One of the great perks of being Goodboys champion is to have your official champions photo adorning Goodboys Nation weblog for the next year. Here, Steve “Killer” Kowalski and Pat “Doggy Duval” McLaughlin show off the Spielberg Memorial Trophy ®, symbol of true Goodboys greatness, in their champions jackets against the pristine backdrop of The Links at Outlook on a beautiful summer’s afternoon. Pretty nice, huh?

When it’s 20 degrees outside and everything is stark and cold against the winter sky, Killer and Doggy can look at their photo and dream of July and sun and warmth and happy moments like this.

Congratulations to the 2010 Goodboys Invitational champions - spend your time as champions wisely, boys, as all Goodboys know that fame is fleeting!

Who are these mugs, you ask? Why, it’s Steve “Killer” Kowalski and Pat “Doggy Duval” McLaughlin, 2010 Goodboys Invitational champs, who, 15 years after triumphing at Goodboys V at Killington (VT) G.C. once again lapped the field to take the coveted Spielberg Memorial Trophy, the symbol of absolute excellence for a Goodboys weekend.

And what a weekend it was! Not only did the ‘Boys play in the hottest conditions we’ll likely see in our lifetimes - thanks, Al Gore - but did so on courses ranging from “well, this is a wide open cow pasture” to “Holy #@$!, these greens are running faster than illegals out of Arizona!“. In between, it was plenty of Sam Summers, decent food at some Portsmouth eateries, plenty of sharing of Goodboys stories of lore, and a few surprises along the way.

Friday began with a “grip it and rip it” round at Sagamore-Hampton G.C. - perfect for getting acquainted with your partner for the weekend and making those critical last-minute adjustments to your swing in anticipation of the challenges to come. The day was positively sweltering - as hot as weather I’ve ever played in - but there was a breeze now and then, and everyone rose to the challenge, shooting their number within a stroke or two. It didn’t count, but it helped served the purpose.

My favorite memory of the entire weekend was, after the rest of the Goodboys had headed down to Portsmouth to check in at our hotel, me, my partner Ron “Cubby” Myerow (above, front row right), and Killer (he in the cowboy hat above yours truly) sitting in the air-conditioned clubhouse, Sam Summers all around, renewing aquaintances and watching British Open highlights in beautiful HD. Me, I could have stayed there all weekend and just phoned my score in. Considering what I shot the next day, perhaps I should have.

Thunderstorms came in that night, and we had a nice dinner at The Common Man before heading out on the town. At a harborside bar my partner tried his best to pick up a German tourist, but I think she was: a) married, and b) going for a run the following morning. [Ed. note: neither of which would have mattered much to me, but then again, I'm married and I don't run.] We hooked up with Doggy Duval (who had spent his day in an air-conditioned office) and the Goodboys were officially gathered for the 20th year.

Saturday dawned bright and hot, but the humidity switch had fortunately been turned off - damned good thing, because The Ledges G.C. in York, ME was plenty tough without Ma Nature making it an even more difficult setting than it already was. This course, as beautiful as it is, is muder for a high handicapper like me. The fairways are pretty tight, but it was the greens that made it really tough. It’s a testament to the skills of the other teams that only my partner and I put up a big number (and I do mean big) on such a difficult course. We were the only team truly out of it after Saturday, setting up for an unforgettable closing round on Sunday.

Saturday night was, arguably, the highlight of the weekend. Wisely ensconsed in what was once the vault of a bank (bars and everything!) at Rira’s Irish pub, the Goodboys rolled out the official Songbook (Sammy Davis Jr.’s “The Candy Man” was a highlight), flirted with waitresses, yakked it up, paid off humilation bets, and generally had quite the time for themselves.

