The Gopher Award

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The 2024 Noonan was a tremendous event, with a lot of new and old faces and some unique happenings throughout the five day event which made picking the Gopher winner all the more difficult.

Heck, it all started even before the Noonan officially started, where the Fricke brothers (Tim & Nacho) lost their annual bet and had to sing karoake on Tuesday evening. We also had great Captain gifts (golf balls with opponents faces, team masseusses, Captain parlays, etc) which could have made Tim Fricke, Brent Olson, Mark Smith or Bill Fricke worthy Gopher candidates. 

We also had the youngsters (Chase Meili, Brendan Fricke, Finn Olson, Ross Mallo, Michael Fricke and Mason Daum), who ushered in a younger, more vibrant generation to the event.

However, at the end of the day, one guy was more worthy than all the rest. Brian Wilson, who wasn't going to be able to attend the event as recently as 18 hours prior, made it to the Noonan in spite of some personal dealings at home. And although his golf game struggled to one measly win for his team and no day money for himself, he stepped it up and helped his partner Scott Armock capture their first Noonan Horserace Title with a legendary 20 foot putt to end it. Pretty good for a guy that thought he wouldn't be there just a few hours prior. Enjoy the Gopher, BW! You earned him!

This year's Noonan had a lot of possible Gopher Award candidates. Scott Armock shot a personal best 71 and rode piggy back through a casino on a volleyball player from Utah. Adam McVeigh lost bodily fluids two different ways one day. Joe Fricke shot a Noonan record 67 on Friday morning. But one guy stepped forward. Ted McGrath, attending his 3rd Noonan in 2022, is the self proclaimed "McSizzle"....mostly because he dresses great, looks the part, and has a lot of sizzle on the golf course. However, up until this year, he had no "steak" on the course. Well, he had both sizzle and steak this year! Ted and his teammate shot a net 55 at Conestoga, which may have tied a record for low net score at the Noonan. On the flipside, he was dominating a pivotal singles match against Adam McVeigh on Saturday...until he wasn't. Leading 4 up with 4 holes to play, Ted lost the last four holes to halve the match. If he had just tied one of those holes, the Noonan Cup would have gone to his team. 

However, Ted came back strong just a few moments later as he and Mark Homlish closed out former champs Scott Luinstra and Dave Rueter in the Horserace. Of course, Ted almost caused a 3 putt on the 2nd to last hole and then drove his ball into the mountain that ended up settling into a deep bunker to leave his partner with a difficult approach shot. However, Mark came through with a big shot and then Ted cozied the putt to the hole and he became a Horserace Champion. In all seriousness, Ted played steady all day Friday at the Horserace and their team deserved the victory. He further solidified the Gopher as he not only owned his team in the Horserace, he owned the 2nd place team as well, garnering $700 each for he and his partner.

Ted you earned the nickname McSizzle, but you not only have the sizzle, you now have the steak that goes with it...along with a furry friend for the next 12 months! Congrats!

Longtime Noonan attendee Scott "Scooter" Luinstra has had a storied career at the Noonan. His match play record is literally "unmatched" and he has long been regarded as the best golfer to attend the Noonan. Scooter is also known for other less "outstanding achievements" over the years as well but we won't get into those. Through it all he has been a great competitor, friend, teammate and most especially a great person with a heart of gold. So, when Scooter won his elusive "Burgandy Blazer" in the 2020 Horserace, he was brought to tears with emotion. This alone was Gopher worthy. Additionally, when Scooter showed up in the lobby looking like he does in the photo on the right, that sealed the deal for him. So, on Saturday, October 10th, 2020, Mr. Scott Luinstra was presented the Gopher by his longtime friend and former DU teammate Joe Fricke. Scooter was speachless, and more tears of joy may have been shed. Congrats, Scott. You earned it!

This year was an easy choice for the Gopher Award. Mike Quam earned coveted prize almost from the very minute he arrived in Vegas. The head of his golf driver was snapped as he opened his clubs from his travel bag. He then proceeded to snap the head off of the "demo" driver from the Pro Shop within 30 minutes of teeing off on Friday afternoon. But then came Saturday, where Mike really stepped up to earn the furry prize. Mike and his Horserace partner, Jeff "Kevin" Jones, were eliminated on the first hole of the Horserace on Saturday afternoon. After Mike zinged a batted a golf ball inches past CH Meili's knee with his putter, he and his partner decided to retreat to the Oasis bar as opposed to watching the rest of the Horserace event. The next 3 hours (and following 18 hours for Mike) were quite a blur for both Mike and Jeff as Mike proceeded to buy the clubhouse (including the waitresses) rounds and rounds of drinks. Mike was seen behind the bar, in the kitchen, and actually serving drinks to every patron in the place. All said and done, Mike garnered a $745 bar tab that was graciously paid by Mike (although Jim Fricke actually signed for Mike's card for him). Mike didn't make dinner that evening, but did get a KP the next day and his partner noted the KP with the name "$745". Congrats Mike...you went way above and beyond to earn the Gopher in 2018!!  

