Past Venues

1996

Scottsdale, Arizona - Greyhawk / Troon North / McCormick Ranch

It’s a dry heat! Dessert golf. This one raised the bar. Playing courses such as Greyhawk, Troon North and McCormick Ranch. It was challenge to try and find a shadow of a cactus to stand in for shade – NO TREES and 110 degrees. Dry heat – my ass!

Kunkel introduced us to his now famous rattlesnake alert. Each time he entered a hazard (frequently), he went in club first with his resounding “Highhhh Yahhhh”. We fell two holes behind, but still knew when Jeff was in trouble!

GR8 highlights included a dramatic comeback on the McCormick Ranch course. Kunkel/Bittner down 3 to Gallagher/Galbos with 5 holes to play. Gallagher experienced a rare meltdown fueled by a raging wind storm that blew in (divine intervention?) and no doubt a bit of ragging and trash talk from the Kunkel/Bittner group contributed to this slide. The student became the teacher as Galbos tried hard to coach Gallagher – but it wasn’t to be. Congratulations Kunkel/Bittner!

1999

Greenleaf, Florida

It was planes, trains and automobiles as the Chicago contingency of Kunkel, Belanger and Gallagher made a last minute dash to barely make the first tee. But make it they did! A true commitment to the group. Neither Mother Nature nor our national transportation systems would keep them from the Great 8 annual event.

Then Mother Nature spoke again. As we attempted to finish the first round one of the most threatening storms came rolling in. As the Bishop in Caddy Shack was ready to push on so was the majority of the group…yet there is always one. As the first strike of lightening was seen in the distance Eddie Bittner was no where to be found. All that was left in the fairway was a tube of Chap Stick, a handkerchief, and a bee sting kit (I don’t think we had cell phones at the time) Gentlemen, if we are ever in any serious trouble Eddie will be behind us every step of the way.

2004

Eagle Ridge, Galena, Illinois - The General

The General. A bit of a different flavor to this one as we flew into Chicago and drove 3 hours thanks to escorts Mr Belanger and Mr. Gallagher. Mike – buy a car with cup holders next time! The ride was priceless.

Another milestone event in GR8 history. The scene was the second 18 being played on Saturday. Dave Bittner officially loses a golf ball. 11 years, 11 months and 29 days without a lost ball – but who’s counting …… Galbos – records are made to be broken!

The bar was raised on housing accommodations, however it was definitely lowered on dining … we ordered pizza in all three nights because we were such slugs.

We strayed from tradition and mixed up the teams this year. Winning team: Paul, Dan, Dave, Mike.

2006

Keystone, Colorado - Ranch / Raven

Keystone Ranch and the Raven. Accommodations were second to none. Meals were outstanding - thanks to Mr. Hawkins ribs and Mr. Kunkels scrambled egg breakfast sandwiches.

Course elevations were extreme, thin air required less club, grabbing a 7 iron for a 210 yard par 3 down hill. Mountain weather - you could smell and feel the 10 minute storms coming in, only to have them leave as quickly as they arrived. Sudden temperature drops, Galbos playing his best golf with a pair of winter gloves on!

Galbos did an outstanding job as the designated driver of the silver bullet – Thank you Johnny! It was an early 5:00 am Sunday morning departure for the airport – Mr. Hawkins takes the heat on this one. Winning team: Ed, John, Dan, Mike.

2007

Kingsmill - River / Woods

2007 saw us venture East to Kingsmill Resort where we took in some history that was offered but made some history of our own. For the first time in the storied past of the Great 8, John Galbos (and his partner Dan Messings) were triumphant in the Two-Man Alternate Shot contest soundly defeating the team of Hawkins/Bittner. So surprising was this victory that upon learning he had won the match on the 17th hole, Mr. Galbos was heard saying "You've got to be @!?$ing me!!!!" and truly was stunned, even apologizing to Bittner for having beat him. Mr. Hawkins was so upset, he decided to take his left handed golf balls and went home. Both were seen later that night celebrating the victory and already embellishing the historical event. The winning team this year was Kunkel, Belanger, Hawkins and Bittner.

2008

Lake Oconee, Greensboro, Georgia - Reynolds's Plantation

What an event! Accommodations were outstanding, although Dave was forced to sleep on the couch again (Jeff, this directly impacts your handicap!). The Plantation and National courses were inviting and I think we all left a few balls behind – except David of course.

A quick recap – the team of Galbos, EBittner, Gallagher and Messing wrestled the famed Great8 cup back against all mathematical odds. After being down 5 points, with only 4 available, some might think this team was closed out … never say never … this team went on to secure the final 4 points, narrowly escaping with victory. This has left the most accomplished mathematicians of our time scratching their heads. No matter, Galbos has the cup at the center of his kitchen table, drinking OJ in the morning and a single malt in the evening…

Highlights included; Kunkel came out of the gate strong and absolutely schooled a dazed and confused Mr. Messing. Messing was heard mumbling something about knowing how Rocky felt as he was pummeled by Apollo. No mas! No mas! could be heard as he waived the white flag after only 12 holes.

Perhaps the comeback of the weekend goes to David, being down 3 with 3 to go against the rivaled Michael … David calmly snakes 3 long putts on the final three holes, including a 22 footer on 18, with a hostile gallery jeering, to earn a push. Rumor has it Michael was day dreaming about Philippino twins …

Hawk earned the bonehead move of the week as he “forgot” the famed Great8 cup. He did make amends as he facilitated an “immediate transfer of possession” as he returned home that Sunday evening, ensuring Galbos assumed possession post haste. It should be noted, as Messings drove home from the airport that same day, he’s pretty certain he saw Hawkins on the range at Carl’s golfland … already tuning his game for next year … (we expect the handicap committee is listening and taking note?).

The meals were again terrific – chicken, steaks, burgers, brats, some horseradish potatoes … (remember when we use to talk about women instead of food …) and yes we regressed and went the pizza route one evening.

Some quick match recaps for historical reference:

1st round – individual matches, Kunkel smoked Messing, David pushed Michael, Eddie squeezed out Paul and Hawk showed no mercy with Galbos.

