Dream to Destiny: A Treasured Weekend
CEGA Masters Memories: 2015 Host Tim Netherton recounts victorious weekend
---
Friday, May 29th The game before the big game 6 a.m. — . It is our 2nd annual work golf tournament dear friend Chris Zepponi drops off his car and we head out on the road towards our destination Copperopolis, Ca. We discuss the weekend of activities, logistics and operations. Topic gets onto the state of the entire world and how blessed we are to live in such a great country. Even though it was a late night to bed we will not miss on being their plenty of early to enjoy the game at its basic core. The group is excited and we all decide that practice is more memorable then breakfast. Fellow die-hards arrive 2:15 p.m. — With Round 1 complete we see our teammates Rainero and Stock. After enjoying some friendly conversation we are honored to watch them tee off for their practice round. Meanwhile we could not resist the opportunity to improve our game at such an amazing practice facility so we headed back to the range for a second session of preperation. We were off the box round 2 and moments later fellow CEGA member Chris Bjuhr popped out on his patio and yelled MASH POTATOES. Instant smiles from all involved as this weekend we share the common bond of feeling like we are a part of something much bigger then just ourselves.
Sunset, Family 8 p.m. — The crews enjoyed dinner together on the patio while the sun was nearly gone over the west. The feeling in the air was of one that reminded you of a tropical vacation where you could leave all of your stresses behind. Meanwhile CEGA legend Jeb Boss who has been a teammate for fifteen years arrives as he was coming from playing a round of golf (30) minutes away. It was time for me to talk about my day with family through the face time option from the apple i-phone. At this point I started to realize all of the sacrafices that were made to be a part of this weekend. After my family seeing how happy I was they and I realized that this is exactly where I needed to be.
---
Saturday, May 30th
Game Day 5:45 a.m.— I wolk up with a sore back an accumulation from all the practice that was put in throughout the weeks a much needed visit to the hot tub was in store. Suddenly some clapping noises are going on outside my bungalow and it does not take long to figure out it is two of my favorite go hards Joe Rainero and Todd Stock. I hop into the GMC Yukon Denali and head over to the local fitness center/spa and what do you know guess who is inside the hot tub? Stock and Rainero. We share some conversation with each other and head back to the bungalows. Chris Zepponi and I meet up we then head out onto the road towards to the CEGA favorite gas station/mart to only find it has been torn down. We then head to payless grocery store and it is not open yet. We take a ride back out to the freeway and find a mart over in the new part of town. We grab soda’s, beer , Bacardi, jack, three bottoles of vodka, mixers and cups for the entire league to enjoy. We were one of the larger customers the mart ever see’s and they were kind of enough to hand us both a super lotto ticket for free. We headed back to the course, scorecards were made, scoreboard was taped up on wall of the patio area, masters theme song was being played on the jambox and now everyone was chipping, putting or practicing full shots.
Career Best 8:50 a.m. Groups were grabbing cocktails from the famous Oakmont bungalow patio and moments later Andy Barbano jumped out the gate getting down to -3 net within the first three holes as he finished the front nine with his best career CEGA score of 37 (net -7). Andy had 27 holes left to play and if he could hang on this would be his first ever Major victory. Zepponi shot + 2 for the first round, Boss +2, Rainero +1, Netherton -2 and Barbano led the whole tournament at -3. Below you will find all of the scores in the picture after round 1.
What a surprise 3 p.m. — After lunch the only thing the team knew is that they needed to have their swim pool gear on. At this time our rides had arrived to take us to our surprise destination. Joe picked the drivers brain and now knew exactly where we were headed “ I hate not knowing stated Joe”. Our designated drivers in which one of them just by chance happened to graduate from my favorite school of all time Las Lomas High School were off and driving. Not only did the team enjoy that they did not have to drive a car we also did not have to drive the boat. What a treat for all of us! Andy W and Andy Btested out the lake waters, the crew enjoyed the breeze as the boat streamed through the lake, we stopped by the marina bar, the music was sounding good it was a memorable time.
Tradition
7 p.m. – To not disappoint some of the boys kept the tradition alive by getting back onto the course for some late twighlight golf fun. Segale, Stock and Netherton wedged the cart through the bungalows and popped out on the side of hole #2 tee box. Half way up hole #3 Rainero came out of no where in his own cart wondering what he had missed out on.
Nourishment
8:45 p.m. - The recovery dinner was served in the private room prime rib and salmon.
Jackie Zeppon
10:15 p.m. – As I prepared the poker tournament in the Oakmont bungalow it hit me that Chris Zepponi had won the Netherton Shootout poker tournament in September and then he turned around and won the CEGA championship poker tournament in October. This night would end the same as he sent each member back to their bungalow one by one. Third place would go to Jeb Boss. The final two standing battled each other for approximately 30 minutes it was between Bryan Segale and Chris. The trophy would go right back to the same place it has been since last October Chris Zepponi’s legendary office. Andy Weyer knocked himself out by trying to set-up RBI baseball with no success. He then proceeded to set the guiness book world record for loudest snoring this sent me right out to the couch.