Humidity and temperature-wise, Sunday was the best day of the three for golf, and The Links at Outlook in South Berwick, ME didn’t disappoint. Wide open and British Open-esque on the front, tight and hilly on the back, it was a veritable “Run for the Roses” between the top three team, coming down to the last hole in perhaps the tightest finish in Goodboys history. When all was said and done, the team of Killer and Doggy Duval might have won the day, but a misplaced approach shot or a missed putt, and we could have had the first three-way sudden death playoff in Goodboys history.

In the end, all bets were paid off, photos taken, and the obligatory jacket ceremony conducted with the usual pomp and flair. Another Goodboys weekend had been filed away into the record books, and a new Exec-Comm ponders all the options and possibilities for Goodboys XXI. The lads, some tired, some hungover, some a little of both, all scattered to the four winds, glad to have been a part of it all, glad to have it over.

And what of The Great White Shank’s quest? You know, that 30 balls a week regimen to achieve my goal of breaking 100 during a Goodboys Invitational round for the first time? Well, let’s just say that if it weren’t for my swing coach Ben “The Funny Guy” Andrusaitis identifying my “death move” I doubt I would have shot that 98 (!) on Sunday at The Links at Outlook. The 105 I had on Friday wasn’t bad, the 120 at The Ledges (a combination of poor shot-making and poor course management) was beyond abysmal. But Sunday’s combination of trusting my new swing move and executing superior course management made it all worthwhile. Thanks, TFG - I owe ya one.

Congratulations to the champions (whose picture will soon adorn Goodboys Nation weblog), and a big thanks to all the Goodboys for making Goodboys 20 such a memorable weekend. Hail Goodboys!

Back from the 2010 Goodboys Invitational - a full recap is promised in the next day or two. Suffice to say, however, that a good time was had by all, it was the hottest weekend we’ve ever experienced, and congrats go out to Steve “Killer” Kowalski and Pat “Doggy Duval” McLaughlin for their well-deserved championship. For right now, it’ll be good to take a hot shower, get all this sunscreen off me, and grab a good night’s sleep in preparation for another work week.

Hope everyone out there had a great weekend. It’s the height of summer. More later.

[Ed. note: The third and final round of the 2010 Goodboys Invitational will be played at The Links at Outlook in South Berwick, Maine. Described as a layout that takes its character from from the natural landscape it is laid out on, The Links at Outlook is said to have a flavor of old traditional courses found in Ireland and Scotland. We asked long-time Goodboys observer and golf expert J. Gaylord Pellrine for his impressions of the course and what the Goodboys can expect.]

“The Links at Outlook will provide a fitting challenge for the final round of the Goodboys Invitational. This par 71, 6,004 yard (from the blues, where I expect the Goodboys to likely play from) has a front nine that is wide open in the old links style, and a back nine that is more narrow, hilly, and woodsy.

“Even though the openess of the front nine might appear to favor the “grip it and rip it” style of some of the long-hitting Goodboys, they should not be fooled: these holes will require strategy and precise shot-making. The front nine has a lot of heather in the rough areas but not around normal landing areas. Nevertheless, even the most competent Goodboy should expect to be penalized if he were to hit a wayward shot that ends up in “the gourse”.

“The fact that you have two decidedly different nines will make the final day an interesting one for all, with plenty of opportunities for risk and reward, designed to lead to an exciting and perhaps unexpected finish.”

[Ed. note: The second round of the 2010 Goodboys Invitational will be played at The Ledges Golf Club in York, Maine. Described as an attention-grabbing tract laid out on rugged New England terrain where where golfers may easily be distracted at times by the spectacular vistas and lush pine trees, we asked long-time Goodboys observer and golf expert J. Gaylord Pellrine for his impressions of the course and what the Goodboys can expect.]

“The Ledges is one of the more picturesque and challenging golf courses the Goodboys have played. This par 72, 6,300 yard (from the whites, where I expect the Goodboys to likely play from) is supposedly designed to give players of all abilities the opportunity to hit every club in the bag, but don’t kid yourselves - this will test even the lowest handicapped Goodboys. Carved out of rock and rolling hills, The Ledges will present a vastly different look and feel from the lazy, rolling topography of Sagamore-Hampton (played the Goodboys Invitational’s first round).