2nd round – 2 man team matches, Eddie and Mess earned a rare victory over Belanger and Hawkins. David and Jeff disposed of Johnny and Michael.

3rd round – Alternate shot matches, Messings and Galbos won for losing, meaning they were beaten by David and Hawk, but thoroughly enjoyed themselves and felt like winners. Paul and Jeff discarded Michael and Eddie.

4th round – Team Galbos, EBittner, Gallagher and Messing survived a narrow margin of victory – thanks to Galbos coming out of the gate strong and some very pointed and effective lessons from Michael …allowing Mess to actually get off the Tee …

2009

Oscoda, Michigan

September 16th-20th
Red Hawk
The Gailes
The Blackshire
Friday Morning Fishing

A quick visit to 2009 … as you recall, or don’t recall, we visited the shores of Lake Huron in the logging town of Oscoda, Michigan. We took in the Gails and Red Hawk. While it is always a challenge to locate Michael, last year was especially tough … rumor has it, he was not there! But one would never know as the jokes kept flowing. I especially liked when David pointed out the 100 foot elevation drop on Red Hawk # 3 is only a 95 foot drop for Gallagher …

Hawkins ruled the grill again with steaks on Friday and Ribs on Saturday – masterful …perhaps a Great 8 apron and chef hat are in order????

Thursday night, Belanger orchestrated a clam bake unlike any other … a 10 gallon pot of steamed clams, mussels, shrimp, onions, lemons, seasonings and whatever the hell else he had in there was simply outstanding …and to dump the entire contents onto the picnic table and just feed, was a special touch …how do we out perform such an event? It would have made a great Old Milwaukee commercial …(does anybody miss the days of Doritos and pizza?).

Oh yeah … and we did play some golf …we mixed up the teams this year … David, Jeffrey, Daniel and Johnny took on Edward, Paul, Richard and Douglas … that’s right … Douglas. He filled in for Michael since no one could find him …it was an eye opening experience for the young man. As I recall, he came out of the gate strong … but was outpaced down the backstretch. After 4 grueling matches and unprecedented Scottish winds, team David, Jeffrey, Daniel and Johnny took the cup… and as I recall, Mr. Bittner took the trophy home … I mention this, so he can remember to bring it back!

Messings also bought a northern theme hat to accompany the event, but our Commissioner requested it become a traveling staple along with the cup …perhaps we need a theme hat for this year … can anybody say Pancho Villa?

I confess, my memory on the matches is a bit thin. I do remember that Galbos and Messings out dueled Hawkins and Doug in the infamous alternate shot event – the only match that ever really matters each year …. Galbos became Mr. 7 iron … and could do no wrong … I remember this because of the Galbos victory dance once we closed them out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzbhsBKzagU

I also remember that we added a new match …the 2 man scramble format. I do recall that Kunkel and Messing dominated …and stand undefeated.

David perhaps you can add some other match dialogue – I just don’t recall much more than that

Side entertainment included the use of the potato cannon … (that’s potatoe cannon if you’re a Dan Quayle fan) where we invented a new game … shoot a potato 300 yards straight up in the air and see how close we can come to hitting one of the 8 drunks who are watching it come towards them. Doug was the undisputed winner …

Mr. Kunkel provided the evening entertainment each night … Kunkels Thursday night bonfire (I use that term loosely) …was mistaken by foreign lands as the sun rise or an unidentified sighting of spectacular light … Only to be out done by his Friday and Saturday night fires … needless to say, by Sunday we had no bonfire furniture remaining…

2010

Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club (27-Holes)
Albuquerque, New Mexico (Sandia Park)

September 15th-19th

Paako Ridge 2010. How do you follow an act like that? Another awe-inspiring weekend added to the famed chapters of Great8 tradition. The Sandia Mountains were certainly a vision of beauty and made up for some of the ugly “golf”. Our adobe castle accommodations sat high above the course and provided magnificent views of the Mountains. Our Great8 transportation even took a step forward – as we know have our own personalized transportation identity!

We all appreciate the effort and planning that goes into facilitating our yearly events, but special kudos to Mr. Kunkel – he has again raised the breakfast bar … have griddle will travel … as Jeffrey boards a plane with breakfast griddle in hand, he wins this years Great8 MVP. His execution was flawless – bacon & eggs … banana, blueberry and strawberry flap jacks … breakfast burritos … yogurt, granola and fruit parfaits? I was waiting for my pedicure! The Mexican sausage was a good effort and certainly “entertaining”.

Mr. Gallagher wins the come back player of the year award – not because he was the leading money winner – he was – simply because he came back. Although none of us would admit it, it was nice having Michael back …to quote Supertramp … The Great8 without Michael was like a King without a castle, a Queen without a throne, a ship without an anchor, a dog without a bone. Welcome back Michael – future leaves of absence will require advanced approval from the Commissioner.

To recap the golfing activities, we mixed it up a bit and bravely drew the teams out of a hat. The results were a bit lop-sided from a handicap perspective, but we put up a fight.

Teams were; Messings, Galbos, Hawkins & Belanger against Bittner, Bittner, Kunkel and Gallagher. We also entertained a new format, instead of 36 holes in one day, we played 27, which included 3 different 9 hole events; 2 man best ball, 2 man scramble & 2 man alternate shot.

Galbos and Messings went down hard to Bittner and Bittner in a nasty 9 hole alternate shot – but let the record show, they did not get shut out. After losing the first 8 holes, Mr. Galbos hits the pin on the ninth hole for a tap-in (bastards wouldn’t give him the putt – even though he was down 8!). That’s OK … as our friend William often said … “The croaking raven doth bellow for revenge” and “O, from this time forth, My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!”. Or to quote Arnold … “We’ll be back”.

Day 1 Individual match play;
Eddie and Dan pushed
Jeff edged Johnny 8 and 6
Dave slewed Rick 3 and 2
Mike teased Paul 7 and 6

Day 2 Two man best ball;
Rick/Dan beat Dave/Jeff 2 and 1
Eddie/Mike beat Paul/John 2 and 1

Day 2 Two man scramble; 
Mike/Dave beat Rick/John 2 up
Paul/Dan pushed Eddie/Jeff

Day 2 Two man alternate shot;  

Paul/Rick beat Mike/Jeff 1 up
Eddie/Dave beat Dan/John won 5 and 4 (but we didn’t get shut out!)

