The 2006 Catskill Two-Man Best Ball

Familiar territory: Chapman (right) and Casarsa engaged in battle on the banks of Lake Grossinger.

Catskill Cup veteran Damon Chapman and new guy Steve, an experienced golfer Peter Chin met while golfing at Van Cortland Park in the Bronx, won the 2006 Catskill Two-Man Best Ball, a Catskill Cup event.

Chapman went around the glorious Grossinger Country Club course in 85, with a strong 41 on the difficult back nine. Steve, a 3 handicap who lives in Manhattan, took dead aim and fired a 77 – out in 38, back in 39.

The twosome defeated a field composed of Dick Webster-Bill Harvey, Gary Casarsa-Casey Clark and Peter Chin-Rob Emerson.

Clark shot a disappointing 91, but discovered the “secret” of the golf swing en route to paring the 179-yard par-3 fourth hole. “You have to keep your wrists loose through the backswing, and whip the clubhead through the impact zone. Sam Snead said, ‘Grip the club like you’d hold a baby bird.’ Now I know what he meant.”

Bill Harvey, a friend of Casarsa’s from Boston, took home most-improved-player honors, carding an 85, 16 strokes better than his previous day’s effort of 101. “I feel giddy,” he said, after the round. “That’s really good for me.”

But the main story of the day was Steve, who produced one of the steadiest performances in Catskill Cup history. His strategy was to address the ball, stare at it for about 20 seconds while making minute grip adjustments, then hit it to an advantageous location near the hole. He calmly repeated this process until it was time to return the carts to the barn.

A rare burst of emotion came on the par-4 18th, when Steve nearly holed out from the greenside bunker.

“I would have loved to make that,” he said.

The day began with a traditional breakfast at the Liberty Diner for Clark, Chin, Steve, Harvey and Webster. Clark had a ham-and-swiss omelette. Little is known officially about the breakfast orders of the rest of the group.

Rob Emerson showed some of his short game magic on the 18th, getting up and down from the fringe to the delight of an enthusiastic gallery assembled on the hillside.