A golf outing fundraiser is planned for June 25 to raise money to help pay for medical costs for two teen brothers with cancer. Brison Ricker is battling DIPG, an inoperable brain tumor, and Preston is fighting thyroid cancer.

The fundraiser is a four-man scramble at The Falls of Barber Creek on June 25 with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. The cost is $300 per team and includes a pulled-pork dinner. There will also be a hole-in-one contest, longest drive, closest-to-pin, “hit the boat,” auctions, raffles, and 50/50. To reserve your spot, call the golf course at 616-675-7345, stop in at the course, or email Blair Bissell at bissbab1@hotmail.com. The course is located at 16030 Barber Creek Ave, Kent City, Michigan 49330.

For more info call Joe Ricker at 616-238-6551.

The Cedar Springs JV golf team lost to Rockford 200-214 in a dual at Cedar Chase on Monday April 17. Austin Emmorey and Carson Svalin shot 51’s, Josh Allen 54, and Jacob Burgert 57.

The Red Hawks also competed in their first OK White Jamboree at Cedar Chase on Wednesday, April 19,and finished 4th with a score of 201.  Emmorey was medalist with a 45, Allen 51, Trey Lewis 52, and Svalin a 53. Dane Conley and Jared Hause both shot 61’s.

“The 201 was one of our best JV scores in a long time, and Austin’s 45 was a solid score,” said Coach London. “However, the 61’s got us 4th because we tied Lowell and their scores were better than Lowell’s 62.”

Rev. Chadrick Brown

Solon Center Wesleyan Church

15671 Algoma Ave NE

Cedar Springs, MI 49319

Michigan has a lot of things going for it, the great lakes, the in-land lakes, the rivers that run all through it, the sand dunes, beautiful lighthouses and a ton of golf courses. Some of these places are absolutely beautiful, but I can’t golf if my life depended on it.

One of my best friends a while ago was a semi-pro golfer and instructor. Quite often, he would invite me out, just to hang out and deepen our friendship. Each and every time he asked, I would decline. Not because I didn’t want our friendship deepened, but simply because he was a semi-pro golfer and I was simply terrible. In fact, I really don’t like the game. I’ll drive the cart in a heartbeat, but don’t make me play. But just like a good friend, he would not take “No” for an answer. He kept inviting me and told me that he would show me a few tips and help me with my game to make me a better golfer. Well, I gave in, but every time, without fail, I was terrible and could not get that little ball to straighten out. You would think as a pastor, God would have given me the gift of playing golf, but He didn’t, so I’ve given up on golf.

But I did hear something interesting. When they first manufactured golf balls, they made the covers smooth. Then it was discovered that after a ball had been roughed up, one could get more distance out of it. So they started manufacturing them with dimpled covers. That’s why the golf ball looks the way it looks today.

That got me thinking. Isn’t that how life is? It takes some rough spots in our lives in order to make us a better person. It takes some bumps and bruises to help us understand and gain wisdom. It takes going through difficulties to truly appreciate the good times. And it takes our trust being broken to really understand how special it is to trust someone again.

So friend, the next time life gets a little hard or difficult, don’t get upset, discouraged, or even mad. Just see what you can take away. Don’t get depressed, or try to get even with a person for the bumps and bruises they have caused you. But see what you can learn to make you go farther in this life. Here is a fact of life that we all know. Difficult times come and go, so let the difficulties in life make you better, not bitter; stronger, not sourer. See how bumps in your life can take you farther.

A golf match is a test of your skill against your opponents luck.

Since bad shots come in groups of three, a fourth bad shot is actually the beginning of the next group of three.

When you look up, causing an awful shot, you will always look down again at exactly the moment when you ought to start watching the ball if you ever want to see it again.

Any change works for a maximum of three holes or at a minimum of not at all.

No matter how bad you are playing, it is always possible to play worse.

When your shot has to carry over a water hazard, you can either hit one more club or two more balls.

The less skilled the player, the more likely he is to share his ideas about the golf swing.

Golfers who claim they don’t cheat also lie.

The shortest distance between any two points on a golf course is a straight line that passes directly through the center of a very large tree.

You can hit a two acre fairway 10 percent of the time and a two-inch branch 90 percent of the time.

Hazards attract, fairways repel.