Day 3 Last Match Four man Cha-Cha-Cha;
Messing/Galbo/Belanger/Hawkins lost to Bittner/Kunkel/Gallicker/Bittner 162 to 140

Staying with tradition, Mr. Hawkins once again demonstrated his grillmaster techniques and conquered the Steaks, Ribs, Burgers, Brats and for a new twist – an outstanding evening of Chicken Fajitas and Margaritas!

Mr. Gallagher as the leading money winner took the cup home, and we expect it is sitting front and center of his dining room table – and he is drinking from it regularly.

We finished the weekend watching Saturday evening football and watched Michigan State beat Notre Dame by throwing a touchdown pass on a gutsy late fake field goal attempt.

2011

Parkville, Missouri
Home to The National and
The Deuce Courses

September 21st-25th

2011 … seems like a long time ago. Is this because 2011 introduced the Great8 to their very first ever AARP turned 50 member? Thanks for leading the way David! The rest of us are working hard to catch-up. Well, 2011 was another banner year for the Great8. We travelled to one of the world’s finest BBQ boasting cities in America’s heartland, Kansas City, Missouri. Parkville, Missouri to be more exact. The Great8 ventured into the home of the National Club, where we played both the National and the Deuce courses.

You don’t have to have psychic powers to know it was going to be another stellar Great 8 event when we all saw Mr. Kunkel arrive with his griddle in hand! Jeffrey once again exceeded all expectations , as we awoke each morning to the sound & smell of sizzling bacon, the sight of dozens of broken egg shells and as John Denver use to say “suns coming up, got cakes on the griddle” … perhaps our breakfasts have caught up with our dinners? That’s no small task! Jeffrey - good job with the sun by the way.

Speaking of dinners … we strayed a bit this year as we only “cooked” two of the evenings. We had to sample some of the fine Kansas City BBQ. We made a couple of carry out road trips to Oklahoma Joes and Jack Stacks (thanks Michael – rumor is he bought … but was a little short) … aside from the extremely dangerous “cheesy corn” … everything was outstanding and beyond comparison. As you may recall, Hank Strams son even delivered us dinner one night. As sure as eggs are eggs, Mr. Hawkins did it again, he was money as usual and had those ribs falling off the bone and melting in your mouth.

The accommodations were again magnificent … although we were a bit challenged with the engineering of the coffee machine and had to send out for a new one … but the personal ice making machine helped make up for it.

Golf? Oh yeah … we did play some golf. We went retro and reverted back to the legacy teams of David, Jeff, Rick and Paul vs Mike, Dan Eddie and John. The match once again came down to winner take all on the final round … but team assholes (you know who you are) dominated from start to finish and Mike, Dan, Eddie and John left without the Great8 cup … but their heads were held high and you could hear them mutter such things as: “I shall sleep … but plan to visit my petty foes” and “Once bitten … the devil has a new recruit” and a few other choice words …. No doubt they’ll be ready for another day!

Match 1 - we jumped right into the epic battle of 2 man best ball match play. Dave and Jeff toyed with Mike and John before finishing them off 2 up. Kissing cousins Paul and Rick kept feeding Eddie pretzels and ultimately completed a 2 up dusting of Eddie/Dan.

Match 2 - featured a two man scramble match play with Paul and Dave relentlessly humbling Mike and Dan. Meanwhile, Eddie and John would kiss their sisters as they allowed Jeff and Rick to scratch out a push.

Match 3 – Dan and John would again lose their much anticipated alternate shot event for the second straight year 2 up … this time Dave and Rick put the screws to them. Rumor is they were stealing signs … but all is fair. Mike and Eddie would take advantage of some Kunkel “slippage” and went on to defeat Jeff/Paul 1 up.

Match 4 – 18 hole individual match play. Paul teased Eddie and put him away 4 up. The prime time match of Galbos vs David …. drew a gallery of viewers as they finished with an all square card. The question is – did they both sign the card? Mike and Jeff would also push – did the Kunkel “Whooooo’s” work in his favor??? And Dan finally tasted winning by defeating Hawk 3 up.

Match 5 – 4 man Cha Cha Cha. Or more like chug chug chug as team Mike/Dan/Eddie/John, just couldn’t find their rhythm and struggled out of the gate and lost by 6 strokes to Dave/Rick/Jeff/Paul.

Congratulations to team David/Jeff/Rick/Paul – as they etch their names yet again on the elusive Great8 cup – may they enjoy their spoils as I expect they may be short lived! The ultimate question to be answered as we prep for 2012 in the Windy City confines of Chicago – WHO HAS THE CUP?

2012

Chicago, IL
Beverly Country Club and
Harbor Side International

September 26th-30th



“Just One More” … The 2012 GR8 Summit challenged conventional wisdom. There is a fine line between generous and brave. Michael was walking that line. He opened his door to his fellow Great 8ghters. The accommodations were …. well, let’s just say the IRS would approve if you filed the weekend as a charitable donation! Thank you much Michael!

The Detroit contingent went retro and arrived with cold Stroh’s in hand …. from one beer lover to another! Jeffrey again showed … packing his griddle … and he used it wisely! We kicked off Wednesday with a rather impromptu “window football toss” (let’s see how far away we can chuck a football to a guy hanging out a second story window that we can’t even see through fences, cars, trees and roofs … seemed like a good idea at the time). The Irish eyes were smiling … no broken windows! And yes Michael, I did see your neighbors peering from their windows from behind mostly drawn drapes … I believe they were thoroughly “impressed”. In retrospect, I should have asked them if they wanted to come out and play! We commenced to US Cellular field to watch the White Sox in their Playoff race … they jumped to a quick 3 run first inning lead … only to watch it wither …. As they dropped to the Cleveland Indians and opened the door for the Tigers to extend their lead towards what would be a second straight division championship for the cats. The ballpark beer and brats were inviting and both would go on to contribute to a rather slow Thursday morning.