---
Sunday, May 31st
Moments 6:00 a.m. — Today I would be the one clapping outside the bungalows at the early hours. On my way back from the hot tub I run into my fellow general Joe Rainero who was also headed to the hot tub. When Joe returned we shared some life discussions with each other while putting on the green below the clubhouse patio.
Sunday Breakfast
7:00 a.m. – Zepponi, Rainero, Bjuhr and Netherton are first to breakfast the mood was relaxed with no speculation in the air we enjoyed some friendly conversations amongst one another.
Championship Sunday
8:30 a.m. — The team is back for some practice we are about to tee-off and at the end we will crown the 15th annual CEGA masters champion. Today their was no Masters music being played and no cocktails were being poured. The groups were off hole #1 and how quickly this became a two man race. I would proceed to go 10 over after three holes and seamlessly make way for one of the top (10) CEGA major matches of all-time. Barbano vs Rainero!!! Rainero closed the four stroke lead that Barbano carried early on in the match this was clearly going to be a dog-fight. Hole #8 presented a major scare to Barbano as he potentially lossed two tee-shots off the box. This turned out to only be a reference hole for later on the down the road when these two are sitting by the fire-pit recalling this match. Barbano walked out un-scathed for the most part while still clinging onto a stroke lead at most while heading into the back nine. However this would be short lived as Rainero took control of the lead for the first time and winning the tournament was in his sight. Joe who flew the green on hole #16 was now faced with the most important flop shot of his career. Rainero was up to the challenge he sent the ball about 30 feet into the air and stuck an almost impossible shot to about 3 feet from the pin this was the shot of the weekend. Joe now had a two stroke lead going into hole #17. Joe Montana 1:15 p.m. – Hole #17 both players found themselves in trouble off the box. Andy who flew right and Joe who went straight down into the yucky stuff directly in front the box. Andy found his ball but then flew it directly across the left side of the fairway into the turned over grass and weeds. Joe hitting three hit his ball off the white tee’s and yanked it left. Both players found their ball and were faced with minimal opportunity of getting their ball onto the green. Andy did eventually get his ball onto the green laying four shots. Joe was not so lucky as he laid six and about 15 putting feet. Andy took a bogey, Joe a quadruple. The two shot lead Joe had doing into #17 was erased and he found himself down one going into the green monster hole #18. For the first time you could sense that Andy aka Joe Montana had some big time nerves going. With everything on the llne for both of these long time friends, work-mates, competitors and most importantly teammates this feeling was reciprocal.
Lifetime Memory 1:30 p.m. — Both men kicked the green monster in the teeth with strong tee box blast and they were off the box ready to battle all the way to the cup. Barbano takes the next swing and puts it down the fairway and then Rainero responds with an aggressive swing he is now sitting within 35 yards of the middle to back pin placement. Barbano has no quit but he throws a weak wedge to the front of the green. Joe takes that with a smile and sticks an epic shot that hits off the pin (second time on the day) it nearly gos in and sits to with-in 5 feet of the cup now facing a makeable birdie putt. Andy facing a 28 foot putt moves to within 4.5 feet now laying four on this par five and needing to make his putt for a par. If Joe makes this putt he potentially wins the tournament and if he misses he may still have a shot at a tie. Joe stands over his putt with confidence and he blows it by the hole leaving himself just shy of the same distance he just had on the way through. Joe still alive has another shot at the hole this one is big but he misses the putt. The crowd knows this match is over as Barbano can two putt and still win. Barbano steps up and knocks it down making it look easy as if he were the Joe Montana of golf. The friends give each other their due respect whle Joe walks off the course like a true champion in defeat. Joe knows what it is like to win this tournament and all though he will be thinking of this one for a while he also is very happy for his friend. Farewells and Thank You's
2:30 p.m. — The players gather in the clubhouse restaurant where we learn about each other’s rounds of play and we enjoy a post game meal off of the new Saddle Creek menu’s. The most impressive round of the weekend were Andy Barbanos CEGA career low nine holes 37 and eighteen holes 83. Equally impressive was Andy Weyer who shot a 75 for -2 the low round on Sunday by approximately four shots vs the rest of the field. Rounding out the top four was Chris Bjuhr at +9. We then say our farewells to each other for making this event such an amazing experience for all of us each and every year.
The Drive (Mt. Diablo) 4:00 p.m. — Chris Zepponi and I drive home and his eyes start shutting almost at the identical place they did last year. This year he gets a second wind and we continue talking all the way home. I would not trade in the ride up or the ride home for any other part of the weekend.
Family
5:00 p.m. – I arrive at home and my family is excited to see me and I am excited to see them. We head out to Pinkys pizza Walnut Creeks legendary pizza restaurant to go celebrate together. Afterwards I head over to my parents house to share in some conversation and spend some quality time.
Reflection
9:00 p.m. - Later that night while sitting in bed stress free from the victorious weekend I thought to myself what an amazing day and what an perfect weekend for all.
You now have an inside view of what it is like to be a part of one of the greatest golf traditons known to man.
