Victory! *by asterisk

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Dear readers, while most golf victories are decided by the satisfying thunk of a ball finding the bottom of the cup, occasionally a club tournament is determined by something far less inspiring: the fine print buried in a rules sheet that nobody bothered to read. So find your coziest chair and settle in for a cautionary tale about what happens when rulebooks are prioritized over relationships, and how one member learned that some victories come at a cost no trophy can justify.

The Fairmont Oaks Member-Net Championship was never meant to be one of the club’s most prestigious events. With a 128-player bracket sorted by handicap flights, it was designed primarily as a social mixer - a way for members to meet others they might not normally play with, enjoy a friendly match, and perhaps win a modest pro shop credit along the way. It doesn’t even have a trophy or plaque with past winners. The unspoken rule: win it once and you're a good golfer that got hot; win it twice and you're a suspected sandbagger.

The tournament had always operated on a flexible schedule. Players were given three-week windows to complete each round, with the understanding that life happens - business trips get scheduled, family events arise, and occasionally, as was the case in the spring of 2020, global pandemics disrupt everything. When COVID restrictions began to ease and Fairmont Oaks cautiously reopened, the tournament that had been suspended in March resumed with modified rules and hastily rearranged deadlines.

That's where our story finds two members - whom we'll call Wyatt Jeffries and Dick Mankos - navigating their semifinal matches as the club simultaneously added a last-minute member-guest tournament that landed squarely on the final day of the bracket deadline. The head professional, William Marks (who features prominently in our story's unfortunate conclusion), granted a short extension given the scheduling conflict - something he had done routinely over the years without incident.

Mankos had already secured his spot in the finals by winning his semifinal match comfortably on his side of the bracket. Wyatt Jeffries, meanwhile, played his semifinal match one day after the original deadline but well within the head pro’s extension. Jeffries prevailed 2&1 in what witnesses described as "the kind of match that reminds you why you love match play" - full of momentum swings, clutch putts, and the good-natured competitiveness that defines club golf at its best.

As Jeffries prepared for his final match against Mankos, Mankos made a discovery that would upend everything. Scrutinizing the tournament rules, he noted that while extensions had been commonplace throughout the tournament's history, there was technically no provision for them in the written regulations. Mankos approached the pro shop with a surprising demand: Jeffries' victory should be invalidated, and he should be declared the outright winner by default!

"It was uncomfortable," recalled the assistant pro who first fielded the complaint. "We explained about the member-guest scheduling conflict and the head pro's extension, but Mankos was adamant. He kept saying, 'Rules are rules,' which is ironic given how often we’ve witnessed him taking breakfast ball mulligans on the first tee."

What began as a dispute quickly escalated when Mankos, a relatively unknown member to most of the membership, mentioned potential legal action against the club for not following its own published rules. Club leadership, still navigating the uncertain legal waters of COVID operations and desperate to avoid any hint of controversy, reluctantly conceded. Mankos was awarded the championship without ever having to play Jeffries, who had rightfully won his way into the finals.

Word spread quickly through the membership. At Fairmont Oaks, like most private clubs, news travels faster than a downhill putt on slick winter greens.

What happened next has become club lore. On the morning when the final match would have been played, as Mankos arrived to play his regular Saturday game, Jeffries unexpectedly appeared at the first tee. He wasn't scheduled to play that day, and several members lingering near the starter's shack fell silent as he approached.

"I heard you won the championship without playing me," Jeffries said loudly enough for everyone to hear. "Since we both know I earned my spot in the finals, I thought I'd give you a chance to do the right thing. Let's play right now, right here, for the real championship."

The moment hung in the air like a well-struck approach shot. Even the starter, normally a stickler for keeping things moving, seemed content to let this drama play out. Mankos shifted uncomfortably, adjusted his collar, and replied that the club had made its decision and he was simply following the rules.

"So that's a no?" Jeffries clarified.

"The rules are the rules," Mankos reiterated.

"Congratulations on your victory then," Jeffries said, offering no handshake before walking away. "And good luck finding a group that’s willing to play with you. You're going to need it."

He was right. Mankos had claimed the championship without ever having to face Jeffries in the final match, but the asterisk next to his name in the trophy case might as well have been drawn in permanent marker on his membership card. Invitations to member events mysteriously stopped arriving. His regular foursome dwindled as partners found scheduling conflicts. The casual post-round drinks that form the backbone of club social life no longer included him.

The most devastating consequence, however, was one Mankos never intended. Three weeks after the tournament concluded, William Marks, the head professional who had granted the extension, was informed his contract wouldn't be renewed - a casualty of the controversy Mankos had sparked. Marks had been beloved by the membership for years of service, but the board, seeking to avoid any appearance of impropriety, decided a change was necessary.

Mankos, upon hearing this news, reportedly attempted to intervene on Marks’ behalf, claiming he never wanted anyone to lose their position. But in club politics, as in golf itself, there are no mulligans for poor decisions.

These days, Mankos still maintains his Fairmont Oaks membership, though he plays most of his golf at other clubs in the area. His $300 pro shop credit - the prize for his technical victory - remains largely unused. The cost of using it, it seems, remains too high.

Remember readers: in both golf and life, how you win matters at least as much as whether you win. A victory that sacrifices goodwill on the altar of technicalities is like a hole-in-one with no witnesses - you might notch it in your personal record book, but it will never truly count where it matters most.

Poll Question

Last Week's Poll Result

If you had inside information about a stock, would you trade on it? 📈👀

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 1️⃣ You bet I would – Call me the next Martha Stewart or Nancy Pelosi 💸💼 

🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️ 2️⃣ Maybe… – Depends on how juicy the tip is 🤔📊 

🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 3️⃣ No way! – I believe in the integrity of the US Stock Market 🇺🇸🔍

Well, well, well… turns out a majority of you wouldn’t hesitate to make a little (or a lot) of insider cash. 👀 Good thing CCC doesn’t spill real names—because if we did, half of you would be cutting deals with the feds already.

No judgment here—we voted for #1 too. 💰😏

A big congrats again to Randy D. for his winning comment last week:

"Had one years ago but couldn't raise the capital. I tried to get a friend that just inherited 10Gs, but he lost it with another friend's failing equestrian business instead of making 10x with me.🤔😭🤙"

Randy, thanks for the wisdom - invest in horses, and the only sure bet is your money getting taken for a ride. 🐎💸 Better to insider-trade instead!