RIP Former ASMC President Ric Kirkish

Services for Ric Kirkish, 68, president of the Aptos Seascape Men’s Club 2003-2004,  will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 6, at Venture Christian Church, 16845 Hicks Rd., Los Gatos. He died March 11 at the VA Hospital in Palo Alto.

Richard Kirkish was born on the Fourth of July 1944 in San Francisco, the son of Nassim and Maria Tompson Kirkish. He grew up mostly in Cupertino but graduated from Monterey Bay Academy. Ric later joined the U.S. Navy, serving in the Seabees in Vietnam from 1968-1970.

He had been drawn to the stair-building business by his uncle Ned Kirkish and later transformed his Campbell company, Kirkish Stairs, into Stairbuilders Inc., with headquarters in San Jose. Ric was active in the Building Industry Association and participated in writing the California uniform building code for stair construction.

After the downturn in the home construction business, Kirkish closed Stairbuilders Inc. in 2010 and the following year earned his real estate license, practicing with Alain Pinel Realtors in Los Gatos.

“His heart was into cars,” Sue Kirkish, his wife of 32 years, said of Ric, who collected and showed Corvettes, winning several awards for his prized possessions.

ASMC members know his heart was also into golf and Seascape, where he was an avid and competitive player for years as well as a popular men’s club board member and president.

Ric was diagnosed with lung cancer the week before this past Christmas and the disease had already spread into other parts of his body.

In addition to Sue Kirkish of Los Gatos, Ric is survived by a daughter from an earlier marriage, Nicole Kettermann of Lacey, WA, and two step-children, Jeffrey Michael Goldsmith of Newport Beach and Jondel Suzanne Goldsmith of Malibu.

Hogue, Gosciminski, Butcher and Cranston Card Card Crazy Low 109 in the March ABCD Shamble

Mark Hogue, Jim Gosciminski, Grant Butcher and John Cranston stitched together at sizzling 109 (that’s like a 55 and 54, sports fans) to win the March 20^th ABCD Blind Draw Shamble tournament.

The field was divided into four groups (A,B,C and D) from which one player was chosen at random, forming a team of players from all handicap groups. From one drive, competitors played their own ball and the two best net scores were used. Each player’s tee shot had to be used at least three times.

Mark Darrow, Ron Lindsay, Rich Richardson and a blind draw player came in second with 110. (The blind draw was necessary because five players failed to show, leaving their teams without a player.)

Third place was won by Jay Karafa, Bill Campbell, Shanne Carvalho and Don Bonnel who carded 111. Steve Henriques, Al Fernandes, Rodd Doerr and Wayne Fort took fourth place with 112.

Mike McCraw, Frank Paz, Gary Lovell and Don Schwartz too fifth with 112. Sixth place went to Brad Ryno, Mike Cloward, Jay O’Gorman and a blind draw with a 113.

John Reisdorf, Jon Twaddle, Ben DeMarco and Dick Staniford took seventh place with a 114. Dale Poor, Michael Blas, Paul McGillicuddy and a blind draw took eighth with 114.

Closest-to-the-pin winners on #8 were Steve Rodriquez, 10’ 1/2"; Brad Ryno 4' 1"; John Reisdorf 5'; Dale Poor 5' 2". Winners on #12 were Mike Cloward 4' 5"; Fred O'Hara 4' 6"; Gary Lovell 5' 1"; Rodd Doerr 8' 3".

Braga/Pappas and Carl/Urfer to Represent ASMC in 46th Annual NCGA Four-Ball Sectional Qualifier

The ASMC Eclectic Tournament has always been so popular that this year the Board decided to add a new tournament to the rotation -- a two-man eclectic -- and top honors in the first flight went to ASMC President Danny Braga and his partner Pete Pappas who carded a sizzling net 53 over the two days.

Phil Trounstine and Ron Lindsay won the second flight with 56; Tim Carl and Don Urfer took the third flight with 56, and Dick Staniford and Ray Geisick won the fourth flight with a 55.

Two teams qualified (on the first day of the tournament) for the May 23 NCGA 46th Annual Four-Ball Net Sectional Qualifying round -- Braga and Pappas, and Carl and Urfer. If they advance, they'll play in the championship at Spyglass and Quail Lodge on June 24-25.

Other winners in the first flight were John Peterson and Tom McNary, 56; Frank Paz and Bill Halward, 57; Fred O'Hara and Mark Darrow, 57.

Other second flight winners were Mark Hogue and Jeff Stanga, 57; Bob Norton and Joe Claridge, 59; Paul Sanders and Jeff Scaletti, 62.

Third flight winners included Shanne Carvalho and Joe Guttaduaro, 58; Peter Porfido and Michael Bliss, 60; Bill Daitchman and Franz Vaiarello, 60.

Other winners in the fourth flight were Don Bonnel and Steve Bonnel, 57; Tony Riccabona and Frank Cavallero, 57; Ben DeMarco and Steve Olson, 58.

Many players thought the new format was a blast. But it helps the Board and tournament committee to know what you thought. Let them know if you want to keep this tournament in the lineup.

Semons, Urfer, Gosiminski and Boulware Are Top Qualifiers for NCGA Zone

Bob Erickson won the first flight with a net 72 in the January ASMC tournament, followed by Brad Ryno at 74, Bruge Driggs 75, Bob Alustiza 76 and Bill Halward at 76.

Don Urfer won the second flight with a 68, followed by Jon Twaddle at 69, Pete Pappas 70, Danny Braga 70 and Fred O'Hara 70.

Top honors in the third flight went to Jim Gosiminski at 69, Jim Boulware 69, Bill O'Connor 75, Gary Paul 75 and Ed Dueck at 76.

Dale Semons shot 65 to win the fourth flight, followed by Dave Frock at 69, Jeff Collins 71. Glenn Taylor 71 and Ben DeMarco at 73.

Jack Marshall won the fifth flight with a 70, followed by Jay O'Gorman 72, Don Bonnel 72, Tony Riccabona 73 and Bob Twaddle at 75.

The four qualifiers based on their best net scores (with card-offs) were Dal Semons, Don Urfer, JimGosiminski and Jim Boulware. They'll represent ASMC at Quail Lodge and Del Monte in the Zone qualifier April 25 and 26. If they move on, the playoffs will be Aug. 26 and 27 at Spyglass and Del Monte.

Good luck gentlemen!