LAKE CARROLL — If you’re organizing an event and want to make sure people can count on having a good time, sometimes you have to do some creative math.
Like turning a two into a fore.
That’s what the keepers of the greens did at Lake Carroll’s golf course on Aug. 24, when they hosted a dozen couples who turned out to enjoy some tees for two and a bit of friendly competition during the annual Mr. and Mrs. Club Championship.
The day of play pairs couples with each other, and against other couples, for 18 holes of golf.
While the men and women each have their own annual club championship at the course, the Mr. and Mrs. event provides a chance to bring “the better halves” together for a whole lot of fun.
This year’s championship champs were Rick and Barb Curia, who edged out Tom Frieske and Robyn Farm, 66-67, to win their first championship. The Curias, who live in Dixon and own property in Lake Carroll, have been members at the course since their regular golf course, Timber Creek in Dixon, temporarily closed in 2018. They were close to winning it in 2020, but lost on a two-hole playoff that year to Marty and Tracey DeCrane after both couples shot a 68.
While two players can be better than one, Rick was quick to give credit to Barb for their win.
“Barb played very well,” Rick said. “She had two natural birdies. She did good and hit the ball well. The greens were a little tricky, not being familiar with the greens as much up here, but Barb hit the ball really well. She’s the reason we won.”
The event — often called “couples championships” at other courses — uses net scoring, which is scored like a regular round of golf, but with each golfer’s course handicap subtracted from their stroke total. The average of each team member’s individual score makes up their final figure. Twelve couples played in this year’s event, beginning their day with the first foursome of two couples teeing off from No. 10 at 8 a.m.
Though golfers don’t know how they’re faring against other couples until the game is over, they know that they have to fare well, so they try to make every shot count, which is what Rick did on his final shots on No. 9.
When the couple played their final hole, Barb didn’t do as well as she had hoped, so Rich was able to score well enough to give the two their one-point win over the duo of Frieske and Farm.
It’s teamwork like that which helps even out the hits and misses in the Mr. and Mrs. — it’s like they say: The couples that play together stay together.
Barb said she was happy to have her husband beside her on the course when it mattered the most.
“It kind of forces myself out of my comfort zone,” Barb said. “I flipped up on the last hole, and he did good on the last hole. He saved us.”
The couple they inched past, Frieske and Farm, live in Lake Carroll and have played in the event for nearly 15 years. They also took second place in 2023, and this year improved 11 strokes from their 2024 score. After a rough first nine holes, things went smoother during their final nine.
Their steady improvement and resilience on the course highlighted the teamwork that has kept them coming back each year.
“I thought Robyn did very well,” Frieske said. “We played well in the back and in the front, we squeaked in one birdie. It was a beautiful day with great company, and it’s such a fun event to be here with all of the couples. We really enjoy this event.”
Mitch and Marve Feucht finished in third place with 68, while Bill and Kristie Bruneman (70) came in fourth and both Bruce and Sandy Sorensen and Ron and Anna Hennings tied for fifth (71).
Winning the event wasn’t the only prize that golfers sought. Six of the holes — Nos. 1, 3, 7, 10, 13 and 16 — had flag prizes, which are skill contests for the most successful single strokes which are the longest putt, closest second shot and a shot closest to the pin.
While playing for bragging rights can be fun, the event also gives golfers an opportunity to rekindle friendships, get to know other couples, and spend time with their spouse in an environment they may not always get to: on the course.
That’s what Frieske enjoys about playing in the championship year after year.
“I’ve played so much golf with just dudes, so it’s so much fun to play in a mixed event, and it’s nice to see all of the couples come over here,” Frieske said. “It’s a great social environment, and we just really enjoy everyone here. It’s so nice. It’s wonderful.”
Players also enjoy a chance to hone their competitive edge, like Robyn.
“I like the mixed part of it,” Farm said. “We’ve been trying for 15 years, but I come to win.”
Rick and Tom praised the course’s crew, course professional Jason Hill, assistant and event coordinator Logan Rohr, and course superintendent Tim Throop, for keeping things on course and making this year’s championship a success.
“I appreciate what Jason and Logan and the guys in the pro shop do to make so many fun events for us,” Frieske said. “They do a great job keeping us involved, and it’s awesome the job that they do.”
The course is a big part of the Curia’s association with Lake Carroll, and events such as the Mr. and Mrs. Club Championship, and the men’s Club Championship that Rick participates in most years, has helped them get to know many of the members who make the community so welcoming.
“Jason and his crew do an outstanding job,” Rick said. “He runs a nice operation and Tim does an outstanding job with the conditions of the course. We enjoy golfing up here and this place has been absolutely wonderful. The members have been great, and have been very warm and inviting. It’s been real nice meeting so many good couples.”
The Mr. and Mrs. win isn’t the only victory Barb can put on her scorecard this year. She was also part of the winning team for Timber Creek at the Lincoln Highway Tournament on July 12 in Dixon, earning first place in the event’s seventh flight of golfers (Lake Carroll also fielded a team at the tournament, finishing in fifth place).
Barb has “been playing better these last four or five years,” Rick said.
“He gives me a lot of advice — usually it’s good advice,” Barb said. “And I like when he reads my putts. It’s fun to play up here because there are a lot of events like this.”
For the Curias, and for many of the couples who participate year after year, the Mr. and Mrs. Club Championship is about more than just scores and trophies. It’s about sharing the game with someone they love, building memories and enjoying the fellowship that makes Lake Carroll a place they like to call home.
The Curias may have taken home the trophy, but every couple left with a prize: the memories they made together on the course.
“We came here to enjoy the event,” Rick said. “Winning is just icing on the cake. It’s not the end of the world if we don’t win. It’s a nice bonus to win, but it’s nice to play together on a beautiful course with friends and get to golf.”
How it went
At Lake Carroll Golf Course, par 72
Mr. and Mrs. Club Championship
(average of net scores used for scoring)
Results
Winner: Rick and Barb Curia, 66
Other scores: Tom Frieske and Robyn Farm, 67; Mitch and Marve Feucht, 68; Bill and Kristie Brumeman, 70; Ron and Sally Hennings, 71; Bruce and Sandy Corensen, 71; Mark and Jamie Melville, 72; Andy and Angie Thompson, 72; Marty and Tracy DeCrane, 73; Lance and Liz Erickson, 75; John and Tara Esposito, 76; Joe Bunn and Helen Feeney, 81