Not since 2007 has a Rookie won the prestigious Gopher Award. Most of the time a Rookie doesn't understand what it takes to win the Gopher, but with what transpired in 2016, there was one clear cut choice. 

Mr. Jeff Jones, whose antics before the Noonan even officially began will be legendary in Noonan lore, took home the furry little beast in his Noonan debut. Jeff not only brought his wife's car keys to the airport on the trip out (the keys took a $100 limo ride back to the Mrs.), but he grabbed the wrong golf clubs off the caurosel when arriving in Las Vegas. Of course, that didn't stop him from playing with the "borrowed" clubs. Even though Jeff (or Kevin as he is now known throughout Nevada), had the highest handicap at the 2016 Noonan, he somehow earned his limo money back 10 fold on the course by placing 2nd in the Horserace and winning consistent day money. This, coupled with the fact he grounded his club continuously in the Wolf Creek sand traps checking his alignment, makes Kevin the run away winner of the 2016 Gopher Award! Congrats Kevin....errr, I mean....Jeff! 

Some years it is difficult to award the Gopher, and sometimes the winner presents himself above and beyond everyone else. This year's Gopher Award Winner is the Godfather himself, Ron Maspero. 

Even though Ron has attended the 2nd Most Noonans in history, he has strangely never been in contention for this coveted award. However, he jumped (or in this case fell) into the prize. Although scary when it happened and not something we weren't laughing about at the time, Ron experienced a little heat stroke during the Horserace this year. Once we found out he was in good shape later that evening after a quick trip to the hospital, he was the obvious choice for the Gopher. We actually think he was in more danger of getting waterboarded by Charlie than anything else! A class act and a good friend, the Godfather accepted the Gopher with pride and I'm sure he and his new furry buddy will have some adventures over the next year....until Ron gets to bestow this prize to another worthy attendee!
 

 The 2012 Gopher Award was presented at the Closing Ceremonies Dinner on May 19th, 2012. Normally the task of picking the winner of this prestigious award is a very difficult task. However, this year, someone stepped up to capture this unique prize. Given for outstanding achievement, the 2012 winner exhibited a number of things that put him to the top. Mr. Frank "Old Swede" Swedenborg has never won this award in his many years attending the Noonan, and it appeared he made it his mission to finally go home with this furry trophy. Old Swede started his quest early in 2012 by imploring the Noonan Commissioner to add strokes to his already inflated handicap. When the Commissioner replied, "I'll raise your handicap when you get a notarized document from Santa Claus.", Old Swede took it as a challenge. The attached document arrived on the Commissioner's doorstep a few months later (a notarized certificate from Mrs. Claus).

Old_Swede_Certificate.pdf
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Old Swede went to big lengths to raise his handicap, but the Commissioner wasn't biting based on Frank's sandbagging past. He left Frank's handicap the same, and Frank still went out and posted a 4-0 record at this year's event (the only undefeated record at the 2012 Noonan).

This wasn't the only reason he claimed the The Gopher. Frank has long been known as an accomplished dancer, and when Twinkle Toes Frank did two pirouettes across THREE slick bowling lanes at the 2012 Bowling event before landing smoothly back on his feet, it solidifed his claim for the Gopher. For those that saw this dance move, it was one of the most unique moments in Noonan history. Frank, you deserve this award....it's been a long time coming!!!

 The 2010 Gopher Award was again presented at the Closing Ceremonies on Saturday night. Jason Kickhaefer, this year's presenter, had many choices as far as potential recipients for the Gopher Award. In the end, C.H. Meili "won" out. C.H. not only combined for the lowest two man net total (57) on Friday's round, he won the Horserace for a record tying 2nd time. CH also hit one of the most amazing shots in Noonan History with a blind, crazy, under-a-tree-behind-the-junction box sand wedge that ended up 8 feet from the hole (not bad for a 26 handicap). Seve Ballesteros would have been proud! This shot kept his team in the competition and they eventually won the toughest event in all of Sports! Enjoy the Gopher, Mr. Meili!!!