On a cool and crisp Thursday morning … I am reminded of famous duos … salt has pepper, peanut butter has jelly, Romeo had Juliet, Laurel had Hardy, Fred had Ginger, Bonnie had Clyde and Jeff has his griddle. Mr. Kunkel wasted no time reminding us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day … and was quick with the eggs, pancakes and fruit! After our fill, we packed up our cooler and made haste to Medina – home of the 2012 Ryder Cup. Although the limo ride felt endless and a little green, the selection of “Tin Cup” by our entertainment committee was spot on (“who hit that ball, your suppose to be professionals!”). Although moving a little slow early, we must have walked 10 miles as we explored the course and took in the U.S. and European hopefuls … Eddie even managed a couple GR8 wearable autographs from Jim Furyk and Sam Torrence. The highlight of the event had to be the welcoming accommodations and generous perks of the American Express tent! Upon a lengthy day at Medina, we retreated to the friendly accommodations of hotel Galicker. Hawkins again demonstrated his grilling prowess and mastered the Filet Mignon and NY Strip cuts. Eddie may have inherited a new assignment, as he stepped up to the task of making homemade mashed potatoes from the real thing! They were excellent Edward … even without the horseradish!

We were up early Friday, to finally play some golf! We took another marathon ride across town to Beverly Country Club (founded 1908). After scarfing enough free tees to build a house, and losing a few balls on the range … let the games begin! Out of the gate Dan and Eddie took on Paul and Rick. Although down 3 holes early, Messing and Bittner rallied back and narrowly closed out the cousins 2 and 1. Meanwhile, Dave and Jeff were busy deflating Michael and John. Mike was quick to broom us from Beverly (preemptive damage control) … and we were off to Harborside to continue the games. Ever see a boxer throw a fight? Well David must have had some Vegas money riding on Messings, because he did everything he needed to do to throw the match and hand it to Dan. And Dan says thank you! Paul toyed with Eddie and embarrassed him 5 & 4 (Eddie, I would have turned to heavy drinking if I were you - I hope your rehabbing, please say hello to Lindsay Lohan for me!). Jeff outlasted Mike 2 & 1 and Rick deprived Johnny of any taste of victory. After a wind blown round of fine striking, we again retired to the confines of Michael’s humble abode. We shifted into dinner mode and Hawkins spoiled us again with his now famous Great8 ribs. While corn on the cob and cole slaw seemed like natural sides, the highlight may have been Mr. Kunkel educating us on the transition of leftover mashed potatoes into a golden fried delight … the Colonel would have been proud! For those that ventured well into the evening … Michael and Hawk treated us to Amaretto milkshakes!

Despite the Amaretto milkshakes, Saturday still arrived on time. Although a little slower for some. And yes, Jeffrey was planted in the kitchen, and the pancakes, eggs and bacon were flowing again. We then returned to Beverly wearing our colors proud. We played a 4 man cha cha cha … and I have to admit, it may have been the most anti-climactic finish yet. The match came down to the last hole, but I don’t think anybody was really sure where the match stood. Kunkel makes a routine ho-hum, two putt par, David sinks a 24 footer for par and Paul saves par by getting up and down from a very delicate down-hill chip. Once they found out they needed all three of those pars for victory, the discussion turned to noise about who made the winning put? The spat was short lived and the team of Belanger, Bittner, Hawkins and Kunkel retained the Great8 cup! Enough about golf. After saying our farewells to Beverly (she will miss us!), we packed up and headed to the Chicago Yacht Club. Michael once again demonstrating his poor judgment, invited us out on Lake Michigan for a brisk evening sail. CHIPS AHOY! Peter Parker would have felt at home as all his relatives were also on board. And in case you ever need to settle any future wagers … the answer is YES, you can do a spot on 360 in a 32 foot yacht … Captain Kunkel proved it so! (he just wanted to see what would happen).

Upon return from the high seas … some of us were feeling our age … and a bit short of energy and not to eager for a dinner out. Although there was some division amongst the group, a compromise was negotiated and we ordered carry out from Torrentinos and returned to Hotel Gallicker (good call!). Before long, we found a second wind and a ping pong tournament broke out. I must say, it was very competitive and the separation was small … but Hawkins ultimately survived Belanger in the finals … although the match was played under protest, due to claims of an illegal serve!

Some side notes. We all returned with increased spider killing skills. We successfully renamed Michael’s dog from “Lexi” to “Stella”. The firepit was a huge success … and yes, Michael did “check out” by the dim glow of a shrouded camp fire. The entertainment committee surprised us with our own personalized Caddie Bibs! David continued with his annual whining and pleaded to leave the bathroom fan on to drown out the upstairs snoring.

The disappointments were few. Let’s look at some lessons learned to identify opportunities for improvement. On our seemingly 12 mile walk from the parking lot to the yacht club (carrying coolers and ice), we did see a group riding segways and were not sure why Michael did not make these same arrangements for us? Jeff, you may want to consider a Great 8 plunger as a sidekick to your Griddle … kind of a “cause and effect” or “what’s goes up, must come down” concept. Michael, a helicopter ride to Medina might have been a nice touch. For future reference … if you’re going to host a ping pong tournament … a book illustrating proper and illegal serves may come in handy!

The Great 8 would like to extend a special thanks to Fiona, Sadie and Fin for opening up their bedrooms for us – very kind and generous – Thank You! I do have one final thought. 100 years from now, when the house is being remodeled, I expect a group of contractors will be taking a break, eating their bologna sandwiches out of their lunch pails, munching on their chips, swigging from their thermos ... and sharing stories about all the ancient bottle caps they are finding … and wondering about the origin of these caps … I expect they’ll be scratching their heads. David – any clue?

2013

Gatlinburg Country Club, Pigeon Forge TN
Sequoyah National Golf Club, Whittier NC
River Island Golf Club, Kodiak TN

September 18th-22nd



And the Great8 keeps rolling! 2013 Great8 was another milestone event. We flew into Knoxville and Mr. Bittner had the Great8 van fueled, stocked and waiting at passenger pick-up. Although he was not making friends with the airport parking security!

