Holes-in-one and early-season tournament results are starting to roll in as the golf season and nice sunny weather has finally arrived. Ray Cuddy Jr. aced the 16th hole at Dutch Hollow on May 2, while playing in the Knights of Columbus League. Ray used a Nike Sumo driver on the 191-yard par 3, and was playing with witnesses Michael Cuddy, Tony LoBisco, and Tony Martino.

Mike Clark also had a hole-in-one last week on May 9. Mike holed his tee shot on the 185-yard sixth hole at Dutch Hollow while playing before the Teed Offers League. Mike used his Adams 3 hybrid and was playing with Rocco LoPiccolo and Lou Nocilly, who witnessed the shot.

If you area golf course owner, general manager or golf pro and have any tournament results or great shots to report, please send them to lombo@pga.com and I will make every attempt to get as many as is possible into the Rub of the Green column.

Speaking of tournaments, the 17th hole at the TPC really took its toll on the world's best players last week. With firm greens and difficult winds, many balls found the bottom of the lake. The Tournament Players Championship has one of the strongest fields of the year played on one of the toughest courses and is called the unofficial “Fifth Major” of the PGA Tour.

Winners of the first flight in the Spring four-person Invitational held Sunday, May 6, at Dutch were Mike Guarino, Mike Guarino Jr., John Atkins and Bill Galloway with a 60. Second flight and low score for the day winners were John Dobreski, Don Walawender, Keith Lindstrom and Steve Morgan with a 58.

Winners of the annual Mother-Child Scramble were Kim Poweski and Jon Poweski, followed by Susan Casler and Joanna Ward, and Peg Harvey and Mary Benedict. Callaway net winners were Carol Brown and Richard Moon followed by Emma Burt and Arthur Burt, and Robin Murphy and Tim Murphy.

After a two-month wait my Taylor Made SuperQuad TP driver finally arrived. According to Taylor Made, demand has overtaken supply and there is a wait to get this super hot driver. After moving the weights around I finally got it balanced so backspin is minimized and carry and roll is at a maximum. It is amazing how different weighting schemes can affect the feel and playability of the club. The first time I took it out on the range I could not stop swinging the club. It was and is a unique experience; and you know, the idea and the technology works. You can actually set up a driver to fit the way you release the club. It just keeps getting better.

What do you think the difference is between the players who win golf tournaments on Tour and the players who finish lower down the list, say in the second half of the money standings. They are all great players, but what is it that makes a few that much better than the others? Have any ideas? From one point of view, maybe it is the quality of the shots to the green that separates the greats from the others. The players that are hitting it closer week after week have the best shots at making putts. The trick is to sustain it over a long period of time. Maybe, maybe not. What do you think?

See you on the links!