I found these nuggets digging through the USGA database of rounds posted by the Saxony Club in 2011.  There is a lot of good information there, but it could be so much better.   Hence, before we get started – a plea:  Please Post Your Scores and Turn in Your Cards.  We need another 400 cards to re-rank the holes by handicap. In looking through the data, I can tell many of you played a lot more than you posted.  I bet the USGA captures less than 75% of the rounds played.  So, please post 'em all - every little bit helps.  

Below you’ll find some trivia, evidence of hacking and a couple jewels.  Here’s a look back at the statistics of 2011:

1,535	Total Rounds posted by Saxonites
139,606	Strokes Taken (er, recorded) in playing those rounds

1,213	Rounds at Saxon Woods
110,506	Strokes [reported] at Saxon Woods
91	Average Gross Score at SW
4	Average Net Over Par (really differential vs Index, but close)

48	Course with most rounds posted other than SW = Mohansic
16	Maple Moor 2nd at only 16 rounds.  Bet that's way down from prior years

16.1	Average of Club Handicaps at the end of Season
0.1	Increase in Average Club Handicap over 2011.  So much for my theory that we'd all go up given how much tougher #6 & #7 had become.

Days of Most Play

June 4^th                        40 rounds
July 9^th                 39 rounds
May 14^th               38 rounds
June 18^th              38 rounds

Days of Best Scoring
July 9^th                  Not surprisingly this was our "Play It Forward" day.  As a group we had our best round of the year.  A net total score of 74 over for 39 players.   We should do that more often.
Aug 6^th                  35 rounds averaging +2 net per player.  Nice.

Days Better Spent Elsewhere
June 4^th           We combined for a whopping total 211 over net.  Averaging more                                 than 5 over net each.   Shudda stayed in bed.
May 7^th             210 over net on the first weekend of PBB play.  Tournament Jitters?

The next two weeks will continue looking through the database and extracting other little tidbits.  This time in the form of Award Shows.  We’ll celebrate the highs and low of our members in 2011 in two segments.

First up - THE HANDIES.  Handies will be awarded for accomplishment in (and against) the Handicap System.  The HANDIES include categories like Most Consistent, Most Volatile and Biggest Sandbagger.  

Then we'll close out the year with THE SAXIES, given for stellar numeric achievements in the best spirit of the Saxony Club - including Best Round, Worst Round, Best Streak...

Both are purely for kicks; based on whatever scores were posted. If you'd like to nominate someone for a particularly awesome round/hole or golfing feat, please drop me a line.  Love to include them.

Have a Happy Hanukkah this week (did you spot the menorah in the starters' shack?)  And get ready for a Merry Christmas.