No worries, we loaded up the truck and moved to Pigeon Forge in the heart of the Smokey Mountains! The cabin was large (slept 52), high in the mountains and as we would learn later, a 4x4 would have been the better vehicle of choice. We enjoyed a few cold beverages in the outdoor dueling hot tubs as we took in the picturesque views and listened to soothing sounds of nature as we were educated by Mr. Kunkel. Jeff pointed out the woos, screeches and songs of the Red-necked Phalarope, Eastern Screech-Owl, common Whip-poor-will, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and the Loggerhead Shrike. Who knew Jeff was quite the Ornithologist? (Nothing to do with ornery).

On Thursday we ventured to Gatlin Country Club, followed by our Friday adventure where we enjoyed a thoroughly scenic ride through the mountains to Cherokee land or Whittier, North Carolina. It was there we played the great Sequoyah National Golf club and were educated hole by hole on the Cherokee Indian folklore. . As a reminder, this was the course as told, that was shaped by the giant buzzard that was stuck in the mud and continually flapped it’s wings, carving out this unique golf course – who knew? But I remain convinced that the reason our GR8 Committee selected this venue was for the tribute to the Little People. As you recall … it went like this;

“The Little People are known to the Cherokee as handsome fellows that hardly reach the height of a man’s knee and who live in the rock caves on the mountain sides. The little people are helpful and kind hearted and are fond of music and dance. The Cherokee believe they are friends to lost children and often guide them home. But the little people do not like to be disturbed and often cast spells on those who find their villages and bring death to those that witness their good deeds.”

We enjoyed some moonshine in the mountains! That’s right, when in Rome … we enjoyed some genuine, locally distilled, mountain moonshine. Hawk was dubbed “Midnight” after coaxing everyone to keep doing moonshine shots and then promptly passing out @ 8:00PM. Galbos was dubbed “Mayhem” after his decision to take on a giant boulder with our Great8 van while navigating the mountain inclines. For those keeping score, the giant boulder won. He would later drop a lit cigarette through the floor deck of the log cabin. Anyone remember Kramer burning down the cabin? We had visions of the entire Smokey Mountains up in smoke! (pun intended). We thank both Midnight and Mayhem for contributing to our endless entertainment!

Additional entertainment included our biker friends who moved in next door. The back and forth banter was enjoyed by all.

On Saturday the match came down to the final round. We played in the inclement weather at River Island Golf club in Kodiak, TN. I believe we were the only group to tee off that day and brave the rain. I don’t think the heavy stuff is going to come down for a while! We managed 9 holes before the skies opened up into a torrential downpour. With the match on the line, the team of Gallagher, Galbos, Messing and Bittner were forced to play one more hole of cha cha cha and needed to muster two pars to sustain the win. With standing water on fairway and green, they successfully secured 3 pars to swim away with victory! It was a dry spell for the last few years, but the cup once again belongs to Gallagher, Galbos, Messing and Bittner! Congrats Gentlemen! Well played!

AS we have come to expect, Jeff was brilliant with breakfasts again and Hawk echoed his efforts on the grill each evening. The ribs and steaks were large … and the natural coal grill was a good change of pace.

From a lessons learned recap … perhaps this group is no longer the movie buffs we once were? We tried to watch “Red” on the cabin theatre room … but had a hard time getting the group engaged and committed! I think we need to re-commit ourselves to our bloody marry enjoyment? We seemed to have an abundance of leftovers and for whatever reason, they just didn’t work as well this year? I think we can all agree to blame Jeff! Well done Gentlemen! We again thank our Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner for their continued efforts and another amazing event well planned and enjoyed thoroughly by all! Here is looking forward to 2014!

2014

Gaylord, MI/”Hawkins Compound”
www.otsegoclub.com
www.treetops.com
www.blackforestgolf.com

September 24th-28th



We returned to our roots in Northern Michigan. Mr. Hawkins was nice enough (or stupid enough) to invite us to the Pam and Rick Hawkins Family Summer Camp in Gaylord, Michigan. Thanks Rick and Pam!

Upon arrival, we were all quick to learn that Rick lied about TV/Internet/Cable/Cell phone access – there was none! Rick mumbled something about not needing to rely on modern technology for entertainment, and we would spend some quality time together … blah, blah, blah, blah, blaaaaah!

Commissioner Belanger hauled his seafood broil burner in from Chicago and we feasted on mussels, clams and shrimp – a follow-up to our 2009 seafood broil! Well done Paul! We did have a slow start as the burner did not seem to be reaching max burn. Dan disassembled and cleaned out the rust and we were good to go … kudos to Paul for biting his tongue as I know he had other thoughts!

Dan brought some homemade Great8 beer and some smoked salmon, and although we had leftovers, we enjoyed!

Golf – remember the golf? Unfortunately John could not participate as he injured some ribs the night before. His story was something about taking the garbage out. He did join us as spectator and helped manage the cocktails inventory – thanks John!

We played three courses including the Tribute at the Ostego Club, Treetops, and Blackforest at Wilderness Valley. We demonstrated our ornery impatience with slow play and executed a power pass play through on carts! Unfortunately, I think we strayed from our usual competition a bit and we really didn’t have an official Great8 Ryder Cup victor this year. Everybody gets a trophy!

Back at Camp Hawkins, we did enjoy ourselves. We took to the lake to for a pleasurable kayak ride … who would have bet that it turned into a competitive kayak race? Paul enjoyed tearing up the trails on Rick’s dirt bike in first gear – thanks to faulty shift instructions from Rick! Rick also introduced us to “cards against humanity” … laughs were enjoyed by all!

We held a ping pong tournament, similar to Gallagher’s place … and Hawkins enjoyed home court advantage that led to another victory! Rick then decided to contract out his Great8 kin to assist with skunk removal. That’s right; a family of skunks had decided to make an abode under the Hawkins shed. A shovel, hose, rocks, beer and mouthy spectators shouting instructions form the cheap sheets … is all that was needed.

Dining - Of course, as tradition would have it, we woke every morning to a Kunkel 6:00 am master breakfast, while enjoying the beautiful sunrise at Hawkins Lake! Rick again demonstrated his certified and smokified grilling expertise with Ribs and steaks – outstanding! John gave us a special treat not previously enjoyed by the Great8. John whipped up an Italian eight course meal, with homemade spaghetti and meatballs, fresh garlic bread, grated parmesan and the works! Followed by some Italian ice cream …. Mamma Mia! Che Bello!

