2009 Captain Alex Yates

The Committee is proud to introduce 2009 Pineapple Cup Captain Alex Yates. Captain Yates resides in Charlotte, NC and plays out of Carolina Golf Club. He is a past champion (2007) and one of, if not the, best players to play The Pineapple Cup. During 2008, Captain Yates compiled a 3-3-3 four-ball record and an 0-2-1 singles record.

He graduated from Wake Forest University, where he played on the collegiate golf team. The highlight of Captain Yates’ competitive career occurred when he played in the U.S. Amateur at Merion. He qualified by shooting 71-67 in the local qualifier. Prior to WFU, he won the North Carolina 2-A state championship twice. Needless to say, Captain Yates can golf his ball.

Captain Yates’ is quite long for his size. When he gets it going, he is like a ball-striking machine that wears an opponent down. As such, you don’t want to get down early against him in match play. That being said, it will be interesting to see how captaincy duties affect his play!

2009 Captain Buck Williams

The Committee is proud to introduce 2009 Pineapple Cup Captain Buck Williams. Captain Buck resides in Atlanta, GA, where he is known to teach youth golf camps and attend an occasional divinity class. During 2008, Captain Buck went 2-5-2 in four-ball play and 2-0-1 in singles competition.

He graduated from Wake Forest University in 2003. One might say that the highlight of Captain Buck’s competitive career occurred when he participated in the U.S. Amateur at Winged Foot. However, Buck more likely cites his victory at the prestigious Western Jr. Am. at the Honors Course in 2000. One day dreams to join his namesake NBA veteran Buck Williams in the NC Sports Hall of Fame.

The late Harvey Penick once said that a “good putter is a match for anyone.” He was no doubt thinking of Captain Buck. He is magic around the greens. This is attributable to the maniacal green complexes at fabled North Ridge C.C. Expect his putter to be up to the same antics this year as the captaincy pressure mounts throughout the weekend!

Defending Champion - Jeff Wilson

The Committee is proud to introduce 2009 Pineapple Cup Defending Champion Jeff Wilson. Jeff lives in Birmingham, AL, although will soon claim Charleston, SC as his home. As you would expect from a champion effort, Jeff compiled a winning record in both formats during 2008, going 4-3-2 in four-ball play and 3-0 in singles play. His sweep of Zimmerman in the singles matches was the most lopsided of the 2008 Cup.

Jeff graduated from Wake Forest University in 2004. He is the brother of Pineapple Cup participant Mark Wilson. He is currently employed by Regions Bank, although looking to retire soon as a doctor’s husband.

Jeff's 2009 campaign should be pressure-packed. First, he will try to become the first repeat champion in Pineapple Cup history. Defending champions have not fared well in the matches in the following year. Additionally, he will try to put to rest a belief among some that, in 2008, he rode a few early partners to victory and then drew an easy singles match on his way to victory.

Expect Jeff to play hard all weekend in an effort to retain possession of the Pineapple Cup. Whether he wins again, or hands the trophy to the next champion golfer, Jeff will always be able to say what only a few can say: I am a Pineapple Cup champion!

Spring Has Sprung for Pineapple Cup Golfers!

North Myrtle Beach, SC (AP) -

Preparations began in earnest this past weekend for the 2009 Pineapple Cup. The first nice weather weekend of the spring saw several Cup participants in action across the southeast.

Past champion Alex Yates competed in a law school event in Columbia, SC, though Yates reported to have “had better” preparation sessions. At Sea Island, GA, Steve Riddick and Tug Maude worked on their games. As previously reported, Carrington took a lesson and appeared to be nicely rounding into spring form. Mark Wilson prepared for the Cup’s grueling Saturday by playing 36 this past Sunday at his home club in Greensboro. Mark played 14 holes at 2 under par, yet had a 4 hole stretch that saw him hit his drive out of bounds. Adam McLaughlin joined Mark in his Sunday morning play. Adam took down former All-American golfer Ryan Geoffrey in his match by posting an under par round. Morgan Dowtin also played this weekend, yet his bid for 36 was cut short by a baby shower. Defending Champion Jeff Wilson played corporate golf on Friday in Birmingham before leaving to spend a week in Charleston where he will certainly continue his preparations. Elder statesman Tommy DeMint celebrated his 31st birthday this weekend and managed to squeeze in a bit of golf. Andrew Ward managed to squeeze in a round at Feather Sound CC in Tampa, FL during a wedding weekend. Finally, Wes Argabrite and Buck Williams were seen spending time on the range and short game area preparing for the battles certain to be had in early May.

