BMR 2006

Alabama

Capitol Hill (Montgomery, AL RTJ course) - The Judge, the Legislator
Silver Lakes (Anniston, AL RTJ course)


First timers: Jason Blair, Chris Miller, Brian Rutledge, Brian Dunaway, Rick , Gene Gobbel, Dan Machalk, Jason Scarborough

BMR 2007

Alabama

Capitol Hill (Montgomery, AL RTJ course) - The Judge, the Legislator
Cambrian Ridge (Greenville, AL RTJ course)


First timers: Bill Blume, Ron Thomas, Brad Reeder, Barry Jones, Scooter

Notes:

• Miller's shin hit by Rick at GN (played there on Thursday before going to CH)
• Miller's foot ran over by Blume in Montgomery on Friday
• possibly the hottest round played in the BMR on the Judge
• Scarborough's runaway cart and almost passing out mid-round

BMR 2008

Biloxi, Mississippi

Greenville
Preserve
rainout

First timers: Jason Newsome, Preston Porterfield, Scooter, Geezy

Notes: 

• van makes the trip to Biloxi....carrying all of 2 people! 
• Hurricane!!!!

BMR 2009

Alabama

Grand National (Opelika RTJ course - played both)

Capitol Hill (Montgomery  RTJ course - Judge, Senator)

FarmLinks

First Timers - Roman, Lance

Notes:

• Wall cloud!
• One and only time we played the Copperhead tees at the Farm....and in the rain at that!

BMR

Small Group, Big Time

2009

#1 tee, Judge

Beautiful courses, challenging courses, some good golf, some bad golf, and side-splitting laughter characterized the 2009 Blair-Miller-Rutledge Invitational and produced at least 600 watts of volume.  Not to mention, this year had a last minute entry who helped to bring the level of play up, so last minute that there was no time to pack.  Unfortunately, we had an injury this year, the third for the BMR, even though this one had more of an effect and produced more conversation (why do these injuries keep happening to the same guy?). 

Play began Thursday morning at Grand National Links Course followed by lunch and a round on the Lakes.  Ten played the morning, followed by 12 in the afternoon.  Grand National was voted the #1 public course in the U.S. in 2008 by Golf World and its 2 courses are top notch and challenging. 

Voted #2 U.S. public course in 2008 by Golf World was Capitol Hill in Prattville.  On Friday BMR played 10 golfers on the Judge with Mike getting started on #2 after a nascar type performance.  The Judge has water on 10 holes and other ball killer stuff on all the rest.  Nine golfers teed it up on the links-style Senator Friday afternoon with Rutledge and Preston finishing late into the night after some lighting delayed the round.  Real men play through all obstacles. 

On Saturday, the BMR found a hidden jewel in golf.  Not just Alabama golf, all golf.  The Farm Links golf experience is unmatched.  Farm Links is a research and development course where different grasses are used, Club Car sends its prototypes to be tested, and every employee’s goal is to make sure the golfer’s experience is maximized. 

#5, Farm Links

A threesome and a foursome started the day, interrupted by rain and lots of it.  After a lunch in the clubhouse, six golfers finished the round.  Most everyone else had decided to leave around lunchtime as the rain was heavy.  Not long after, the sun came out and the remaining 6 had the course to themselves and were able to finish another 18 playing a six-some even though it was cart path only. 

Farm Links has the best turf, is wide open, but played long, especially with wet conditions.  The first round was played from the copper tees measured at 6,970 yards.  The second round was played from the white tees at 6,457 yards. 

Highlights of the trip include:

Great courses

Fairly level, competitive golf

Dunaway’s cousins

Preston’s GPS and 600 watts of fun

Miller’s injury and waddle, there is nothing sacred during this trip

#17, Farm Links

Thanks to all who participated and contributed to the fun.  This year’s BMR was an especially fun trip with lots of memorable lines that will live on and be retold for years to come.

