Challenge matches could have been a thing last summer, but they weren’t. It seems people thought I just quit doing them, which isn’t exactly true. I just quit broadcasting the idea on Facebook. So, for those who are tuned in to jjpetes.com, I’ll make you a deal. If you can challenge someone to a match […]
The problem with local tournaments
When I was a kid, the State Am was a big deal. It was the 80s and there were real newspapers covering the event with full-page pictures and multiple articles providing insight to the Anchorage spectacle. The winner each year got a lot of attention and was a bit of a hero to local golfers. […]
What makes Greg Sanders the second best golfer in Alaska
Once, while playing golf with Greg Sanders, he made a surprising admission. I had just finished telling him I heard Rob Nelson was considering returning to amateur golf. “If he does, I’ll never win anything again,” Sanders said. Whether he was just being humble or being a realist resigned to his fate, you can be […]
Time to let the real golfers out of the cage
The Masters is over and while it was nice to see the ultra-green grounds at Augusta National again, the tournament was a bit uninspiring. The factory-made golfers appeared a bit wooden on their march around the course and nobody really seemed to be exerting themselves to catch the eventual winner, Hideki Matsuyama. There’s definitely a […]
Still waiting for snow to melt
If Alaska had a Masters, it wouldn’t be happening this week, the same week as the real Masters. Easter Sunday is upon us and usually that means spring is pretty much here in Anchorage. Often, the Masters on TV, which happens Thursday through Sunday, serves as inspiration for us Alaskans to get out and start […]
My opinion will count little in the rankings, but will exist going forward
Challenge matches will still weigh heavily on rankings, as will tournament performance, but when some tweaking to the rankings is necessary I will reserve the right to change them. For example, Benjie Sumulong played some awesome golf last summer in tournaments. While he accepted many challenge matches from others and never lost any I know […]
Slowly prepping the rankings for 2020
It’s been about three years since I used personal judgement to rank golfers in Alaska. I’ve used challenge matches and tournament performance to create a completely objective ranking system, but it is clear that doesn’t work quite right. So, I’m going to slowly start adjusting the rankings here and there throughout the winter, maybe even […]
The AGB Cup goes to Zach Perry
Zach Perry is one of the younger Alaskan golfers we’ve only begun to get to know in the past few years. The 25-year-old learned to play golf outside Alaska, and he uses that knowledge to win a lot of matches. Often challenged, but rarely beaten in 2019, I’m glad to announce he won the […]
The Butler almost did it
John Butler came so close to entering the AGB rankings Saturday, playing No. 27 Devery Prince to an all-square tie at the Moose Run Hill Course. “I snatched defeat from the jaws of victory,” Butler quipped on the 17th green. Though Butler is technically not new to challenge matches, his only previous match came against […]
Two big matches in a mini-hurricane
I like to make a point to count my blessings from time to time and one of the best blessings that comes from writing this golf blog is all the great people and great golfers I get to play golf with. Last Sunday, I had the honor of teeing up with both of our current […]