Needless to say, the push for early May is on in a big way. The captains have their work cut out for the draft next week. A majority of people think that substitute Tug Maude will now go #1 in the draft. Personally, the Pineapple Cup Blogger (“PCB”) agrees.

2009 Participant - Tug Maude

The Committee is proud to introduce 2009 Pineapple Cup participant Tug Maude. Tug currently lives at Sea Island, GA. Tug received his invitation after Fred Stone withdrew from the event. This will be his first Pineapple Cup.

Tug graduated from Wake Forest University. Though he did not play on its golf team, life's journey now finds him playing a lot of golf -- spending time as a part time professional golfer and part time corporate golfer. Stories about Tug's golf travails since college have become mythical. He's played golf with Atlanta Braves' greats. It is rumored that he took Davis Love III down by several shots during an outing on Sea Island's Seaside course. Others believe that DLIII laid down to help a fledgling youngster gain a bit of confidence. Tug particpated in project Barkley before Hank Haney got into the picture. In short, the list of Tug's golfing companions is long and distinguished -- just like the list of Pineapple Cup players.

Tug has been jockeying for a Pineapple Cup invitation for years. He expected to receive an invitation for the 2010 Pineapple Cup. With his travel plans moved forward one year, it will be interesting to see how he adjusts to the new schedule. Clearly, Tug will have plenty of time to get his game into primo shape before he arrives in NMB in early May. The big question is:

Is he a big hat with no cattle?

Breaking News: Stone Out of 2009 Pineapple Cup!

Raleigh, NC (AP) - Fred Stone has withdrawn himself from the 2009 Pineapple Cup after it became apparent that his torn tendon would not have fully healed by early May. Stone was the only Pineapple Cup participant bringing in an entirely unblemished record after winning each and every match in which he played in 2008. Many felt that Stone would be the top draft selection, but a tendon injury in January derailed Stone's chances of such. Unfortunately, the tendon injury has lingered and Fred expect to be in a cast until mid-April. A disappointed Stone said that he "might have been able to play the grueling 72 holes in 3 days. I just wasn't sure I would and it is not fair to my team and captain to have my status in question. The Pineapple Cup is bigger than one man and I felt that for the good of the Cup I need to withdraw from this year's event."

The Committee was disheartened to hear the news, but understanding of the circumstances. "We wish Fred a speedy recovery. He was an animal during last year's event and will be missed by everyone."

Speculation now turns to who will replace Fred Stone in the 2009 lineup. No doubt this has thrown a bit of a wrench into the captains draft preparations.

Breaking News: Carrington Currently Taking A Lesson

Charlotte, NC (Reuters) - For Immediate Release

Persons close to the Charlotte golfing community report that 2009 Pineapple Cupper Lindsay Carrington has begun lessons with Quail Hollow teaching pro Scott Davenport. It seems that Carrington is now ready to move past the death of his longtime Kentucky-based teacher, Gene Hilen. Carrington has not taken a lesson in more than 10 years, yet his game has changed little. In fact, Carrington won the very next tournament (the Mount Sterling C.C. club championship) he played after that lesson in 1998 and promptly exclaimed, "I am the best ball striker in the world! If I would have made any putts over the weekend, I would have won by 20!"

It is unknown whether Carrington and Davenport will implement any significant swing changes, but it looks doubtful. More likely, the relationship is meant to keep Carrington's simple swing on plane and consistent. During the 2008 Pineapple Cup, his swing got loose and caused him to miss several drives during singles play and cost him a shot at the Cup.

Breaking News: Captain Yates To Select First in 2009 Draft

North Myrtle Beach, SC (AP) -- For Immediate Release

Sources close to the Committee have confirmed that Captain Alex Yates will make the first selection in the 2009 Pineapple Cup draft, to be held on Tuesday, March 31, 2009. Because the draft uses a snake format, Captain Buck will then have the second and third selections.

