2020 Bald Mountain “BIG Champion of the Year Larry Alligood”

End of an era as Charlie Griffin bids a final farewell!

2020, the mother of all years! The Wuhan scare, a global pandemic, world in crisis…and yet somehow the BIG endured and went on! Seems crazy looking back on it. In perfect lock-step with the worldwide pandemonium going on, this particular tournament will surely be remembered as one of the wildest finishes in BIG history. Never have so many BIG rules come into play at one time as they did this year, somehow looking back it just seemed so fitting! Through mask wearing, and social distancing onward we played.

On day 1 Jacky Childers came out clubs ablazin’ with a +10 point opening round. Day 2 saw him fire in the first HOLE IN ONE ever recorded in a competition round at the BIG, a perfectly struck 7 iron on hole #2 of the Bald Mountain course, enroute to an incredible +11 second round to take a seemingly insurmountable lead headed into the final round. His scores overshadowed some impeccable golf played in the first two rounds by TonyLo and Larry Lair-bear Alligood as they were the only two contestants not affected by the BIG 9-point modification rule. Jack raced out to a BIG record 2-day total of +21 points. Day 3 unfortunately was not so as all the good breaks he was enjoying the first two rounds turned to bad ones as Jack did the only thing he could have done to let everyone back into the tournament, melting down to a minus-9 final round score. This opened the door for former BIG champ Larry “lair-bear” Alligood to walk thru, and walk thru Larry did with a solid +2 final day enroute to capturing his second BIG Stogey by the slimmest of margins, a single point victory over four other contestants. Rumor had it Jacky’s stellar play was influenced by several of the BIGs feeding him numerous hole-in-one alcoholic shot appetizers until wee hours of the morning preceding that final round. Knowing my BIGs as I do, gotta certainly believe that was fake news!

Larry’s trophy haul didn’t end with the Stogey as he was also selected by the previous year’s honoree (Rick Marshall) to be a most deserving recipient of the 2020 Griffin Cup. Quite the haul of hardware for the soft spoken South Georgian…congrats Lair-Bear, both honors well deserved indeed! OH, and for those wondering, the $1 toilet trophy (as often is the case) went home with the prior year’s BIG Champ Chris Graham via presentation from the previous year’s suckmeister, his brother Paul Graham (another BIG record, the first brother duo to take home the dead prez toilet trophy!)

What I’ll remember most about 2020 was how the weekend started with everyone exercising wuhan caution (masks-distancing-fist bumps in lieu of handshakes, etc) and by the time day 2 rolled around, hugging, handshakes, back slaps and the whole scenario that makes the BIG what it is…camaraderie and brotherhood were in full-on mode. The precautions of the unknown were certainly understandable at the time and forever changed the world, it sure was comforting to know that the BIG remained unphased! It was a much needed distraction by all of us lucky enough to have attended.

Also what I’ll remember about the 2020 BIG, we had to give a fond farewell to our friend and brother of another mother, the one – the only Charles “Shakey Earl” Griffin. Unfortunately his health issues were just too much on our boi, especially with everything else going on, and so – it was time. Ryan, William, Bobby and I had the honor of having Chuck join us on that final scramble day, and watching him tapping in that final putt for our team is a memory I will take with me to that BIG golf course in the sky. A word my dear friend Tony Vaughn used way back in the 2011 BIG rang true once again in my ears – BITTERSWEET. What a bittersweet moment for sure. Never easy saying good-bye to a friend and brother…Charlie, I speak for all the BIGs that have been honored to know you, your presence will be missed, breakfast will never taste the same and you will always be a huge part of the brotherhood you helped build! It was so awesome that you were able to bring your fine gentleman of a grandson Dylan to join us. Dat kid can smoke a driver, not to mention he would have been in BIG champ contention had he qualified! (Another long standing BIG rule came into affect, newbies are ineligible to win the Stogey in the initial year of their invitation into the group to assure no sandbagging handicaps and to discourage one and done participation) This certainly did not detract from the pride ol’ poppa felt for his grandson, pretty cool moment. I’m certain the 2020 BIG “poppa” shared with Dylan will be a memory he shall never forget. I hope that Dylan knows the BIG door is always open to him in the future, just give the commish the word and it shall be. Certainly understandable that outside of the BIG there is the BIG 3 of marriage, career and kids on the top priorities scale. Best wishes always Dylan and to Charlie, your influence and character are huge reasons why the BIG has become what it is today. I am not alone in saying that you will sorely be missed, my friend.

Charlie’s farewell BIG also included a surprise visit by his loverly bride Ccccuzzz Linda on the final day! Also attending the 2020 event were competitors Larry Alligood, Bob Chance, Jack Childers, Stephen Cranford, Scott DePiazza, Fred Evans, grandson Dylan Garbiras, Chris Graham, Paul Graham, William Hackett, Brian Hart, Kailash Khandke, Tony Locascio, Rick Marshall, Ryan Marshall, Woody Matthews, Robert Magee, Darrell Vaughn and Tony “Freddy” Vaughn.