“Level fairways are a premium at The Ledges, with elevated tees and winding doglegs that require careful shot-making. And while most of the course winds its way through rock and granite-strewn hillsides, there are a couple of water holes (#9 and #18) that present significant challenge. From having played here last year, the Goodboys will surely know their work isn’t done once they reach the green, for The Ledges’ putting surfaces are first-rate, and will demand both precision and courage.

“I expect most of the Goodboys to give back most, if not all, the strokes they made at Sagamore-Hampton the first day. But I doubt any of them will mind much, for The Ledges is not just a beautiful place to play a round of golf, but a beautiful location to have a cold brewskie on the veranda afterwards once their hard work for the day is done.”

A brief interruption from all things Goodboys…

Congrats to the “Pink Panther”, Paula Creamer, for toughing out a thumb injury and winning the U.S. Women’s Open at Oakmont last weekend. Not only does this get the monkey off of Creamer’s back, but hopefully this will refocus the media’ attention to women golfers who truly deserve attention based on their actual accomplishments instead of on Michelle Wie, who while supposedly (”supposedly” being the operative word) has all the talent in the world, but really hasn’t done anything to warrant the amount of media attention she has received other than being attractive.

Who will win this weekend’s big golf tournament? No, silly, not the British Open Championship, the Goodboys Invitational! Having watched Ben “The Funny Guy” Andrusaitis hit one perfect or near-perfect shot after another at Green Meadow’s World Cup Driving Range yesterday, I’m going with Sir Nick Faldo and predict a repeat championship with partner “Crusher” Spielberg. I’m sure they hope I’m proven wrong…

As for the British Open (as if that matters), I’m going with a return to excellence by Tiger Woods. Not only because he’s changed his putter, but, frankly, he knows he needs this one because: a) he loves playing at St. Andrews, b) he knows he’s not getting any younger, and c) he knows the playing field has equalized to the extent that he’ll never have a better chance to win his next major.

Now, I’m off to find a driving range where I can fix the “death move” - no, that’s not like a Obamacare “death panel”, but a basic swing flaw identified and finally isolated by “The Funny Guy” yesterday that I hope puts the final nail in the coffin of the reason behind my “Great White Shank” nickname. With the opening round less than two days away, it would be a good time to get that behind me.

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Pool temp: 95 degrees! (the result of several broiling days back in AZ)

[Ed. note: The first round of the 2010 Goodboys Invitational will be played at Sagamore-Hampton G.C. in North Hampton, NH. Described as a wide open tract designed to allow the Goodboys limber up and and get acquainted with their games and their partners for the weekend, we asked long-time Goodboys observer and golf expert J. Gaylord Pellrine for his impressions of the course and what the Goodboys can expect.]

“Sagamore-Hampton Golf Club is daily fee golf at it’s best - something the Goodboys will find both welcoming and reassuring for what promises to be a very long weekend. The 18-hole layout has been carved from 130 picturesque acres of land in New Hampshire’s seacoast region, on rolling hills that will enable big hitters like “Crusher” Spielberg and “Killer” Kowalski to “let the big dog eat”, while still requiring precision shot-making like you typically might expect from the likes of “Doggy Duval” McLaughlin and “Vegas” Clark.

“Sagamore-Hampton combines a perfect blend of both wide open and tree-lined holes, a manageable number of hazards for golfers like “The Great White Shank” Richard and “Cubby” Myerow to avoid, and an overall golfer-friendly feel. The front nine is a sprawling, wide-open stretch featuring generous fairways with some tricky greens to navigate. The back nine has a more wooded feel that requires straighter tee shots; however the greens are a bit easier to navigate. While the par 4s & 5s offer enjoyable challenges, it is the par 3s that will likely show their teeth - especially since the Goodboys will likely be playing from the 6041 yards / 122 slope-rated back tees.