A ball you can see in the rough from 50 yards away is not yours.

If there is a ball in the fringe and a ball in the bunker, your ball is in the bunker. If both balls are in the bunker, yours is in the footprint.

Don’t buy a putter until you’ve had a chance to throw it.

The Cedar Springs Varsity Golf team wrapped up the OK Bronze season with a 5th place overall finish.

At Egypt Valley, the Red Hawks carded a 238 to finish 5th. Alyssa Keaton shot a 52 and Michaela Tawney a 56 to lead the way.

“The most exciting shot of the day was from Michaela,” said Coach London. “She holed one from 120 yards out. We could hear her group yell from all around the course.”

At the league tournament, the girls shot a 479 to finish 5th. Alyssa Keaton shot a season best 95 to finish in the top 10. Michaela Tawney shot a 104 (season best), Audrie Davis a 133 and Courtney Pienta a 147.

“I may not have shot well,” said Pienta. “But I think I set a record for lost golf balls.”

The Red Hawks finish their season next week at the State Regional.

Family Features

This year for Father’s Day, skip the tacky tie and give dad something he truly wants – quality time with the kids who gave him such an honorable title. Plan an intimate family gathering with all his favorite foods and a few special touches that reflect his other passions in life, such as golf.

Let dad savor some grilled goodness (and a healthy dose of antioxidants) with colorful fruit and veggie kabobs. Healthy, hydrating watermelon is the star ingredient of these colorful skewers, which also include marinated chunks of pork.

Add a low-calorie, fat-free side by serving watermelon balls in a fun golf ball-shaped vessel carved from a watermelon rind.

For more recipes and carving ideas using versatile watermelon, visit www.watermelon.org.

Pork and Watermelon Kabobs

Pork and Watermelon Kabobs

Servings: 8

6 tablespoons brown sugar

6 tablespoons soy sauce

6 tablespoons diced red onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon ground thyme

Pepper to taste

1 pound boned, lean pork chop, cut into 1-inch cubes (approximately 38-40 pieces)

32 cubes watermelon (1 inch each), plus extra for garnish if desired

16-24 zucchini rounds (1/2 inch)

16 pineapple chunks, fresh or canned (1 inch each)

24 yellow or orange peppers chunks (1 inch each, approximately 3-4 peppers total)

Cooking spray

Sesame seeds for garnish

Combine sugar, soy sauce, onion, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, thyme and pepper in mixing bowl. Pour into resealable bag and add pork pieces. Seal bag, mix thoroughly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, turning bag periodically.

Remove pork from bag and reserve marinade. Thread 5 pork pieces, 4 watermelon cubes, 2-3 zucchini rounds, 2 pineapple chunks and 3 peppers on each of 8 skewers, alternating the order.

Spray cooking surface on heated grill and place kebobs on grill. Grill for 12-15 minutes, or until done, turning and basting frequently with reserved marinade. Garnish with sesame seeds and chunks of watermelon.

Golf Ball Serving Bowl

Wash watermelon under cool running water and pat dry.

On cutting board, place watermelon on side and cut off 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch from stem end, being careful not to cut too deep into white part of rind. This will provide sturdy base.

Using paring knife, cut a 3- to 4-inch round circle in top of watermelon.

Use melon baller to make shallow round divots into rind of watermelon to mimic dimples in golf ball. Next, use kitchen knife to peel thin layers of rind off to expose white underneath, being careful not to cut too deep or red flesh will be exposed. Try to get as much of green rind off so it will resemble a white golf ball.

Hollow out watermelon with spoon or scoop. Place on tray and add watermelon balls to serve.

It was a very positive week for the Cedar Springs Girl’s Golf team. On Tuesday, September 6, at Whitefish Lake, the Red Hawks defeated Tri-County 206-235.  Conner White was match medalist with a 44, Nicole Shevock added a 51, Breanna White a 55, and Chelsea Hull a 56.
“We played a little better today even though it was tough because it was also the first day of the school year,” said Chelsea Hull.
On Thursday, September 8, the girls traveled to Egypt Valley for the OK-Blue Jamboree and finished in 5th, with a team score of 226. Conner White had a 54, Nicole Shevock a 55, Breanna White a 56 and Chelsea Hull a 61.
“I do not like Egypt Valley,” said Shevock.  “But we played well.”
Breanna White added, “I had never played here before, so it was a lot of fun.”
The girls had two more OK-Blue matches this week at Ironwood and Scott Lake Golf Courses. Watch next week’s Post for results.