2015

Union Pier, MI/”Gallicker Summer House”
www.lostdunes.com
www.golfwhittaker.com/

September 23rd-27th



Memo from the front office informed the Great8 members that we would be heading to Chicago again and Michael would be hosting us at his new place. Hawk and Mess secured their unrefundable airline reservations to the windy city; only to find out we didn’t get the other memo! No worries, plans change. Eisenhower once said, no war has ever gone according to plan, but no war has ever been won without a plan.

I am still not sure where we went, I think it was officially referred to as Buffalo, Michigan? The sleeping arrangements were a little tight and Jeffrey spent the first night sleeping on the porch as the temperature dipped well below the comfort zone!

Eddie enjoyed the site of a very large hornet’s nest fastened to the porch roof. We enjoyed a roaring fire each evening. The fifty foot swing was an interesting toy. We were in walking distance from Lake Michigan and enjoyed some stone skipping action.

We again had some challenges related to golf schedule, injuries and professional responsibilities, all conflicting with our schedule. We need to find a way to recommit, get healthy and be available for all activities on all days! Paul was nursing a shoulder injury and unfortunately had to place himself on the disabled list. David was hampered by a bad knee, Dan had a dislocated finger, John was recovering from injured ribs, Jeff had frostbite from the frigid night on the porch, Michael shrank, Eddie hurt his hair, and Hawk was the statuesque picture of health as he fired rounds of 76, 81, 78 and 80 – is the handicap committee listening?

The Great8 cup went to Dan. However, he pulled a fast one as he dropped Rick off at home Sunday afternoon, doubled back and placed the cup strategically in Hawkins bushes, only to be discovered later that evening by Rick and Pam!

2016

Austin, TX
www.vrbo.com/622270
www.averyranchgolf.com
www.falconheadaustin.com

September 21st-25th



Austin Texas. Hawk and Mess were first to arrive at the Austin airport, secured the silver bullet, picked up Jeff and loaded up on the local favorite – Lone Star Beer. We arrived to wonderful house in steamy 90 degree weather. David, Eddie and Paul drove in from Dallas. John and Michael showed up when they showed up.

The house was great, with a large grill that contributed to the great smoke out! Hawk was sensational on the grill but covered porch and resulted in a 3 alarm smoke out! Hawk did his famous ribs again, but we especially enjoyed the burgers wrapped in bacon! Hawk brought out the cup and set in on display. We were quick to notice that Rick updated the cup plaque with sharpie in place of engraving and declared himself the lone champion of 2015!

We took in a little local dining at “Lucy’s” and enjoyed the fried chicken, juicy Lucy and watermelon margaritas! The scenery was great, high on Lake Travis also considered part of the Colorado River.

We took a four hour pontoon ride on Lake Travis, piloted by Mr. Hawkins. Johnny slept for the first few hours, but caught his second wind for the last mile! We stopped for a couple swims and almost lost Jeff as the boat quickly drifted. Jeff educated us on methods for preventing unwanted squirrel integration.

We resurrected the bloody marys after a couple years of diminished interest. This was a big hit.

Golf – oh yes, we did play some golf. We played Avery Ranch and Falconhead. At Falconhead, they would not let us play the championship tees unless “we made our living playing golf”. We explained that’s us, and proceeded to spray balls all over the first tee. Remember there were about 20 deer surrounding the first tee area? Again we were challenged from a competitive match as we had some of us missing rounds based on travel schedule. Next year we will get back to competitive matches!

While the boat ride was probably the highlight, the impromptu watermelon football game in the pool was close second! Who would have thought that you could play football in a pool with a watermelon and not ever break it! Evidently Hawkins! Although, when we did slice up the watermelon later in the evening, I could taste the chlorine! Paul earns the catch of the year award – and it was caught on camera to be memorialized forever!

Great8 By-Laws Governing New Membership

New members must submit to the following provisions:

• Must tuck Jeff into bed each night and tell him a bed time story.
• At evening camp fires, must lead the group in a rendition of “on top of Old Smokey”.
• Help Jeff each day to ensure the sun rises in the East and sets in the West – on time, without delay.
• Responsible for waking all Great8 members each morning in time to enjoy a Jeff Kunkel master breakfast, coffee, shower and promptly dressed to make appropriate tee times.
• Take notes when David and Jeff are Euchre partners and report all incidents of cheating.
• Serve as an objective and unbiased arbitrator to resolve all Euchre conflicts.
• Teach Eddie how to play Euchre.
• Assist Rick with grill activities as required. This primarily includes beverage procurement.
• Each morning, organize a search party for Michael to make sure he is located and nobody steps on him.
• Ask Dan at least twice a day if there is anything you can do for him?
• Assist David in search for all lost balls.
• Teach Rick to play golf from the correct side.
• Ensure Eddie always has an ample supply of pretzels at all times.
• Serve as the Great8 complaint contact and report all complaint incidents to Commissioner Belanger.
• Practice in a raspy voice saying “I’m The Batman”.

2017

French Lick, Indiana - Replayed
https://www.vrbo.com/375028
Elk Ridge Ranch/Grand Lodge

September 13th-17th



Changing of the Guard – That’s right, for the first time in 25 years we ‘welcomed’ (cough cough) a new member to the prestigious Great8 – Jack Scheible. We will all certainly miss John Galbos and hope he can make a cameo appearance some day – minus the golf clubs as I understand he has given them away to the more needy. I understand he had no balls left to give away. The new guy – Yes, a big French Lick welcome for our newest member - we introduced Jack to our adult games. The question is, will he return? Do we want him to return?

Let’s see how he fit in?