“I expect most of the Goodboys to make their handicap at Sagamore-Hampton on the tournament’s first day. It’s a good thing: they’ll need that as preparation for the challenges that will likely face them the remainder of the weekend. A wonderful choice by Goodboys Exec-Comm for the first day of play.”

“Good evening, I’m Kelly Tilghman here on Golf Channel’s special preview of the 2010 Goodboys Invitational. This year’s tournament marks the 20th time the Goodboys have gathered for a weekend of golf and fun, and here to join me in commemorating this august occasion and previewing all the drama and excitement to come is none other than my colleague: 6-time majors winner Sir Nick Faldo. Nick, the Goodboys Invitational turns 20 this year. Initial thoughts?

Sir Nick: Twenty years is a long time, Kelly. Next year the Goodboys will turn 21 and they’ll all be of legal age for drinking.

KT: That’s pretty hilarious, Nick. You’re a funny guy.

NF: Well, speaking of a truly “funny guy”, I for one can’t wait to see how all the action unfolds, and if “The Funny Guy” Andrusaitis and his partner “Crusher” Spielberg become the first repeat champions in Goodboys history. I think they have a good chance.

KT: So how does Sir Nick size up the field at this year’s Goodboys Invitational? You’ll find out when we come back. Keep us tuned right here.

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KT: Welcome back to Golf Channel’s special preview of the 20th annual Goodboys Invitational. This year, like last year, the ‘Boys will be playing up in the Portsmouth, New Hampshire area - a beautiful place to play golf at a beautiful time of year for their 20th year. With the years flying by, Sir Nick Faldo, it’s hard to believe there are enough of these guys still alive to fill out one foursome, let alone three.

NF: What makes this year’s tournament so intriguing, Kelly, is that not only is long-time Goodboy “Dandy” Drewett back in the fold after a three-year absence, but he’ll be teamed with “Goose” Dwyer, so-called “Best Golfer To Have Never Won A Goodboys Invitational”. I know he’d love to get that monkey off his back - perhaps by being teamed with “Dandy” once again, something magical might happen. Of course, after a while one has to wonder, if “Goose” hasn’t won by now, when will he? I mean, it’s not as if he’s been paired with only slouches and idiots over the past twelve years, right?

KT: Maybe you’re right, Nick, but speaking of monkeys, I’m just bananas over that team of “Vegas” Clark and “Deuce” Doucette. They both have rock-solid games and I don’t see them doing anything else but tearing up those Goodboys Invitational courses like Barack Obama and his self-appointed czars are presently doing to the Constitution of this land. Can you believe it?

NF: Actually, Kelly, I think the proper term is “socialist”.

KT: I think you’re right there, Sir Nick. Golf Channel’s special presentation of the “2010 Goodboys Invitational Preview” will be back after this commercial break…

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KT: Welcome back once again to Golf Channel’s “2010 Goodboys Invitational Preview”. I’m Kelly Tilghman along with Sir Nick Faldo. So, Sir Nick, let me get your sense about some of the other pairings in this year’s Goodboys Invitational, shall we? I like the team of “Vegas” and “Deuce”; you like “The Funny Guy” and “Crusher” to repeat?

NF: I really do, Kelly. I watched them play together earlier this year at Green Meadow G.C. up in Hudson, New Hampshire and they seem so confident in their play. I don’t see the history of no team ever repeating as Goodboys champions fazing these guys whatsoever. I believe if anyone can do it, they can.

KT: What about the team of “2 Times” Proctor and “Possum” Shepter”. Do they have a shot?

NF: Well I think the key here is for “2 Times” to play well and not let the pressure of a Goodboys weekend get to him. We all know “Possum” is going to shoot his 100, give or take a few strokes, so it will be up to “2 Times” to stay in his mindset, not get too far ahead of himself, and just play his game. I think they’ll do well, but I can’t see them winning.