Now that the draft date and selection order are set, speculation is sure to run rampant about who Captain Yates will select as the overall #1 selection. Last year's top selection, Mark Wilson, performed well but was unable to catch his brother in the points race for the Cup. Certain participants believe that Mark Wilson is a likely top selection again this year. Others think Captain Yates will select the Pineapple Cup's first pro, Adam McLaughlin, as #1. McLaughlin will certainly be near the top of the captains' lists, but his likely absence during Friday play means he will likely not clinch the top draft spot.

In any event, the teams will be set in just 11 days.

2009 Participant - Mark Wilson

The Committee is proud to introduce 2009 Pineapple Cup participant Mark Wilson. Mark resides in Greensboro, NC and plays out of Greensboro Country Club. He compiled a 3-4-2 four-ball record and went undefeated (2-0-1) in singles play in 2008. Despite these solid numbers and tough play all weekend, he had to watch as his brother claimed the Pineapple Cup.

Mark graduated from Wake Forest University in 2001. Prior to attending WFU, he played a lot of junior golf around NC. He played well in a few AJGA events, as well, including the ClubCorp Players at the Homestead. He competed against Captain Yates at the Donald Ross Jr. in the mid-90s. Mark lead his high school team to the state championships in 1997.

Since leaving the junior golf ranks, Mark’s tee ball length has diminished, evidenced by multiple occasions on which he was outdriven by Dauge. His lack of length of the tee forced him to become a Corey Pavin-esque player and disciple. This adherence to shorter is better honed his short game and putting. Nevertheless, Mark recognized that length is important in modern golf. Thus, Mark has rededicated himself to the game and to length in recent months. This busy furniture executive has taken advantage of some downtime in the economic downturn by taking lessons during lunch. He has also re-entered competitive ranks, including a few team tournaments with Pineapple Cup rookie Morgan Dowtin.


The 2009 Pineapple Cup holds much promise for Mark. He has tournament chemistry with at least one Pineapple Cup participant. Plus, he always plays Tidewater well. All in all, he’s always been a solid teammate and worthy adversary. A renewed spirit

about the game could certainly translate into Mark holding the Cup at the end of the weekend.During 2008, he compiled a 3-4-2 four-ball record and went undefeated (2-0-1) in singles play.

2009 Pineapple Cup Draft Date Announced

The Committee has announced that the 2009 Pineapple Cup draft will take place on Monday, March 30, 2009 at 8:00PM EST. The draft will take place over a conference call and all participants are invited to attend. The Committee will provide all participants with the call-in information.

Golf Digest's Matty G's Comments on Pine Lakes

Introducing Pine Lakes C.C.

"Thank you for calling the Granddaddy . . ." That's how they answer the phone at the new Pine Lakes Country Club.

This isn't exactly The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, but there is an old golf course in Myrtle Beach that just got a lot younger. Proof money can't but you love, but it can buy you a pretty sweet facelift. Nicknamed "the Granddaddy" because in 1927 it was the first course on what would become the "Grand Strand," the Pine Lakes Country Club reopened today after a 20 month, $15 million restoration project.

What once was the Ocean Forest Club, the history and the fact sheet on this place gives good info:

--The clubhouse (pictured above) was designed by Henry Bacon McKoy, which he did right after he finished designing the Lincoln Monument.

--St. Andrews native and first PGA of America president, Robert White, who consulted with Donald Ross during the planning process, designed the original course. (Some say there's evidence of Alister Mackenzie influence--the seventh hole at Pine Lakes looks like No. 12 at Augusta National.)

--Vanderbilts, Rockefellers, Gene Sarazen and Sam Snead, who shot 78 there on his 78th birthday, were among some of the big names who frequented the course.

--In 1954 the Snug Pub was where Henry Luce sat around a table with other Time Inc. executives and editors and came up with the idea of an all sports magazine. (That would be the little fish wrapper we know today as Sports Illustrated.)

The new course (first hole pictured above), was redesigned by Craig Schreiner. It's still short (6,609 yards) but that just means I get to play the back tees without having to constantly look over my shoulder and comment to my playing partners, "How hard would this hole be from way back there?"

I clipped this graph from the press release: "My design challenge was integrating the nine newer holes with White's nine original holes," said Schreiner. "This task was made easier by Burroughs & Chapin Golf Management's vision, which gave me the opportunity to reshape the entire golf course. The end result was improved consistency in the strategic play quality and the aesthetics of every hole, while preserving the historic-view corridors of those original 16 holes. Remarkably, the 80-year old clubhouse can be seen from all 16 of these holes; unlike most golf courses today."