Blair 

BMR 2010

North Alabama

Hampton Cove (Huntsville, AL RTJ course)
The Shoals (Muscle Shoals, AL RTJ course)
Silver Lakes (Anniston, AL RTJ course)

First timers: Ray Henderson, Matt McArthur, Craig Rhinehart

Notes:

• round up on the points (you're screwing my partner, Milla);
• "Sandbag" Ray
• Matt McArthur is a playa with the cart girl at Anniston

BMR 2011

Biloxi, MS

Magnolia Grove (?) - Mobile RTJ course 
Windance (Biloxi)
Preserve (Biloxi)

First timers: Tamir Levy, Jamen Blair

Notes:

• Van makes second trip to Biloxi with a "for sale" sign on it
• @#$#%$ Bermuda greens!!!!!
• Charge for that extra Coke??

BMR 2012

Birmingham, AL

Timberline
Limestone Springs
FarmLinks

First timers: Bo Taber, Brad Williamson

Notes:

• Press on the #2 ball!!!
• Grinding putts on #9 at LS!
• I think everyone shot great at the Farm on Saturday.

BMR 2014 Recap

BMR 2014
Rome, Georgia and vicinity
August 13-16, 2014

First timers: Greg Wilder

Notes:

• Left-Right was the new popular game to play in foursomes.
• We continued the now two-year-old tradition of grilling burgers on Wednesday night near Rome's minor league baseball stadium.
• Ate at Jefferson's (wings, etc) in downtown Rome Thursday night.
• Ate at a restaurant near Canyon Ridge (?) (very fancy, great food) Saturday night, and a down-home buffet in Adairsville Saturday night.
• Trees at Coosa are ducking left and right! 

Photos:

Coosa Country Club (Thursday)

Jake on the #1 tee

Somebody hit a nice shot.  Chris Miller, is that you?

Ray Henderson with a nice lie.  Play it as it lies, Ray!

Jason Blair with another nice lie, then calling his shot

Canyon Ridge (Friday) 

Hole 1

Hole 2

Signature hole, 2nd shot

Matt McArthur putting on the super-fast greens

Ray Henderson checking out the view on the signature hole

That's gotta be Matt McArthur with the, um, pink ball

Boyd Search and Ray Henderson

Chris Miller and Matt McArthur

Matt McArthur

Matt McArthur

Chris Miller gets out of trouble

Chris Miller

Brian Rutledge enjoys the view, but only 18 holes of golf

A friend on the course

Barnsley Gardens (Saturday)

Hey, it's not all about golf!  Here's Boyd Search pushing his little buddy Brian Dunaway on the swing.

Just some of the "scenery".  There was lots more (wink).

Craig Rhinehart's gap wedge after the tree jumped in the way of his swing

Jason Blair savoring Doug Scott's payout

Jason Blair signing his payout to Greg Wilder

... more to come soon!

BMR 2013 Recap

Northeast Georgia
Brasstown Valley
Kingwood
Sky Valley

First timers: Boyd Search, Jake Scott, Doug Scott, Trevor Humphrey

The BMR (Blair-Miller-Rutledge) 2013 event was filled with good times, good friends , and good (and not-so-good) golf on three very different courses.  We visited Northeast Georgia (with a brief drive into North Carolina to get to one of them), with our center of operations being Kingwood resort near Clayton, Georgia, at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  What a beautiful setting for golf!

The arrival at Kingwood on Wednesday was interesting because they had no way to process our credit cards upon arrival due to a staff member’s family emergency.  The nice lady who helped us at check-in was very friendly and helpful, however, and in the end all was fine.  Several guys were able to walk a quick 9 holes and get an advance look at the Kingwood course.  Later that evening we had the first burger cookout thanks to Jason Blair.  This is an event that we’ll be repeating, for sure! 

Jason Newsome, Brian Dunaway, Brian Rutledge, and Boyd Search relax on the patio.

Chris Miller, Brad Williamson, and Ray Henderson enjoy a burger.

There was a great group of guys – some “regulars”, some new folks, and some “old” folks who re-joined the event.  All in all there were 18 players for the trip.  As Brian Rutledge put it,

We've got a diverse group that makes it a lot of fun.  We’re certainly glad we’re not all CPAs on this trip, but glad to have some “goat herders” and “white-collar maintenance” guys go with us.  We obviously spend some time planning the event every year, but there are things you can’t plan, like eating at a seafood market that’s not a restaurant and having Ms. Jackie, Chris Farley, and Evan Williams provide the entertainment – Friday evening was a classic that I am sure stories will be re-shared on future BMRs.  We hope you all enjoyed the golf courses.  Some of us don’t have very many golf balls left and were advised to take up tennis while on the trip, but I did finally win a skin.

