Welcome to The Poor Boy 2022
The Boys are back for another shot at knocking Fitchy off his perch of Poor Boy Champion. This year the competition committee has tweaked the format to 3-18 hole rounds, moved the date into June (hopefully for better weather), and dropped the skin game. The Poor Boys welcome Tony Vespoli to "a contest like no other."
The Poor Boys
Steve Jones
Captain Jones, Chairman of the Poor Boy Competition committee, and host of the Poor Boys at Plum Brook is starting to identify with Rory McIlroy having gone 13 years since putting his name on the Poor Boy trophy. Steve is a stealth member of the Whitehall Hall of Fame, having removed his picture to avoid being mobbed in the local Golf Galaxy. Steve is the leading hole in one shooter of the Poor Boys
Steve Fitch
Poor Boy Perpetual Champion Steve Fitch is once again taunting the field to knock him off his comfortable perch. As is his custom the Champ has honed his game in the desert west, posting the most rounds of any Poor Boy as of May 18th.
Frank Ray
Jeff Leonard
Frankie, shown here doing his Judge Smales imitation (yes, he did get a bowl of soup with that hat, but on him it looks good), is once again this year the most traveled Poor Boy. Spring training in AZ and pre Poor Boy tune-ups in Kiawah and the Greenbriar being just a few of the garden spots he has visited while notching his 40 plus rounds in 2022. and arranging numerous Zoom calls for the Poor Boys. One of those rounds included shooting his age, making him an early favorite for the cup this year.
Jeff Leonard
Jeff Leonard
The Poor Boy with the lowest index has been the only one to break Fitchie's stranglehold on the Poor Boy trophy. Jeff is one of the quartet of Fairlawn golfers who are starting to make the Poor Boy feel like a Fairlawn member-guest. It is reported that Jeff honed his golf game and Big Horn Sheep negotiating skills while spending a week at La Quinta this past winter. We'll see if either or both come in handy in this year's outing.
Ron Kopp
Coming off a strong performance in last year's Poor Boy, Ron is looking to make a Tiger like recovery from a knee replacement and other health issues to challenge for the Cup this year. Ron has assumed the mantle of providing law firm promotional swag to the Poor Boys now that Fitchie has been locked out of the Taft goodie closet.
Ralph Grajzl
Ralph, against all odds is coming back for a second helping of Poor Boy hospitality. Clearly, playing with the other Fairlawn Poor Boys has allowed Ralph to develop a think skin. Several of the Poor Boys are awaiting their diamond ear rings that he gifted the Chairman last year.
Gary Cross
Cross, an unpaid non-attorney spokesperson for the Poor Boy is back for another round of donation and tabulation. Shown here with his new caddie, Clarence "Big BoBo" Ramsey. Big BoBo has been looping on the Alaska minitour after that unfortunate incident at the 2019 Masters when a cat ran across the 13th green as Big BoBo was reading a putt for his player. The pair have not lost a ball this spring since switching to the Kirkland Signature ball with the Knockwurst scented surlyn cover.
Tony Vespoli
The newest addition to the Poor Boy Company of Golfers, Tony joins looking forward to taking on the challenge of breaking the rookie jinx that has held since Fitchie won the initial Poor Boy. Tony, pictured above (he's the one on the left) is an avid skier and doting grandfather when he is not golfing with his fellow Poor Boy members at Fairlawn.
Venues for 2022
Plum Brook
The Poor Boys kick off the 2022 event with 18 holes at Plum Brook on Friday this year. Designed by Tom Bendelow, the "Johnny Appleseed of Golf Course Design" Plum Brook provides a strong test of shot accuracy and recovery from juicy rough at this time of yea
Catawba Island
CIC OFFERS AN ARTHUR HILLS DESIGNED GOLF COURSE THAT IS KEPT IN PRISTINE CONDITION. BEING ONE OF THE ONLY GOLF COURSES ALONG THE SHORES OF LAKE ERIE CIC HAS BEEN A POPULAR DESTINATION FOR FAMILIES AND GOLFERS FOR GENERATIONS. THE DESIGN PROVIDES AN INTERESTING AND VARIED TEST THAT HAS DELIGHTED MEMBERS AND CHALLENGED US OPEN HOPEFULS.
