It was a summer of success for these B’nai B’rith golfers and Inter-Congregational Men’s Club Summer Softball League teams.
The 10th season of the weekly B’nai B’rith Golf League is in the books.
So is the 27th season of the weekly Inter-Congregational Men’s Club Summer Softball League.
Champions have been crowned.
The race for the golf league team title among the dozen two-man teams in the nine-hole league at the Links of Novi was decided by a single point.
Kerry Chaben and Mike Klinger scored 182 points. They went wire-to-wire on top of the leader board to win their first team championship. Runners-up Gary Klinger and Dale Taub had 181 points.
There was no sorrow for Gary Klinger in the league’s individual standings.
He finished in first place with 93 points, four more than Taub (89), and won his second straight individual title.
Points are awarded based on holes won and tied and matches won and tied.
Gary Klinger is the golf league’s founder and organizer.
“I love this league, love the brethren and will keep working hard to make this a great, fun and enjoyable league,” he said.
“We’re losing a team next year, but I already have inquiries to fill the spot, so I expect us to remain at 12 teams.”
The league has played at the Links of Novi for nine years, and probably will return there next year.
There were 14 teams in the softball league’s three divisions this season.
The double-elimination playoffs ended with the three division champions each going undefeated in the post-season, winning all three of their playoff games.
Softball Champs
The softball league champions are Temple Beth El No. 1 in the Greenberg Division, Temple Israel No. 1 in the Koufax Division, and Congregation Beth Ahm in the Rosen Division.
In the playoff championship games played at Keith Sports Park in West Bloomfield, Beth El No. 1 defeated Temple Israel No. 5 14-8 in the Greenberg Division, Temple Israel No. 1 defeated Temple Israel No. 3 9-3 in the Koufax Division, and Beth Ahm squeaked past Temple Shir Shalom No. 3 14-13 in the Rosen Division.
The end of the season also marked the end of an era for the softball league.
Longtime league co-director Steve Achtman, who shared those responsibilities with Michael Betman and Mitch Kline, stepped away from the league after the playoff championship games, saying his decision to resign as co-director and stop playing was made with a heavy heart.
He said he plans to spend more time with family and make use of his new free time on Sunday mornings.
“There are many things that go on behind the scenes to run a league,” Achtman said. “Michael, Mitch and I have been handling those duties. We start working on the next season right after a season ends.
“I’ve made many friends in the league. I hope we can stay in contact,” he said.
Achtman said Kline will take over the responsibility of running the league’s fall league. Achtman created the fall league several years ago and has run it since then.
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Golf Stats
Gary Klinger puts together a detailed B’nai B’rith Golf League season review each year. Here are some stats and facts from his 2022 review:
• Perfect attendance: Mike Klinger, Marc Ruskin, Larry Shapiro, Ryan Stone and Stu Zorn each played all 16 rounds.
• Most birdies: Aaron Herskovic and Ryan Stone each had seven birdies. Herskovic played just seven of the 16 rounds. Stone played all 16 rounds.
• Most pars: Ryan Vieder had 39 pars.
• Most bogeys: Stone had 62 bogeys.
• Zero: Vieder finished in the middle of the pack in the team and individual standings despite not making a single birdie all season.
• Consistent: The team of Lyle Schaefer and Stone had a streaky season. They won three matches, lost three matches, won three matches, lost two matches, won three matches and lost two matches.
• Month of wins: The teams of Gary Klinger and Taub and Bob and Larry Shapiro each won five straight matches, the longest team winning streak of the season.
• Most improved golfer: Stone. His 2021 season average was 47.47. His 2022 season average was 45.81. That was a 1.65-stroke drop, or 3.48%. His 2020 season average was 48.06.