KT: “Killer” Kowalski and “Doggy Duval” McLaughlin.

NF: This is a team I think could really make a move over the weekend. Both of them historically have been very consistent, so I see them probably staying pretty close to or below their numbers - which, as you know, is all you really need to do to win a Goodboys event. The only cloud on the horizon I see is “Killer” being so wrapped up in his wedding plans for this coming December that he’s not able to concentrate on his good form, resulting in him hooking the ball all over the place. If that’s the case, he may end up with a new nickname, “Streetwalker”.

KT: You mean like the nickname “The Funny Guy” always wanted to give the departed Mike “Doc” Frechette during his years as a Goodboy?

NF: Absolutely, Kelly. One of the “Founding Fathers” of the Goodboys Invitational. May he rest in peace.

KT: Indeed. You spoke a little earlier about “Dandy” Drewett and “Goose” Dwyer. How do you see their chances?

NF: Certainly, their winning would be the ‘feel good’ story of the year, wouldn’t it? I’m not saying they can’t do it - obviously, there’s enough talent there for them to win this year’s event. But I really don’t see them coming any closer than third - perhaps a distant second if the rest of the field collapses like the Killer / Gaylord team did back in ‘92 at Killington.

KT: Right, the infamous “cheap bridge table” collapse where “The Funny Guy” and “The Great White Shank” came back from nearly impossible odds to win on the last hole of regulation. Which brings us to the last of this year’s pairings: “The Great White Shank” Richard and “Cubby” Myerow.

NF: Well I’m going to go out on a limb here and predict they finish dead last.

KT: Not much of a limb there, Nick…

NF: Well, no, but the fact is, they should be able to do better than several of the other teams. I mean, for gawdsakes, every day they step out onto the first tee, they’re already a whopping (and, I believe, record setting, 43 strokes ahead of “The Funny Guy” and “Crusher”. 43 strokes is a lot of strokes - even for them.

KT: So, you’re saying this team is not as bad as they would appear to be?

NF: Not at all. They are as bad as they appear to be.

KT: For sure. In just a moment we’ll be back with our predictions as to how each of these teams will finish in this year’s Goodboys Invitational. Who’ll be hot and who’ll be not? Stay tuned…

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KT: Welcome back to this Golf Channel special presentation. OK, Sir Nick Faldo, it’s the moment of truth. Your picks for this year’s Goodboys Invitational, one through six:

NF: Kelly, I’m going with:

1. “The Funny Guy” and “Crusher” to repeat, followed by:
2. “Vegas” / “Deuce”,
3. “Killer” / “Doggy Duval”,
4. “2 Times” / “Deuce”,
5. “Dandy” / “Goose”, and:
6. “The Great White Shank” and “Cubby” finishing at the bottom.

KT: Me, I’m going with:

1. “Vegas” / “Deuce”,
2. “Killer” / “Doggy Duval”,
3. “Dandy” / “Goose”,
4. “The Funny Guy” / “Crusher”,
5. “2 Times” / “Possum”, and…
6. “The Great White Shank” and “Cubby”.

NF: At least we’re in agreement who finishes last. I think it will be a great tournament, and I personally can’t wait for it to start.

KT: Well that ends our Golf Channel special presentation of the “2010 Goodboys Invitational Preview”. A big ‘thank you’ to Sir Nick for joining me. Have a great night, everyone - keep it long and straight!

Well it’s the start of a new work week, but not for me - starting at noon EDT today I’m on vacation to enjoy some down time and make friendly with my clubs in preparation for this coming weekend’s Goodboys Invitational.

To help y’all get ready for this year’s Goodboys as well, I have a special treat in store for you: starting tomorrow, a series of posts previewing not only the 20th annual Goodboys Invitational, but the courses the Goodboys will play on this oh-so-special anniversary edition. Here’s the schedule of events:

Tomorrow: A very special “Goodboys Invitational Preview” featuring none other than Golf Channel’s own Kelly Tilghman and Sir Nick Faldo!

