The Second Cave Cup

Manistee

By Sean Truesdale & Sir Nicholas Foglton

The Cave Cup hit the road for the first time in 2016 by traveling north to the sand dunes and forests of Manistee, MI. The Second Cave Cup was contested at Manistee National’s Canthooke Valley Golf Course. After a washed-out practice round and steady overnight rain, the Saturday morning matches were in doubt, but, luckily, the sandy soil drained quickly and the Cup began as planned.

First out in the morning scramble matches, Ryan Andrichik, playing in his first Cup match with partner Sean Hennessy, fell to a stout black squad team of Ricky Palonis/P. Houlihan. This would go on to be Andrichik’s only loss in Cave Cup play. Additional wins by Black Squad captain Sean Truesdale/Joe Spesia, Matt Taylor/Jeremy Wallace, and Pat Hall and Jeff Stevens pushed black to an early 4-1 lead after the morning session.

Red came roaring back in the afternoon scrambles matches with wins by Andrichick/Penders and Joe Houlihan/A. Hall as well as a half point from Red Squad Captain Nash/Marconi. Black answered late in the session with wins by Palonis/Stevens and S. Truesdale/Tyler Dicken to even the session 2.5-2.5. Later that evening, Dicken, in a menacing act toward his future teammate and groomsman, further struck fear into the Red Squad by kicking Malecki’s knee so violently that Malecki fell off the couch he was sitting on and went on to have a noticeable limp for days afterwards. Black entered Sunday one leg up and with a commanding 6.5-3.5 lead.

Due to several scheduling conflicts, the Sunday Singles matches saw one group go out early in the morning where J. Houlihan defeated Stevens 3&2 and Palonis took down his old partner, Foglton, 5&4. Palonis skipped town shortly after the morning matches, having gone 3-0, and would turn professional six months later.

The score was 7.5-4.5 in favor of the Black Squad leading into the afternoon singles matches. Hope for the Red Squad came early with Andrichik’s 4&3 victory over S. Truesdale in the first of their many Sunday duels, but victories of Marks over Malecki, J. Spesia over A. Hall and Taylor over S. Hennessy shut the door. As the Cup was clinched on the 16th green following Taylor’s victory, Nash forfeited his match to P. Houlihan, and the Black Squad rushed in to celebrated their victory and drink from The Cup for the very first time.

The celebration poured into the Manistee Lodge’s back patio, and then into the Little River Casino; all the while, players recited freestyle poetry. As everyone gathered into the final shuttle back to Manistee, a stranger, riding with his girlfriend, offered these words:

“ Be kind to your brother

A brother you didn’t know you had

As your own ”

*Snaps*