Golf on the first day (Thursday) was at Brasstown Valley.  We arrived to find weather that we aren't accustomed to on the BMR.  Light jackets were the order of the day due to the cool temperatures and gusty wind.  On the practice tee we discovered that Brad Reeder is a long-ball hitter from either side of the tee when he challenged and then outdrove natural lefty Chris Miller to a lefty-driving contest.  The course was long and very unforgiving if you didn't keep it in or very near the fairway -- beyond the first cut of rough was chest-high vegetation.  Some of us got beaten up pretty badly that first day – or at least our egos did, while others fared pretty well.  There were lots of lost golf balls.  We ate at a bar-restaurant in Clayton where there was both indoor and outdoor seating (for those who could handle the cold).

Ray Henderson at Brasstown, smashing another 300-yarder

On the way back to the hotel from Brasstown Valley, some of our more helpful guys stopped to assist a couple of stranded motorists change a tire on the side of the highway.  The couple happened to operate a restaurant in Clayton (Jackie’s) and offered for us to come by while we were in town.  The idea was filed away for future use.

In addition to the great mountain scenery we took in while staying at Kingwood, the cool climate was a welcome change from the normal “hot” temperatures associated with this event while playing golf in August.  As a matter of fact, some folks enjoyed the climate so much they even opted to sleep in their car as opposed to their hotel beds -- and we assume this was to allow them to stay in touch with nature!

It was a really nice experience to wake up Friday, walk out your hotel room door, and be at the first tee after just a few steps.  The course was a true mountain course – especially the back 9.  It wasn't overly long, but was very attractive and challenging.  The back 9 did have some pretty “gimmicky” holes.  Some of us began partaking of some spirits rather early in the day, and this helped set up an interesting afternoon round, evening, and following morning.

Ray Henderson and Brad Reeder showing a little Bro-love at Kingwood

After golf on Friday we went to Jackie’s, where the specialty of the house was low country boil.  We started with some yummy crab dip appetizers and then the main course came out.  There was great food, lots of drinking, plenty of laughter and fellowship, and the impromptu comedy routine was the best of all (thanks to Boyd “Macgregor” Search).  Oddly, there was lots of butt-grabbing.  I  still haven’t figured that one out!

Ms. Jackie copping a feel

Preston Porterfield, Matt Macarthur, Ray Henderson, and Boyd Search at Jackie's

  

Back at Kingwood, the drinking and good times continued – perhaps even a little too much!  I won’t name names, but there were special guest appearances, parking lot tumbling, tire urination, and Evan Williams.

Saturday morning, the final golf day, was a tough one for many due to the late night Friday.  It seemed especially early for Evan Williams’s special friend.  The very hilly, twisty, curvy road to the course at Sky Valley was especially tough for those with, ahem, delicate stomachs that morning.

Once we got on the course, we found it to be the most traditional of the three for this trip.  The morning was good – still a little on the chilly side.  The end of the first round was the beginning of the rain.  Several folks headed home after lunch, so the afternoon round was played as a scramble with three groups of three.  The rain continued for the entire round and it was windy and cold.  We stopped at a pizza joint on the way out of town, had dinner and put on dry clothes, then made the long trip home.

Sky Valley

Sky Valley

The cool temperatures and mountainous scenery helped to make this a very enjoyable event.  The threatening rain held off until the very end.  Everyone played lots of golf, made some new friends, and reconnected with some old friends… and that’s what it’s all about.  See you next year!

Here is the complete list of the 2013 BMR participants:

Jason Blair

Rick Chancey

Brian Dunaway

Ray Henderson

Trevor Humphrey

Tamir Levy

Chris Miller

Matt McArthur
Jason Newsome
Preston Porterfield
Brad Reeder

Craig Rhinehart

Brian Rutledge

Mike Ryan

Doug Scott

Jake Scott

Boyd Search

Brad Williamson