Schreiner designed two holes from scratch to replace two of the old holes that were removed to create a new entry into the club, which is only a few miles north of the Myrtle Beach airport.

On the Pine Lakes website I booked a tee time for a foursome next Saturday at 8:00AM. The green fee was $125 per player and a $24 per person cart fee.

I'd pay a lot more for the place responsible for the start my career AND the Swimsuit Issue.
--Matty G.

See the entire article (w/a picture of the first hole) here: http://www.golfdigest.com/courses/blogs/mattyg

See other articles on Pine Lakes renovation:
http://www.carolinalive.com/sports/sports_story.aspx?id=272600

http://www.thesunnews.com/news/local/story/816607.html

http://www.sunherald.com/452/story/1201739.html

http://www.golfweek.com/story/pine-lakes-feature-031609

http://www.environmentalturf.com/articles/PineLakesUpgrade_%20GreenRevival_MyrtleBeachSun.pdf

Breaking News: Captain Yates Wins Draft Order Quiz!

Today the Committee announced that Captain Alex Yates prevailed over Captain Buck Williams in a contest of knowledge about Pineapple Cup historical trivia. The captains answered five identical questions and a tiebreaking question concerning historical fact and trivia about the Pineapple Cup. Captain Yates successfully answered two questions, while Captain Buck only successfully answered one. The first question proved to be the easiest, while the last proved to be the hardest. By virtue of his triumph, Captain Yates has the option to select whether he wants to pick first overall in the draft or to defer to the second spot in the snaked draft.

The Committee was proud of the captains hard work in preparing for the draft: "Once we finally got the captains on the phone, it was immediately apparent that both captains had prepared for this moment. Each got off to a fast start by answering the first question correctly. However, the Committee was somewhat befuddled by the captains unfamiliarity with the Supa Six, a fantastic game for 5 people over 36 holes. Nevertheless, from the moment the intensive questioning began, both captains displayed poise in answering the tough questions. We think this poise will pay dividends during the championship proper. Congratulations goes out to Captain Yates. It will certainly be interesting to see which draft spot he chooses."

2009 Participant - Norm Waldrop

The Committee is proud to introduce 2009 Pineapple Cup rookie participant Norm Waldrop. Norm resides in Charlotte, NC, but plays out of Shoal Creek and Mobile Country Club.

Norm graduated from the University of Virginia in 2002. He is a natural athlete. He didn’t start playing golf until college when he hung out with Steve Marino and other UVA golf team members which allowed him a lot of free play. Now, he is a very good player. He has competitive experience having played in several four-ball events in 2007 and 2008.

Norm is very long off the tee and a very good putter. He's usually good for several birdies a round. For some reason, packing a dip seems to induce the birdie train. Thus, teammates should ensure that Norm has a can of dip with him during the Pineapple Cup.

2009 Participant - Boone Smith

The Committee is proud to introduce 2009 Pineapple Cup participant Boone Smith. Boone lives in Macon, GA and holds the distinction as being the tallest player in the field. In 2008, Boone compiled a 1-2 four-ball record and an 0-3 singles record. His records contain an asterisk, though, because 2008 was also his bachelor party.

Boone graduated from Wake Forest University in 2004. Like so many southern boys in Macon, he grew up playing golf a few times a month and still plays when he has the time. Admittedly, he gets his yearly competitive golf in during the Pineapple Cup. Look for Boone to focus hard to improve his overall record in 2009!

2009 Participant - David Miller

The Committee is proud to introduce 2009 Pineapple Cup rookie participant David Miller. David resides in Charlotte, NC and plays out of Carolina Golf Club. This will be his first Pineapple Cup outing.

David attended the University of Kentucky. He was an average journeyman on the KY junior golf circuit, tasting success once amongst a lot of bottom-half finishes. He displayed a penchant for match play when he made a run at the Falls City Jr. Match Play in the late 90s. Once represented Kentucky in a team event.

You'll know David is on the course when you hear his abnoxiously-loud driver. He says its legal, and he's a lawyer, so he ought to know. David possesses sneaky length off the tee and a closer’s ability to finish. To put it simply, you want David on your team coming down the stretch!