• As Dan and Rick arrive at Jack’s house at 7:00 am sharp Wednesday morning – Jack is nowhere to be found - he’s not even home! As we peer into the front window, we can see golf clubs at the front door – so we must have the right house? Where the hell is he? We porch sit for a while, wave to a couple ‘curious’ neighbors – and finally a Tesla fly’s up the driveway – “glad you can join us – Are you Jack Scheible?”
• Upon arrival in French Lick, the rookie immediately takes the Master King Suite Penthouse bedroom on the top floor and the Great8 Commissioner and Veterans are stuck in bunk beds in the basement!
• Jack introduces us to Caber Toss! Why feed a fire with tiny logs, when you can Caber Toss an eight foot long caber on the fire all at once! It will forever be known as the “Jack Log”– see video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb0FU8rSisU
• Eddie works his ass off all weekend keeping the outside fire fed, day and night so we can enjoy the eternal Great8 flame – and Jack takes all the credit as his eight foot caber burned for 3 days.
• Enjoying a friendly game of football toss – Jack says, “watch this” and heaves a monster throw blindly over the peak of the large Elk Ridge cabin and lands it squarely in Belanger’s Scotch glass in the middle of their Euchre game. The glass shatters and Paul is covered in Scotch! Who won the hand?
• Jack resurrects a 35 year old feud by showing up with Superman and Batman head covers – and yes, Batman gives Superman strokes when they play.

Does anybody else see a pattern? I find it curious that our accommodations seemingly become more remote every year? Our Commissioners found an isolated 240 acres in the middle of the remote hills of Southern Indiana, 11 miles from civilization in any direction – up winding mountain terrain that goats have trouble with?

Golf – Let’s get right to it – the Cup remains with team David, Jeff, Paul and Rick. They got off to an early lead in all matches and never looked back. It was a spanking. Thursday morning we enjoyed a round at Sultan’s Run. Great venue – ask Paul, not Jeff. Dan and Eddie fell to the cousins 3&2. Mike and Jack fell to Dave and Jeff. Friday morning we ventured to the Donald Ross course – results were another sweep – Dan fell to Jeff, Rick overmatched Jack, Eddie could not keep pace with David and I don’t remember what Mike and Paul did? Saturday we were back at Sultan’s Run – but the match was already in the bag for team David, Jeff, Paul and Rick. It was simply a victory lap. Congrats to the 2017 Great8 cup winners!

Other Competitive Events:

GoLow – A new 3 day tournament of Great8 dice – how low can you go? Kunkel gets off to a ridiculous lead … but like the last day of a major, his lead slowly fades … and Eddie pulls off a miraculous come from behind victory! Congratulations to Eddie on our inaugural Great8 GoLow Championship! David places second and Dan shows in third. I can see this becoming a new Great8 staple for years to come!

Ping Pong – Played in a barn with poor lighting … Mike and Dan manage to edge out Rick and Eddie after 5 long grueling matches. Congrats to Mike and Dan!

Notable:

Special Thanks to Rick Hawkins as he was our Master of Ceremonies and organized a 25th anniversary awards presentation. Looking back on 25 years of evolution – we have come a long way – and consume far less shampoo! And a thank you to David as well for introducing an upgraded 25th anniversary Great8 logo. Nice touch from our Commissioner – new Great8 swag – a hoodie, T shirt and hat!

David breaks tradition and instead of grabbing a couch to avoid certain snoring, he gets selfish for the first time and grabs a bedroom all to himself – further contributing to the kids who were forced into the bunk beds in the basement.

Jeff, Paul, Mike and Ed enjoy a 4 night slumber party in the basement bunk beds. Dan gets the loft. Something to remember for next year’s arrangements?

Corn Hole – Michael is introduced to a common man’s game. Yes, Mike, this is how poor people enjoy themselves. Corn hole is enjoyed by all and I expect this will also become a Great8 staple in years to come.

We met golf pro Jeff Howerton at Sultan’s run – very friendly and we enjoyed his laid back sense of humor – see video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3o-dRDSEKo

Hats off to our weekend Ambassador - Whitey Schroeder – for his friendly guidance and assistance – he was great if you could get passed that laugh!

We had to endure an on-going Kunkel / Belanger debate on the top Great8 venues of all time. I believe, Paul had put in a vote for Sultan’s Run and Jeff had to politely tell him he was wrong.

The stars at night – The star gazing was absolutely incredible.

The ranch guide educated us on the legacy of the Elk Ranch and the storied history of nut sack hunting. The huge Elk mounted above the fireplace – wearing a Great8 hat – and you should see what’s on the other side of the wall!

Jeff, Dave, Mike and Rick decide to hit the Casino on Thursday night. They blow our entire Great8 gambling pot! Paul wets his pants with laughter as the four remaining members decide to short sheet the beds while the gamblers are at the casino.

Rick introduces us to his new business venture – “Hawks” - adult lined pants and shorts for protection against front end leaks and backside skids …. come in a variety of layers for some of our more “advanced” customers.

Donald Ross Course – 100 year anniversary and they honor their guests by passing out moon pies. Hawkins starts taking everybody’s moon pies!

Lessons Learned: Some tips for improving our planning going forward

• Buy more beer
• Quadruple the Doritos and M&Ms
• Perhaps buy triple the snacks and cut back on the meats? For the first time ever we had leftover ribs? What’s happening?
• Football Toss was a good call
• Perhaps some catch - bring a few ball gloves next year?

Room Service

Jeff continued his 6:00 am breakfast tradition. He was a bit challenged with the indoor gas grill explosions– nothing like the smell of burnt hair. Don’t worry Dan it will grow back!

Rick continues his grill mastery with Fillets, Burgers and Ribs.

Dan introduces the group to Beer Can Chicken – we may need a sequel?

Departure – The Detroit trio leaves Sunday morning in a dark dense country fog. No worries, Jack was riding shotgun and navigating – “I know a shortcut”. 45 minutes later he is still barking out instructions – “in a quarter mile you will come to an old farm house with a tin roof, take a left”. “Go straight along the barbed wire until you see 4 broken fence posts – take a right” …. Yadda yadda yadda. No worries, we arrived safely home approximately a week later.

2018

Painesville, OH - Kodiak Falls Lodge

http://kodiakfallslodgeohio.com/

Golf:

http://www.littlemountaincc.com/
http://www.fowlersmillgc.com/

Cleveland Replay:

Accommodations were again remarkable.  We stayed at Kodiak Falls Lodge.  40 acres of grounds, swimming hole, pool, hot tub, garage with ping pong, shuffle board, juke box, fire pit, etc.

