friends ♪ ♬ I found myself further and further from the hole, and I ♬ Guess I lost my way ♬ ♪ There were oh-so-many trees ♪ ♬ I was living to run and running to live ♬ Never worried about putting or even how many strokes I owed ♪ Moving eight yards a minute for swings at a time ♪ ♬ Breaking all of the Snapper rules that would bend ♬ I began to find myself searching ♪ Searching for gold tees again and again ♬ Against the wind ♬ Always drivin’ against the wind ♬ ♪ No longer young and strong, Always drivin’ against the wind ♪
IN CONCLUSION – I don’t mind playing the white tees. However, I propose a new rule that all of those individuals under 50 have to play from the Black Tees. That’s “Under a 50 AVERAGE” not under the age of 50. Stay tuned for the vote tally…
5-HOLE: KEITH BROWN after a multihole carry over was broken
TEAM SKIN: 2 week carry over…….Birdies???? Not that many…. We had Grant Stahley…Chris Carlson and Timmy K each with 1 and Paul Crow scored 2!!!!
Surprise surprise 2 of these guys birdies to low scores for the league… Paul with another Low actual and Chris with a Low Net.
HOW MANY SNAPPERS IN LEAGUE EVER? (DIFFERENT GUYS)
WEEKLY HINT: TIMMY KACHELSKI & YOURS TRULY (ME!) ARE ONLY 2 LEAGUE MEMBERS TO PLAY EACH & EVERY YEAR… IF ANYONE WANTS TO COLLECT A POOL FOR CLOSEST TO GUESS LET ME KNOW OR I WILL SIMPLY REVEAL THE # NEXT WEEK.
Conrats to Josie, the Majestic Beer Babe of the Week! (pictured with Tony “Ten Beers” )
Blade’s Slice:
Remember that old western movie about Miss Kitty runnin’ a horse-drawn saloon cart over the prairy?
The Beer Babe Josie’s Ales (not to be confused with the movie The Outlaw Josey Wales)
Narrator: The mobile saloon cart always seemed to show up in the middle of a gun fight. Should we wave her through and wait, or just start spraying errant shots for lack of concentration?
Now remember, when things look bad and it looks like you’re not gonna make it, then you gotta get mean. I mean plumb, mad-dog mean. ‘Cause if you lose your head and you give up, then you neither drive nor win. That’s just the way it is. Wait, what he…!
Anonymous thirsty golfer: “I got the gold right here, Pa!” Josie The Beer Girl: I ain’y yer Pa! And dyin’ of thirst ain’t much of a living, boy.
Josie The Beer Girl: Every spring when the grass turns green, the Snapper League returns every Thursday. Ten Beers: These things you say we will have, we already have. Josie The Beer Girl: That’s true. I ain’t promising you nothing extra. I’m just giving you beer and you’re giving me a tip. And I’m saying that men can golf together without butchering one another.
When your pardner 3-putts: You get them holes leakin I’m gonna whomp you with a knotted plow line…
First and foremost, Memorial Day is a day to honor our fallen military service members. We owe them all of our thanks and gratitude. I also can’t help but think back to the start of this golf league in 1988 and all of the years since, and remember all of the Snapper members we have lost. Here are just a few photos I have of these really good dudes.
I have no doubt that there is golf in heaven, so today I imagine the first foursome of the day pulling up to the first tee – none other than Gary Fulgham and Mark Blevens versus Greg Groesser and Bill Cape. What a hoot that should be! I wonder if Bill will pull that nametag stunt on Mark & Gary (see all-time AOTD #3) – Would you know my name if I saw you in heaven?
Gary Fulgham & Mark Blevins 2005 Sugarbush Bill CapeGreg Groesser (with Captain Morgan)
Here are some other random photos, some with current Snappers you might recognize…
Pat Pettigrew (left) RIP
R.I.P. gentlemen. We’ll meet you in the clubhouse before too long…
TEAM SKIN: carry over from a cut on hole #14 . This week skin pot worth double.
