© 2013 The Texas Lawbook.
By Patricia Baldwin
Lifestyle Writer for The Texas Lawbook
(June 12) – Long drives. Good iron play. A lot of putts dropped. Add to that combination two individual contest winners, and it’s easy to see how the team hosted by Charles River Associates took top honors – albeit by one stroke – in the annual golf tournament of the Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter of the General Counsel Forum held Monday, June 10, at Las Colinas Country Club in Irving.
The first-place team, with a net score of 46.35, included: Jeff Matthews, Charles River Associates; Daniel Elms, Bell Nunnally & Martin; David Quinn, Bell Helicopter; and Todd Spence, also of Bell Helicopter. Quinn also received the prize for “straightest drive,” and teammate Spence took “closest to the pin.”
Todd Spence and David Quinn of Bell Helicopter
The second-place team, with a net score of 47.35 and sponsored by Precision Discovery, included: Derek DeLarios, Precision Discovery; Nick Grimmer, McDermott Will & Emery; Walt Herring, Bryan Cave; and Drew Spaniol, also of Bryan Cave.
Net team scores determined the winners for the Scramble format in order to level the competition between high- and low-handicappers. The net scores were based on individual handicaps as applied to the gross stroke play of the teams.
Clarence Brown III, associate general counsel of Contran Corp/Valhi Inc. and president of the Dallas-Fort Worth GCF Chapter, noted the golf tournament is one of the chapter’s “most significant” annual events.
“Unlike most of our events that tend to be in a business setting,” he said, “the goal for the tournament is to give our general and managing counsel members the opportunity to interact and engage with their fellow in-house colleagues and tournament sponsors to share knowledge and experiences in an informal setting with a little bit of friendly competition thrown in.”
To this end, he explained, the chapter added a post-tournament cocktail reception to provide “an opportunity for non-golfers like myself to join in the fun and camaraderie.”
Golfers and non-golfers alike were positioned at the sponsor stations throughout the course to help entertain, refresh and otherwise aid the tournament players. Hole sponsors included Munck Wilson Mandala, The Bassett Firm, Rose Walker, Bowman and Brooke, Precision Discovery, Applied Discovery, K&L Gates, DW Legal Solutions, Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker, and Erickson Partners.
Munck Wilson Mandala offered a hole-in-one prize on each of the country club’s four par-3 holes, but no one walked off with the golf clubs, the cruise or the Model S Tesla electric automobile.
Heaven Porteous, who oversees marketing for Munck Wilson, was ready to witness an ace on Hole No. 17 and give away the car, but she reported the closest ball rolled only to within eight feet of the hole. And, as “they” say in golf (or horseshoes?)… close doesn’t count.
Ron White of White & Wiggins
Still, Porteous noted the odds of awarding the car were not so long. According to Hole-in-One U.S.A., a provider of hole-in-one insurance for golf tournaments, they deliver the promised prize for one in 27 contracts. And the ace seemed possible on the Las Colinas 17th, rated third easiest hole from the white tees and easiest hole from the forward tees.
The Erickson Partners sponsor tent sat atop a rise overlooking the Par-3 13th hole. Clark Erickson and Grant Farrell helped advise players regarding the yardage over water – 132 yards to the hole, 122 yards to carry to the front of the green and 140 yards to the back. Players also received a souvenir USB flash drive. Erickson said he appreciated the face-time with colleagues and clients that the sponsorship provided.
“We like this group,” said David Lugbauer, account manager for DW Legal. The Houston firm has brought its “Stogies & Shooters” tent to previous General Counsel Forum golf tournaments. And, yes, they offered just what the sign said – for anybody “in the mood.” Sidebar: In a drawing sponsored by DW Legal, Jeff Price of Summit Midstream Partners won a TaylorMade RocketBallz driver.
Ross Cunningham and Steve Smith of Rose Walker
The driver that got the most attention during the tournament, however, was in the hands of a surprise guest celebrity – long drive champ Nyle Pruitt of Frisco. Pruitt said he and his wife had had such a great experience at last year’s Inaugural Charity Golf Classic that they decided to volunteer at the DFW Chapter event. The 2012 golf tournament, conducted by the General Counsel Forum and the Texas Access to Justice Commission, was held at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa.
“I pride myself on raising money for charity,” Pruitt said. The DFW Chapter tournament, however, was just for fun.
“I’m a ‘Moving Mulligan,’” Pruitt added, as he teed off with team after team, providing their longest drive.
On the par-5 third hole, Pruitt offered to play the hole with Stratton Horres and the team sponsored by Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker, which also included Amanda Willis of Flexjet, Jerry Blais of Arch Insurance Group and Robert Hart of Mark Cuban Companies.
Pruitt then decided to hit a trick tee shot and laid a full box of his Pinnacle Golf balls on the teeing ground. With his 6.5-degree driver, he swung at the box, sending the first ball more than 350 yards, and leaving the two remaining balls and the Pinnacle box at the tee box.
The foursome admired the pro’s magic: “Fun.” “Wow.” “Awesome.” “Let me go get a box of balls.” Horres suggested, “He’s from another planet.” Perhaps Planet Golf?
Despite containing his beloved Pinnacles, Pruitt admitted the box did inhibit his driving distance. Three weeks ago, he appeared at a golf tournament held on the Stonebriar Country Club’s Member Course in Frisco. On the par-5, 542-yard Hole No. 3, he drove the ball 522 yards. Well, yes, the wind was with him. Amen to that.
GOLFERS/GOSSIP/GIMMES
- Ross Cunningham bought mulligans all around for his Rose Walker team. Good mood? Why not … he is headed Friday to this year’s U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa. Footnote: Cunningham’s team was talking conspiracy theories when they arrived at the green on Hole 6 and found a sprinkler going full force. Just a cooling experience, apparently – the team took third place. In addition to Cunningham, players included Steve Smith, also of Rose Walker, and Steve Doyle and Justin Holt of Austin Industries.
- Infrequent golfer John Clement of Classic Industries said he had his best round of golf, thanks to the pre-tournament clinic conducted by Amy Willmon, director of instruction at Las Colinas Country Club. She said that 90 percent – or more – of golfers think that, if they hit the ball poorly, it’s because of their swing. Not so, she said. It’s the set-up. Check your grip, stance, posture.
- And, want more distance on your drive? “Widen your stance,” Willmon advised.
- Kudos to DFW golf chairs Charles Hardy of Austin Industries and Ron Taylor of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. A good time was had by all, and each player received a hat, towel and box of golf balls with the GCF logo.
- More kudos to GCF’s deputy director Marlo Maddox who discovered guitarist-singer William Dale Martin at Potbelly Sandwich Shop on North Central Expressway near Knox and Henderson. (Hear him at lunchtime on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays).
- Nobody’s taking credit for winning (losing?) or buying those Dead Ass Last donkey trophies. OK, enough said.
Charles Hardy of Austin Industries
Do you have a special avocation, hobby or other lifestyle interest to share? Please email patricia.baldwin@texaslawbook.net.
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