The 2022 Gentlemen's Cup
THE COLORADO CLASH
Indian Hills, Colorado
September 7 - 11
Lords (13) def. Nobles (3)
"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds" could describe a postman, or it could describe Andrew Moyer's trek to reach the G-Cup house (also known as The Compound). In the dark of night, he hopped two fences, hiked a mile with his clubs, ignored incoming phone calls, and arrived with a healthy thirst for White Claws.
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It could also describe the tenacious attitude of the Lords on the final day of the 2022 G-Cup. In arguably the worst weather of any tournament to date, the Lord's mettle was tested, but they stood strong, bringing home the single most decisive victory in the first nine years of The Gentlemen's Cup.
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The Compound shined as highlight of the 2022 trip giving the boys room to spread out and vacation how they chose. When your house is big enough for full-contact ping-pong, a five-man chipping competition, competing deck parties, and seating all the boys at a single table, you have a property purpose-built for G-Cup shenanigans.
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Sep 8, 2022 - Two-Man Scramble
Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course
(1 point per match)
Score at the end of Day 1: Lords 4 - Nobles 0
2022 marked the first-ever G-Cup where the teams were not set by putting folks on teams that they had played on historically but were set from scratch using a simple snake draft based on handicap. The idea was to create two evenly matched teams to break the Lord's stronghold on the cup. You know what they say about the best laid plans...
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The Lords came out of the gate firing, winning all four points at Red Hawk Ridge. Per design, the Scramble format brought out "all gas no brake" from both teams, trying to attack short par 4s and turn par 5s into two shot holes.
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The team of Colin and Scott set out birdie hunting and led all teams with an impressive six (SIX!) over the eighteen-hole stretch. Amazingly it was not enough to hold off Evan and Cory who made four birdies of their own and only a single bogey all day. That patented Solomon consistency just grates you down.
The teams of Paul & Connor and Brannon & Moyer also holed two birdies each ensuring further points for the Lords. As the cherry on top, Mark and Dan handed Nick "The Gamer" Tarpey his first-ever G-Cup loss.
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Red Hawk Ridge was an excellent venue for post-round beers and the boys made sure to partake and heckle groups coming in on 18. The shade was a welcome respite to the mile-high sun that had been baking the crew all day.
Sep 9, 2022 - Mixed Games - Scramble, Shamble, Alternate Shot, and 1-Club
Golf Club at Bear Dance
(1 point per match)
Score at the end of Day 2: Lords 7 - Nobles 1
The second day of the 2022 G-Cup might be the closest set of matches in the nine-year history of the tournament. With each of the four matches all square at some point between 15 and 17 and no team having a lead of more than two holes it was an eighteen-hole nail-biter. Not a single match finished before the 18th hole. Much to the Nobles chagrin, the dominos fell for the Lords for a second day with three of the four matches adding to the Lords point total.
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Unlike the birdiefest the day before the quality of golf was a bit more muted. After Evan and Seth had launched beautiful drives to the middle of the 16th fairway, Scott and Connor had just over a 100 yards to the pin. Looking to be aggressive, Scott took wedge but airmailed the green giving the Lords a green light to take the match to dormie. In what could best be described as a "hold my beer" moment, Connor immediately followed suit sending a sand wedge screaming over the green and was saved from being in a backyard by a strategically placed net. The teams split the par 4 with sixes.
With the mix of golf being played, much of winning came down to grit and determination - a willingness not to back down. Matt Corbin and Sean Fortier stood their ground making the turn one down to the formidable team of Dan and Brannon. They quickly took one back on 10 to even the match but come the 15th tee box they were one down again. That's where they decided to bear down and won 15 and 16 giving them a one-hole lead they would not relinquish and providing the Nobles their first point of the 2022 G-Cup.
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Bear Dance was in impeccable shape - easily one of the favorite courses of the boys in 2022. Combine that with fan-favorite Mixed Games format and a perfect day weather wise and you have easily one of the most memorable days in G-Cup history. After two days of warmth and sun, the boys weren't ready for the conditions that awaited them at Arrowhead for the final day of competition.
Sep 14, 2019 - Singles
Arrowhead Golf Course
(1 point per match)
Score at the end of Day 3: Lords 13 - Nobles 3
With the Nobles trailing considerably the captains were quick to open their playbook and call for the "Derr Special." This would allow the trailing team to set the singles matchups on the final day. Of course handicaps were used to equalize the skill differences but given their incredible success with the Derr Special in 2019 (winning 7 of 8 matches) they were convinced it would give them the best chance of bringing home the coveted trophy.
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They stacked the early matches, ensuring all four matches in which the Nobles were getting strokes went out first. Captain Cavanugh went out in the 3rd match in a grudge match against Andrew Moyer. While Chip wanted to grudge match both Fee and Moyer he was forced to choose. It was a choice he would regret, given Moyer's incredible skill to enrage opponents with a combination of 300-yd drives and strong putting.
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In fairness, the real opponent on the final day of G-Cup 2022 was Mother Nature. Rain, cold, wind, and fog took a tough course and turned it up to eleven. In some cases, triple bogeys were winning holes, especially early on as the boys were adjusting to the conditions.
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Jon Cifuentes who was 0-2 all time going into the day put on a ball-striking clinic that rallied teammates and had opponents questioning if his handicap was heavily sandbagged. His 7&6 defeat of Cory was one of the most one-sided matches in history.
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He was only outdone by Moyer's 8&7 rout of Chip. Asked after the match what happened, Cavanaugh could only be heard complaining about how Connor had rigged the teams again. He's committed to that bit and not giving it up.
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Deep into the matches, most were trending pretty strongly toward one team. In fact, out of all eight matches, only one actually lasted all eighteen holes to the surprise of both golfers involved.
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Developing an unexpected case of the shanks on the range, Fee was a bit skittish heading into his match with Colin Davy. Struggling to find his swing, Fee posted double, quad, bogey, bogey, bogey, quad, double, and bogey over the first eight holes and found himself staring down the barrel at four down on the ninth tee box. Colin wasn't playing his best golf, but the match looked like it was headed for a blowout.
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After purchasing beers at the turn he commented to his playing partner "I'm not going to drink those until I close this match out - should be any hole now." His hubris upset the golfing gods who promptly gave him a healthy nosebleed out of nowhere. With blood hemorrhaging out of his head, this gave Fee the opportunity he needed to claw back a few holes.
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After yet another double, Fee did the unthinkable - he rattled off a string of 6 pars to bring the match to all square on the 16th tee box. Fee played the first 10 holes eighteen over par and the next 6 even - something Colin and his rapidly warming beer had not expected.
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But Colin wasn't about to roll over. While his wedge game might not have been the magic we're all used to, he found his putter when he needed it, rolling in the birdie putt on the par 5 16th to take a one-hole lead. The boys pushed on 17 and Colin headed to the 18th tee box dormie and feeling confident. Hitting their final balls into the dark after sunset everyone hoped that the groups who had already finished might have a sense of where the balls landed. Colin took 18 as well closing out the match 2up in what will become a classic G-Cup battle for the ages. Surely rubber grudge matches will be played.
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The teams rushed back to The Compound to gorge on BBQ and college football. The final score might not have been as close as in other years but the gamesmanship and camaraderie were just as strong as ever. The G-Cup rookies of Cory, Scott, Seth, and Jon were welcome additions to the crew and everyone finished the trip by counting the days until the 2023 rematch.