The winning team from the 2011 Kent Theatre Golf Outing at Cedar Chase Golf Club. L to R : Nick Thome, Jim Emmorey, Tom Matecun, Eric Emmorey.

The 11th Annual Kent Theatre Golf Outing, held on July 9 at the Cedar Chase Golf Club, was a great success. With sunny weather in the high 80s, 60 golfers teed off with the dream of a lot of fun and a lot of great shots. When introduced just prior to the start of the round, last year’s $10,000 Hole-In-One winner, Frank Pelak, was cheered by the entire field.

A dozen volunteers catered to the golfers, and the personnel at Cedar Chase provided a great course and a great dinner for all.

This year’s highlight was a runaway victory by the Jim Emmorey team, coming in at 16 under par in the 4-person scramble format. No one won the Hole-In-One Contest this time, but there’s always next year!

First place team Choice One Investments.

The 2011 Annual Rotary Golf Outing brought out a rousing group of area golfers on Wednesday, July 20. The event was hosted by Cedar Chase Golf Course and the major sponsor was Vander Hyde Ford who donated a Hole-in-One Prize Package on all four par three holes. Sixty-eight men and women participated in a scramble format with Choice One Investments winning the tournament with a score of 16 under par. The winning team consisted of Larry Wheeler, Ray Averill, Cindy Watson, and Don Christy. Other prize winners included Sara Dryer with women’s longest drive, Brian Talbot, men’s longest drive and closest-to-the-pin, and Larry Wheeler with the longest putt.

“The Rotary Club is grateful for the tremendous support of area residents and businesses. It appeared everyone had a great time with the cloud overcast creating perfect weather conditions. All profits from this tournament will be put back into the community on various Rotary service projects,” reported Mark Gebhardt, Event Chairman.

Nikki Bouwens

The athletic season may be over for the Cedar Springs Lady golfers, but the post-season awards are still being handed out.  Nikki Bouwens earned All-State honors for Division 3.  Nikki is only the third golfer in Cedar Springs’ history to achieve such an award.

“Nikki had a fantastic season,” said Coach London. “She is a hard worker and shot very consistently over the year.”

Not only did Bouwens throw out some good golf scores, she also has some good scores in the classroom, as the Cedar Springs team took home an Academic All-State honor as well. As a team, the Red Hawks had a 3.53 GPA. The five golfers from regional who accumulated this score were Bouwens, Kaylee Costello, Zarah Smith, Jackie Champion and Chaya Coxon.

“Girls who do well in the classroom generally can do well on the golf course,” said London. “Golf is a thinking woman’s game.  These girls are smart and work hard both in the classroom and on the golf course.”

Congratulations, Nikki, and the whole girls golf team, on a great year in golf.

The Cedar Springs Varsity Golf team finished up its best season in school history. The lady Red Hawks ended up 12th at the very competitive D3 state finals at the Meadows at  GVSU. Nikki Bouwens (80, 91 – 171); Kaylee Costello (108, 107 – 215); Zarah Smith (108, 113 -221); Jackie Champion (122, 116 – 238); Chaya Coxon (107, 133 – 240) were the five scorers for Cedar Springs.  Nikki’s 171 placed her 11th overall.

“We had a very solid day one,” said Coach Glen London. “We were only 10 strokes out of 4th place. Day two just took its toll.”

Regardless of the poor day two, the girls had a great season. They won the Chippewa Hills tournament, finished 2nd in the Ok-Blue, finished 2nd at Regional, and qualified as a team for the state tournament.  Congratulations, ladies.

The girl’s varsity golf team only played one match last week, but it was an important one in defeating West Catholic (ranked #10 in area), 216-219.  Nikki Bouwens led the way with a 42, Kaylee Costello a 54, Jackie Champion a 58 and Meagan Rice a 62.This puts the Red Hawks 5-1 in the Ok-blue conference, which lands them in 2nd place.

“This week is the Ok-Blue Conference tournament,” said Coach Glen London. “If we can win that, then we will clinch at least a first place tie.  That would be our first conference title ever in girls golf.”