Anyone playing in a Bad Bunny Shamble Golf Tournament can’t expect to be in for a normal afternoon of golf.
And the Philipsburg Elks Lodge and Country Club golfers who took part in the April 15 event at the club certainly were not, beginning with the on-and-off rain and ending with a golf course scattered with Bad Bunny surprises, with an emphasis on “bad.”
The Shamble, in which everyone tees off, picks the best shot, and then plays in from there, had bunnies, eggs and other Easter-related items on the course and on the greens that could not be moved. There were hidden carrots with prizes, opposite-hand holes, no-tee holes, no-putter holes and evil, very unbunny-like pin placements.
In all, it was an afternoon of fun to begin what will again be an ambitious, event-filled season at the Elks Club.
Robert Mitchell was the gross individual winner, followed by Joh Whitman, Nate Lucas, Andrew Mann and Tom Dunsmore, while Cathy Greenland took honors for the women.
In the net division, Max Miller took first, followed by Kevin Hahn, Maureen Tiocimak, Nick Wasilko and Georgiann Way.
The club will be on normal hours this week, and the public can make starting times during the week and after 2 p.m. on weekends.
Here’s a quick look at the happenings at other area golf courses over the past week, as well as a look at what’s coming up:
NITTANY COUNTRY CLUB
The Nittany Country Club, located just east of Bellefonte, has a new head professional in Andrew Grimm, and with a newly aerated course, the grounds are already in excellent playing condition.
Nittany is a nine-hole, 6,014-yard, par-72 course (played twice) with bent grass greens and a beautiful hillside location.
Although it is a private club, the public is invited to play every year before Memorial Day and after Labor Day.
Membership options include a regular membership, first-year golf, young adult, non-resident, junior and full-time college student. A regular membership includes golf, men’s and women’s leagues, clubhouse and swimming pool access and dining and social activities.
There is a full schedule of tournaments and events, beginning with the Snowball Open, which was held on March 25, and continuing through the President’s Cup and Nittany Open in October.
There is also a Junior Golf Clinic that is open to the public and begins in late June.
Leagues this year include a Tuesday 18-hole men’s league; a Tuesday nine-hole women’s league; a women’s 18-hole Thursday league; and a men’s nine-hole evening league.
The pro shop opens at 9 a.m. in April and can be reached at (814) 383-2611.
MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTRY CLUB
Mike Gates got the holes-in-one rolling at Mountain View on April 6, and just a little more than a week later, the course saw its second ace.
Matthew Perdziola aced the 144-yard Hole 9 on April 14. Perdziola used a 9-iron and he was playing with Ryan Maziarz, Owen Corsi and PJ Connor.
The club’s 2023 schedule was released and the next event listed is the Spring Open on April 30, which will be followed by the Men’s Individual on May 13 and 14.
TOFTREES RESORT AND COUNTRY CLUB
Toftrees Resort recently announced that its first event of the season – the Kickoff Classic – will take place on Sunday, April 30.
The tournament is a four-person scramble format that will kick off at 10 a.m. Groups can be made up of all members, members and guests, and all guests.
The event is described on the Toftrees website as being “a fun event with forward tees and large cups.” There will be prizes and tee gifts and lunch is included.
The tournament is limited to 25 groups, and players can register online or at (814) 238-7600.
The club is now fully open, with public tee times available as well as golf/stay packages and memberships.
There are full memberships available along with weekly, young professional, non-resident and twilight.
Toftrees is an 18-hole, 6,378-yard (white), par-72 tract that was designed by Edmund Ault. It’s located about five minutes from the Penn State campus in State College.
The pro shop opens at 9 a.m. and tee times can be made by phone, online or on the Toftrees Resort App.
PENN STATE BLUE AND WHITE COURSES
Located just off West College Avenue in State College, the Penn State Blue and White Courses have been a fixture in Centre County golf for many years.
From the blue tees, the White Course is a par-72, 6,328-yard course that was the original Penn State Course, while the Blue Course is a par-72 tract that measures 6,605 from the blue tees.
Both courses are open to the public and students to play, but there are also memberships available. Those include general memberships, community, faculty or staff, student and junior. There are also half-season memberships that are either before or after July 15.
The Blue Course is the home of the Penn State men’s and women’s golf teams, and last weekend the men’s team hosted the Rutherford Intercollegiate Championship.
Penn State, down seven strokes going into the Sunday, April 16, round, rallied and ultimately claimed its eighth straight and 30th overall Rutherford Championship.
The Nittany Lion team, at one point down by 7 to Valparaiso on Sunday, shot a 2-under, 282 to edge Valpo and take the title. Valpo ended the day with a 4-over, 288.
For the tournament, PSU finished with a 3-under, 849 while Valpo shot 2-under, 850 and Georgetown had a 1-over, 853.
It was Penn State Head Coach Greg Nye’s 75th tournament championship and his 22nd Rutherford title.
Penn State junior James Allen placed fourth at 4-under, with a 68 on Sunday, while senior Jimmy Myers finished sixth with a 2-under, 211.
The team will be at Ohio State on April 21 for the Kepler Intercollegiate.
lThe Penn State Women’s team will be in Pittsburgh on April 21 for the start of the Big Ten Championships.
Membership information and tee times at the Penn State courses can be found online or at (814) 865-4653.