Corn hole … 1st GR8 inaugural Cornhole tournament … and the winners are …. Wait for it ….

Teams were:

• Jack and Dan (played like Jack and Diane)
• Dave and Mike
• Ed and Jeff
• Rick and Paul

Mike and David dominated all week, until the tournament started and they were stunned by the hot hand of the cousins Rick and Paul.  Rick and Paul were then upset by Eddie and Jeff in the finals!

Congrats to Ed and Jeff for the 1st GR8 corn hole champion.

Golf – yes, we did play golf

We enjoyed Little Mountain on Thursday and Saturday, and Fowler’s Mill on Friday.

Thursday - Ed and Dan defeated Rick and Paul (the only match that really matters!)  Mike and Jack defeated Dave and Jeff.

Friday - Jack beat Paul, Dan was smoked by Rick, Mike lost to Jeff in the “power of 4 match”.  That’s right, the only club working for Jeff was his 4 iron, so he put the rest of his bag away and relied on can’t miss #4.  I think you got into Michael’s head Jeff!   And Eddie lost to the guy with a new bionic hip … Eddie, I think you should get more strokes for playing with original equipment!

Saturday – cha cha cha – we only played 9 holes as we had a football game to get to.  After 9 holes, all was tied for the match.  So we decided to settle the golf match with a cornhole playoff.  2018 will forever be astericked in the record books!  Cornhole is NOT golf!  Team David, Jeff, Paul and Rick would be declared the 2018 GR8 trophy winners!  Congrats Gentlemen!

Other Events and Activities:

We enjoyed several other activities besides Golf and Cornhole;

• A shuffleboard tournament broke out the first night – more WAX Jeff!
• Swimming hole – a diving competition was enjoyed by both participants and on-lookers.
• 2nd annual GR8 dice game – Eddie relinquished his title to Michael – congrats Michael!
• A light machete and hatchet throwing contest was survived by all … everybody left with the same number of fingers – good sign!

Fire pit and Juke box were enjoyed by all.

Jack was up to his mischievous behavior again – he tied David’s bedroom door closed after hours and David could not get out of his room for a 4:00 am bathroom calling … helps to have an ample supply of empty water bottles on hand!  Jack anchored the rope to a foundational weight bearing beam … he knew exactly what he was doing!  And on top of it, Jack somehow managed to place the blame on Dan?  Well played Mr. Kryptonite!

The highlight of the week – Jerry Buckley and Joh Erwin joined us and we took a road trip to Cleveland to take in the Elder vs Ignatius football game … Elder being led by our very own Michael Bittner!  Unfortunately, Elder did come up short by a score of 17 – 7.  Tailgate festivities were enjoyed by all.   Jerry ended up returning to the house with us and spending the evening – was great to see him and John again!

We did not go Hungry

Rick and Jeff were at it again. 

• Jeff was up early every morning preparing the most important meal of the day.  He spoiled us with Egg bake casserole, breakfast burritos, French toast, fruit salad medley, etc.
• Rick once again mastered the grills – brats on Wednesday, Fillets on Saturday
• Are you sitting down?  We broke a long running tradition and forfeited the savory, melt-in-your-mouth ribs this year – replaced by a Rick Hawkins spontaneous executive decision – Chicken Pot Pie and stuffed peppers!  Commissioner Paul – we need a ruling? 
• Dan prepared beer can chicken on Thursday night – lots of leftovers used for chicken salad wraps the next day!
• Ample supply of Doritos and M&Ms … and Superman beef sticks sponsored by Jack!

Ancillary

• We learned Raspberry vodka does not make the best bloody mary’s!  Paul would not have made that mistake with his Dewers!
• Breaking from tradition again, our latest night up was Saturday night – usually our earliest to crash!
• We were very light on the Euchre this year – so many other events going on!
• Jack and Jeff went to the Browns game and saw the new era of Baker Mayfield – orchestrated a 2nd half comeback against the Jets – greatest QB that never threw a td pass!

2019

Roscommon

Played the Loop at Forest Dunes multiple times. Interesting paradigm as they alternate tee boxes for the same holes from day to day. Skeptical that the course may have been built on top of a manufactured trash heap as everytime the ball landed it sounded like the beating of a drum. Mr. Krahtowell joined us and added to the entertainment and festivities. Woke up at 3:00 am and saw a green plastic lawn chair burning in the fire pit. Strong winds off the lake blew it directly into the fire pit.

6376 FOREST DUNES DRIVE
ROSCOMMON, MI 48653

Lodge:

https://t.vrbo.io/1Tt2N9QThX

Golf:

http://www.forestdunesgolf.com

2021

Gaylord, MI - June 23-27 - Camp Hawkins

We changed our dates at the last minute to accommodate our Commissioner and Rick was brave enough to host us June 23rd thru June 27th. We played the Legend at Shanty Creek, the Lakes at the Loon Resort and the Monument at Boyne Mountain, back where it all started many moons ago. Extracurricular activities included Pickleball, “bouncing Cornhole”, Kayaking and several trips around the lake in a Pontoon boat. Several of us took our baths in Lake Hawkins, using a bottle of soap that came from an unhappy preacher who was a servant of God and an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on wrong doers. Where do you shop at Hawk?

2022

Dallas, TX - October 5-9 - Fort Belanger

Paul was the brave one, hosting our 2022 event in McKinney Texas. Sarah was the smart one as she got out of Dodge. Mr. Krahtowell joined us again and was a huge help in planning and shopping and preparing dinners. Everybody contributed on meals, including Michael who grilled the Pineapple and didn’t let us forget. We spent most of our “indoor” time , outside on Paul’s patio, taking in football games, cooking, eating, euchre and cornhole. We did a Seafood broil and it was fantastic. Paul smoked a Salmon and it was a big hit! We enjoyed Paul’s neighbors, including the “girlfriends” and Paul’s neighbor who educated us on the traditions of Texas A&M. We took in some Pickleball for a couple hours.

2023

Naples, FL - 2023

November 8-12

Eagle Creek Country Club
Mustang Course at Lely Resort Golf & CC