Eagle Creek
Eagle Creek
Eagle Creek Golf Club located in Norwalk, Ohio returns to the Poor Boy rota of courses this year after providing a thrilling finish in 2021. Designed by Brian Huntley, this par 71 course received 4 1/2 stars out of 5 from golf digest.
Day 1 - Plum Brook
Plum Brook was in excellent shape as the Poor Boys descended on it for an afternoon round. Fitchie did his usual fine job of supplying sunshine and cool temperatures for an ideal day for golfing. The day's big surprise was the rookie, Tony Vespoli, schooling the Poor Boys on how to play Plum Brook on his first try.
Day 1 after round
Ron Gifts the Poor Boys
Eschewing the usual law firm swag, Ron gifted his fellow Poor Boys with personally inscribed copies of Arnold Palmer's A Life Well Played.
Fitchie Bourbons the Captain
In a blatant attempt to influence the outcome of the Poor Boy, Fitchie kicked off his and Brenda's annual giftapalooza by presenting Captain Jones with his very own bottle of Poor Boy bourbon.
Welcome Tony
As a welcome gift for new Poor Boy Tony, Fitchie provided him with his very own souvenir bottle of Poor Boy Cabernet Sauvignon.
Brenda & Steve Come Through - Again!
Proving that their time spent in Palm Stprings was productive in coming up with another memorable tee gift, each Poor Boy received a boxed set of 2 personalized Poor Boy whiskey tumblers.
What a Mind for Golf History
First the Picture, then The Pork Chops
In Fitchie's annual golf trivia contest, Poor Boy Ron won a very nice bottle of Claret for being able to identify 4 of the 5 Masters winners whose name started with an "S."
First the Picture, then The Pork Chops
First the Picture, then The Pork Chops
The Poor Boys, showing off their new tumblers above, then enjoyed a sumptuous pork chop and chicken dinner prepared on the grill by our gracious host for the week-end Poor Boy Jeff.
Day 2 pre-round activities
Some Went Golfing
Fitchie, Jeff, and Frankie took advantage of the 2 PM tee time to play a pre-round 18 at Sawmill Creek, rising early and shining on the course.
Others Went Fishing
Ron hosted Ralph and Tony at his trout club, where Ralph proved himself to be a champion fisherman by catching 4 fish and the largest Rainbow he is showing off above.
And the last little Poor Boy went to....
And the last little Poor Boy went to....
Opting to sleep in and fuel up on biscuits and gravy, Cross chose an alternate approach to preparing for Round 2.
day 2 results
Rest and Biscuits Triumph
Saturday afternoon at CIC saw the previous day's leader show the effects of being overserved while celebrating his win, as Tony suffered through a "first to worst" performance. At the dinner after the round several Poor Boys questioned CIC's ongoing presence on the Poor Boy rota. Amid the carnage, Cross snuck into first place showing the benefits of playing in a carb coma. Fitchie stealthily moved into a tie for 3rd place almost reversing Tony's performance by coming from last place.
saturday dinner
After Saturday's round the Poor Boys adjourned to the Catawba Island Club for their traditional dinner. Things got a bit raucous as the Boys cleared a large back room at the club, save for a hearing impaired couple in the corner. Future locations, formats, and planners were proposed and debated. Frankie shows his opinion of one proposal above.
final round
Final Round Results
Showing his signature last round charge, Fitchie once again passed the leader on the last turn of the last lap, posting 40 Stableford points at Eagle Creek.
Once Again Fitchie Wins the Poor Boy
Frankie had to leave early, but the remaining Poor Boys congratulated Fitchie, thanked Jonesy for the hospitality and arrangements at Plum Brook and CIC. They also thanked Ron and Fitchie for the thoughful gifts, and especially Jeff for providing a great housing option and dinner on Friday night.
OR DID HE?
OR DID HE?
Sooo, after the other Poor Boys had departed Eagle Creek, and consumption of a few beers, Cross reviewing the days results and replaying in his mind the Poor Boy Zoom call of 2/27/22, when Captain Jones said, "No double points this year," came to the conclusion that had not the points been doubled, the Poor Boy would have ended in a tie. In the picture above he can be seen urging Fitchie to share the trophy. No luck. Cross has engaged the law firm of Dewey, Cheatem, and Guiliani to shop for a venue where a sympathetic hearing of his claim might prevail.