Wednesday: A preview of Sagamore-Hampton Golf Club, site of the Goodboys Invitational’s first round.

Thursday: A preview of The Ledges, where we will play the second round.

Friday: A preview of The Links at Outlook, site of the third and final round.

I dion’t know what I’ll post Saturday or Sunday, but by Monday I should have a full report of the weekend’s proceedings. Bringing home the Spielberg Memorial Trophy and a winner’s jacket would be an upset of biblical proportions! Neverthess, you can’t win if you don’t try, so me and my partner Ron “Cubby” Myerow will just have to do our best and see where the chips fall.

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Surf music is a big part of my preparation - it settles my mind, puts me in a good mood and frame of mind to go hit some balls. Here are a couple of tunes that are sure to be on my playlist throughout this week and the weekend: first, The Sandals’ “Wingnut’s Theme” (even the slow version sounds great!), and I Cosmonauti (an Italian surf band, no less!) doing “Sea Storm”. Check these great tunes out.

The putter, sand wedge, pitching wedge, 9 iron, 7 iron, and 7 wood are back in the bag in the garage. The glove is coming with me back to Massachusetts on Saturday. The four balls I spent putting and chipping with over the past few weeks, from every possible lie and angle at the Superstition Springs putting green, are back in the bag as well.

My Arizona prep time for the Goodboys Invitational is over.

120 balls hit at the range. Literally hundreds of chip shots and putts on rocket-fast greens. Results? Inconclusive.

I say inconclusive because balls hit on a driving range and chipped on a putting green are hardly an accurate gauge as to what you’ll do out on a real golf course - especially on a golf course amidst the mind-bending, body-crushing pressure of a Goodboys Invitational weekend. I’ve always said - even in my sleep - if your swing can hold up under the pressure of a Goodboys weekend it can hold up even while a 50 megaton H-bomb is detonated 100 yards away.

I say inconclusive because, like no less than an authority as John Daly says, you can get into a lot of bad habits at the driving range. That being said, what choice does one have? If you want to play golf well you have to put your work in - not just hitting balls for the sake of it, but with a purpose and a plan in mind. Which, for the first time in my golfing life, I did.

I say inconclusive because, to put it simply, I’m not called The Great White Shank for nothing. You don’t get a nickname like that because you routinely blast 280-yard drives down the center of the fairway. I have, and always will, fight an over-swing and lack of hip turn that leads to the occasional shank. The good news is, whereas in years past when they showed up I was toast, both physically and mentally, nowadays I can take a deep breath, go back to my routine and my precious swing thoughts (eye to contact, weight shift, sweeeeeet swing), and recover with some very nice shots.

So where does my golf game stand just eight - eight - itty-bitty days away from Goodboys weekend? I don’t really know. I say that because no one, not even The Great White Shank, is immune to the pressures of a Goodboys Invitational weekend. I can only hope that the good swings I have taken over the past three weeks (I figure 80%, which is not bad at all) have laid a good foundation for replication during my Goodboys weekend rounds. I feel good about my short game; the test next week while I’m on vacation will be to work my tee game (driver, 3 wood) and fairway woods (5 wood, 7 wood, 9 wood, 11 wood) really hard so that my game is as tight as a tick.

Heh. This is such a stupid post. I can hear the collective sound of every Goodboys Nation weblog visitor saying, “who the hell cares??”. Well, at the very least, unlike Tiger Woods, I’m preparing for my next tournament.

I leave this dopey post with a gift for everyone: one of the great - alas, now defunct - modern surf bands, Laika and the Cosmonauts performing their beautiful surf tune, “Fadeaway”. And live!

And if you think that’s a good one, check out the deep penetrating surf sound of “Floating”. Enjoy!

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Pool temp: 93 degrees