“A bad day of golf is still a good day.”

So said Fred Wellenkamp, a retired Santa Maria furniture store owner and one of the 124 men and women who teed it up Monday at the 6th Annual Hancock Cup and Bulldog $1,000,000 Hole-In-One Shootout at the Santa Maria Country Club.

“Yeah, we weren't very good today,” said Wellenkamp. “But we sure had a lot of fun.”

That was the opinion - the fun part, that is, - of everyone who took part in the fundraising event put on by the Allan Hancock College Foundation.

“The tournament helps us raise badly needed money for the college,” said Tim Flemming, the Executive Director of the Foundation. “Through the first five Hancock Cups, we've raised about $80,000. We expect to raise between $20- and $25,000 this year.”

The money goes to help fund student scholarships and for classroom equipment and supplies.

“The tournament sold out again this year,” said Flemming. “We like to cap the tournament at 120 players but this year we had 124. That ties it for our largest field ever. But holding the field to 120 or 124 means that it's not too crowded out there on the golf course. There are just enough people on the course for a nice, leisurely round.”

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The Hancock Cup is a four-person scramble - with each player teeing off, then the foursome plays the best ball until they hole out.

There are winners for low gross (without any handicap figured in) and low net (with each player's handicap taken off the final score).

“The format allows everyone to compete,” said Rick Blaemire, the longtime host of KINF-AM and KUHL-AM's SportsTalk. “It gives every team a shot at winning the low gross or low net title.”

There are other competitions in play at the Hancock Cup.

There's a putt off - this year's winner took home a $200 prize. Ed Murray defeated Bill Ostini in the fifth round of the putt off for the title.

There's the chance to win a new Toyota FJ Cruiser, Honda CRV or Chevrolet Tahoe for anyone who can sink an hole-in-one on the third or seventh hole.

Then there's the Vintner's Challenge.

“One person in each foursome wins a bottle of wine on the 13th hole,” said Flemming. “The winner is either the golfer who gets his shot closest-to-the-pin on the par three hole, or it's the person who hits the absolutely worst shot - like if they lose their ball - or it could go to the person who is nicest to the hole monitor. So it's just a fun thing.”

Of course, the highlight of the day is the Bulldog $1,000,000 Hole-In-One Shootout.

This year, 16 golfers earned the right to compete in the shootout. They all had one shot at knocking in a hole-in-one - from 135 yards out on the 18th hole.

If any of them sank the shot, they'd walk away with $1,000,000 prize.

“The unique aspect of the Shootout is that it isn't just the first person who gets a hole-in-one who walks away with the money,” said Flemming. “If two people do it - if all 16 people do it - they'll walk away with the money. This could be a $16,000,000 payday.”

But before they get to the shootout, the 31 foursomes have to compete in the Hancock Cup.

The Ferini Team - made up of Santa Maria Country Club head PGA pro Ken White, Mike Valdez, Glenn Davis and David Zavala - took home low gross honors after shooting a 57 on the par 72 course.

That was good for a one shot victory over the Certified Financial Services (58) foursome of Greg Baldwin, Doug Nagy, Craig Ross and Gene Shields.

“The winners of both low gross and low net have their names inscribed on the Hancock Cup,” said Flemming. “The cup is on permanent display right here at the Country Club.”

Another shot back (59) was the Gold Coast Education team of Rande Downer, Dan Blough, Peggy Blough and Morris Goatley.

Right behind them were three teams of past Hancock Cup champions - The Steve Reyburn team (60), The Ed Murray Team (60) and the InWest Insurance team (61).

The players on the Steve Reyburn team include Reyburn, Alan Johnson, Bryn Smith and Bill Ostini. The Murray team includes Ed Murray, Eddie Murray, Jon Wesner and Joe Jorge. The InWest team includes Ron Cossa, Jeff Hopson - substituting for team captain and tournament co-chairman Tony Cossa - Kevin Huber and Fred Wellenkamp.

The Teixeira Farm team took home the low net championship. Firing a handicap-adjusted 49.4, the foursome of brothers Glenn, Dean and Alan Teixeira and Alan's son John won their first Hancock Cup crown.

Stowasser Pontiac, Buick, GMC - Rob Stowasser, Ted Ortega, Mike Roca and Rick Blaemire - fielded the second place foursome with a net of 50.2.

Third in the net division, with a 51.2, went to the Santa Maria Breakfast Rotary foursome of Dale Johnson, Rich Watson, Gill Palacios and Jack Gresser.

“I played with some great guys today. It was wonderful,” said Santa Maria City Councilman Bob Orach who played on the Community West Back team with Lew Parker, Mitch Caron and Dan Cavanagh. “The guys were great, the golf was great - it's for a great cause. And these guys - well, they really carried me today.”

“Carrying him for 18 holes was tough,” said Cavanagh. “I tell you, we would have finished in the money - if about 20 of the foursomes dropped out.”

Flemming had the $1,000,000 check all ready to go but he's already put it back in the safe - waiting for next year.

Of the 16 golfers who took their shot at the million, just six were able to get the ball safely on the green. John Teixeira and Eddie Murray were the closest to the pin, each landing his shot to about 10 feet from the million dollar payday.

“I'd love for one of them to do it,” said Tony Cossa. “I'd love to give that million dollars away. That would be the best advertising ever. Then everyone would mark the Hancock Cup on their September calendar every year.”

Sports Editor Elliott Stern can be reached at 739-2235 or by e-mail to elliottstern@santamariatimes.com.

Sept. 18, 2007