Birdies???? Yep…. 1 each for Paul Ogi Oginski and Tony T Tomaszewski and 2 for Paul Crow! Good shootin’ guys!
ASSHOLE OF THE DAY? None again (We are not better than this)
Ever play “Guess how many jelly beans in the jar?”
Coming soon: “Guess how many Snappers League Members Ever?”
First 3 hints:
1. We started in 1988 so this is year 38
2. 5 original guys are on the League today
3. This is year 38. We had fewest members in 1988 (8 two man teams or 16 guys); MOST? 2021-23 (16 two man teams for 32 guys; Then: 14 for 28 yrs 2019, 2000, 2012, 2017, 2018 & 2019;
9 Snappers are deceased; RIP
Only 2 guys know the answer to this query and we’re
Not “spillin the beans” yet.
More hints later
Blade’s Slice: New / updated handicaps will be established AFTER your third round (today, for most of you) that will be in place for your next (4th) round (next week, for most of you)
♫ You see it’s all clear – ♫ You were meant to be here – ♫ From the beginning
Our 1stBEER BABE OF THE WEEK?
CHELSEA! Who was outwardly moved when bestowed with the honor .CONGRATS!
Snapper Bites
GREENIES: PAUL CROW WAY TO GO! Paul won them both…
5-HOLE: OGI…nice 4 for 3, 4 for 3
TEAM SKIN: Feeling skinned by the end of the round by new guys Paul Crow (37) and Keith Brown (43) Chris & Cam were feisty enough to take the $40 team skin when hole # 4 was drawn which they won with a bogie and a par and 2 dings for “5”…..nice job boys!
Birdies???? Yep…. 1 each for Paul Ogi Oginski and Tony T Tomaszeski and 2 for Paul Crow! Good shootin guys…. Oh and by the way Paul we do have handicap stokes available…Just ask if you don’t understand how to earn some…..
ASSHOLE OF THE DAY? None again
‘Blade’s Slice:
If you are looking for established subs with handicaps not listed on the sheet (or the full 2025 schedule) I put them at the top of the Snappers Rules Page accessed from the Menu tab.
♫ He meant to earn pars – ♫ For his country and his team – ♫ Of his honor and his glory – ♫ The people would sing – ♫ Ooh, what a lucky man he was
Grant says “Sure I’ll sub, what color are you wearing?”
As always, every Snapper is empowered to award the Majestic Beer Babe of the Week, so any photos taken for this, or any random photos you’d like posted – just email them to me at dablade1 (at) gmail (dot com)
As always I have contracted with the golf course for a 16 week schedule. I have advised the MAJESTIC that we will start the season on 5/8/2025. Barring cancelation for weather our last week of league golf will be Thursday, August 28, 2025. The Majestic requires full payment on or before week 1 of league. That means I would ask everyone to pay me $560 total ( 16 weeks x $35) in whatever increments or installments you wish by the 1st week of golf. I will not be collecting anything further or extra for prizes or prize money or a year end scramble meeting with dinner as we have traditionally done. If the consensus is to do that and it can be arranged I will collect from you later.
I enclose herewith the full season schedule prepared at my request by our awesome scrivener/record keeper Jerry DaBlade Carlson. If we have a cancelation for weather the scheduled matches are then considered vacated and we move to the next week with the new matches as scheduled. Any extension of the season by a week or 2 for weather cancelations will have new matches assigned at that time. In other words (or in these exact words) this is who you will play when you play them.
Weekly gambling games will continue. Stakes are up to you guys . We have the last few years collected $10/team each week at golf for pots with 3 weekly winners. First, greenies or par 3 closest to the pin wins something each week, as does “5 Hole” lowest individual net score on the 5th hole with hole by hole carry over for lowest scores only as tie breakers…and low team net score blind draw skin pot with a week by week carry over as necessary. I suggest mandatory participation including subs as before since payout amounts depends on amount collected.
Finally thank you all for allowing the continuation of the SNAPPERS GOLF LEAGUE, circa 1988. We have survived to thrive. And we welcome 4 new SNAPPERS to the league. GO SNAPPERS 2025!!!!
