By Kim J. Harmon

 

Now that the class work is done and the thesis is written, Debbie Tendler should have a bit more time to play golf in 2004 … of course, given time to think about it, maybe that isn’t such a good thing.

That’s because it appears – just appears, mind you – that Debbie gets better the less she plays. What other explanation can there be considering the 51-year-old Newtown resident, knee deep in class work with little time to get out to the links, defeated Janet Duffy 1-up to capture her fifth Rock Ridge Country Club women’s championship and second in a row?

“It was a really good win,” said Debbie, who recently earned her master’s in art therapy, “because I have played so little the last three summers – even less this year because I was writing my thesis.”

Debbie received her trophy during Rock Ridge Country Club’s season-ending awards banquet on Friday, November 14.

It was the second year in a row that Debbie has overcome Duffy – although this year it was considerably closer than the 4 and 3 decision earned in 2002. This 18-hole match went down to the final hole (which was the 17th, a mammoth par-5 that served as the finishing hole because of construction on the grounds) and a five-foot putt for par.

“Putting is the weakest part of my game,” said Debbie, “so I bought a two-ball putter and it helped.”

Debbie opened the tournament with a win over Pam McLaughlin and then met Duffy in the final. Debbie won her first club title back in 1995 and then won back-to-back titles in 1998 and 1999.

Work and school slowed her down in 2000 and 2001, but she returned with a vengeance in 2002 and 2003.

“Even though I was working hard on my thesis,” said Debbie, whose son Jared has developed a golf therapy program that works on issues unrelated to performance enhancement. “I felt I had to defend my title so I went out and played for it.”

Now Debbie will play for a sixth title – among other things – in 2004.

“Without being in school,” said Debbie, “I feel like I’m on vacation. I am going to play more. I’ve never broken 80, so I want to do that, and I’m going to go for three in a row. I have to!”

Of course she does.