Two doubles teams from the Anna Maria Island Pickleball Club are continuing their successful run in tournaments in Florida. Their most recent conquests occurred at the Florida State Senior Games tournament in Lakeland Dec. 3.
Jim Teasdale and Bob McClure won a gold medal in the 80-84 men’s doubles competition. Toni Teasdale and Barbara Smith captured the silver in the 60-64 women’s doubles division.
Pickleball, one of the nation’s fastest-growing sports for seniors, is similar to tennis but played on a smaller court with paddles and a whiffle-type ball.
For more information about getting started in pickleball, call Bob Taylor, USAPA ambassador for pickleball in Bradenton and Anna Maria Island, at 941-778-6465.
Key Royale golf news
Key Royale Club members got together for a nine-hole, coed scramble Dec. 9. The team of Nel Bergstrom, Terry Westby, Tom Warda and Matt Behan took first place with a 9-under-par 23. One shot back and alone in second place was the team of Sue Little and John Kolojeski. Matt Behan won the closest-to-the pin contest on the third hole.
The men played a nine-hole team scramble Dec. 8, and Dale Hudson, Lex Halagan, Art McMillan and Bob Soos matched the 3-under-par 29 carded by the team of Bill Melvin, Gerry Elson, Dick Mills and Ken Rickert to finish in a tie for first place.
The team of Vince Mercadante and Mike Garnhart took first place in the Dec. 7 best-ball-of-foursome match. The duo got help from two proxies to card a 19-under-par 45, a stroke over the team of Jim Dickenson, Dick Rouse, Al Hibbs and Andy Barber.
Ken Rickett posted a plus 5 to win the individual Stableford golf match Dec. 6. Saul Ladd, Jeff Ladd and Ken Rickert took the team title.
The Key Royale women managed to get on the course Dec. 6 for a nine-hole individual-low-net handicapped match. Flight A saw Penny Williams card a 5-under-par 27 to take a 4-stroke victory over second-place finisher Judy Squier.
Jan Turner and Terry Westby both carded 3-under-par 29s to finish in a tie for first place in Flight B.
Gloria LaTorre fired a 2-under-par 30 to grab a one-shot victory in Flight C over Maryanne Kaemmerlen and Beverly Neville.
Barb Renk’s 2-under-par 30 was good enough for a two-shot victory in Flight D. Sally Keyes took second place with an even-par 32.
The game of the day, lowest-team net score, was won by Kathy Willis, LaTorre and Squier at 129. Barbara Estok, Little, York and Squier had chipins with Little’s being a chip-in birdie.
The men played a nine-hole two-best-balls-of-foursome match Dec. 5 that produced a two-way tie for first place. The team of Tom Warda, Web Cutting, Paul Kammerlen and Bill Martin matched the 11-under-par 21 carded by Dave Krueger, Jon Linwall, Bill Melvin and Al Pollock.
The men played an 18-hole individual-low-net golf match Dec. 3. Dick Eichorn took first place with a 4-under par-60. Three shots back in second place was Bob Elliott.
Horseshoe news
Four teams emerged from pool play during Dec. 10 horseshoe action at the Anna Maria City Hall horseshoe pits. In the first semifinal, Bob Palmer and Sam Samuels defeated Hank Huyghe and Paul Sheatler 21-13. The second semifinal match saw Gene Bobeldyk and Steve Doyle defeat Jay and Jerry Disbrow by the same 21-13 score. The championship match saw Bobeldyk-Doyle edge Palmer-Samuels 22-19.
Three teams qualified for the elimination round during Dec. 7 horseshoe action. Bobeldyk and Carl Thomas defeated John Johnson and George McKay 21-4 to advance to the finals where they rolled past Jerry Disbrow and Paul Sheatler 21-1.
Play gets under way at 9 a.m. every Wednesday and Saturday at the Anna Maria City Hall pits. Warmups begin at 8:45 a.m. followed by random team selection.
There is no charge to play and everyone is welcome.