STARTING DATE: THURSDAY MAY 8, 2025 Tee Times: 4:48 – 5:15pm
WELCOME SNAPPERS 2025 To league year number 38.
This is what we have now until I am told otherwise: 2025 League Roster for Majestic:
Rick Carlson & Tony Tomaszewski
Tim Kachelski & Steve Markunas
Dave Wolfenden & Jason Wolfenden
Chris Carlson & Cameron Barnett
Steve Peltier & Paul Oginski
Mike Walker & Jerry Carlson
Paul Crow & Keith Brown
(a pair of future lucky lottery winners!)
We have 14 league members ie “SNAPPERS” and we have room for 1 more team. There is no room for us to grow beyond that later in the evening as the golf course has given that spot (5:24 pm and later) to a new league of 20+}. So please get the names and contacts of a proposed new/final 2 man team to me as you get it.
As always I have contracted with the golf course for a 16 week schedule. a I recently received a 1st draft full season league schedule with 1st tee assignments starting 1st week 5/1 and ending last week 8/21. I have advised the MAJESTIC that we would prefer to start the season on 5/8/2025. Barring cancelation for weather our last week of league golf will be Thursday, August 28, 2025. The Majestic requires full payment on or before week 1 of league. That means I would ask everyone to pay me $560 total (16 weeks x $35) in whatever increments or installments you wish by the 1st week of golf. I will not be collecting anything further or extra for prizes or prize money or a year end scramble meeting with dinner as we have traditionally done. If the consensus is to do that and it can be arranged I will collect from you later.
I enclose herewith the league letter (in the league email sent) I previously received from the Majestic golf pro Steve Tanner for those of you who have not received it already. Steve is very accessible to all but I would appreciate to filter league business thru me. Personal business such as registering your credit/debit card for beverage and merchandise purchases and discounts is for you not me.
An age old question is : “Do we have golf tonight or is it cancelled for inclement weather?”. PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE GOLF COURSE WITH THIS QUESTION AT VARIOUS TIMES OF DAY FOR LEAGUE NIGHT. Conditions where you are will not necessarily reflect conditions at the Majestic. The course drains well. Storm system tracks vary and change during the day. Steve Tanner and I are on top of weather radar. Trust that he will contact me for all cancellations and I will contact him for the same. Tying up his phone lines with premature course closure plans from multiple league and league members does not help. I will call you or text you or email you or all 3 of any changes in the answer to your question which is otherwise “YES WE ARE GOLFING TONIGHT UNTIL OR UNLESS I CONTACT YOU OTHERWISE.” Just show up. The worst that can happen is a beer with your buds on a night you had nothing else to do anyway.
Weekly gambling games will continue. Stakes are up to you guys. We have the last few years collected $10/team each week at golf for pots with 3 weekly winners. First, greenies or par 3 closest to the pin wins something each week, as does “5 Hole” lowest individual net score on the 5th hole with hole by hole carry over for lowest scores only as tie breakers and low team net score blind draw skin pot with a week by week carry over as necessary. I suggest mandatory participation including subs as before since payout amounts depends on amount collected.
Finally thank you all for allowing the continuation of the SNAPPERS GOLF LEAGUE, circa 1988. We have survived another loss of league members. As with a couple of years ago BOWLERS (metaphorically like a migratory bird species) has arrived, hung around and then disappeared without a trace just as quickly. BUT WE REMAIN. Right, original league member with perfect attendance Timmy K??
Unless you would prefer to golf with complete strangers who for some inexplicable reason(s) have no friends of their own and hope for the best (which has been offered by the MAJESTIC) Get me another team to make even matches.
Ricky A. Carlson aka “SNAPPER” 810-691-6888
PAY CONVENIENTLY: VENMO @ Ricky-Carlson-4
Or mail to: Ricky A. Carlson Attorney at Law 5955 W. Main St. Kalamazoo, Michigan 49009
Majestic Snappers Golf League 