(May 30, 2023) The last group of the Hoffman Cup matches concluded yesterday. The most challenging season of scheduling for the Hoffman Cup has resulted in some great playoff matchups. Thanks again to the captains, professionals and clubs who were able to keep the fires lit and the matches going! Great work! 

The semifinalists are:

Baltusrol Golf Club v Hackensack Golf Club

Fiddler's Elbow Golf Club v Rumson Country Club

Black Oak Golf Club v Hollywood Golf Club

Montclair Golf Club v Arcola Country Club. 

The semifinal matches will be completed by Sunday evening, June 4.

The nine groups have been decided, with the top point getter -- Hamilton Farm Golf ClubC (27) -- earning the BYE through the semifinals right into the finals. Other group winners are: Arcola (23.5 points), Baltusrol (26.5), Black Oak (25.5), Fiddlers Elbow (25.5), Hackensack  (18.5), Hollywood (22.5), Montclair (25), and Rumson (22). 

The most recent addition to the Hoffman Cup semifinals was Hackensack, last year's finals host. In what is the lowest-possible group-winning score -- 18.5 points -- Hackensack edged both Somerset Hills Country Club and Deal Golf and Country Club by 1/2 point. Parity lives! 

Hamilton Farm, which throttled Mendham Golf and Tennis Club yesterday, 11.5 to .5. The Gladstone squad, the 2020 champion club, resumed its customary place in the playoffs after observing the 2021 playoffs from the beach. 

Arcola did it again, making the playoffs for the seventh time in the last eight years.  The defending Hoffman Cup champions were able to barely squeak by Ridgewood Country Club, 23.5 to 23 points. Conversely, the unofficial Paramus neighborhood championship was won by Ridgewood, 6.5-5.5.  Look out for Ridgewood going into next year!

Hollywood is making its playoff debut with a convincing 22.5 point total and a 4.5 point spread over second place and always strong Knickerbocker Country Club. The writing was on the wall when Hollywood thumped 2022 finalist Knickerbocker in their first match, 9.5-2.5, a hole from which the Tenafly club could not emerge. Keep an eye on the Hollywood squad!

Montclair is making a bid for a home course advantage in the Finals.  The venerable West Orange club outpaced North Jersey Country Club's group total (25-22.5) despite losing its last-match showdown with the feisty Wayne club, 5-7. Montclair is working hard to recapture the fire that led to five straight Hoffman Cup championships, 2006-2010. Look out!

Black Oak did what it always does -- win its group. 25.5 points is well under its historic group norm (over 28 points) but the Long Valley club still proved to be the class of the group, with a 6.5 point margin over Metedeconk National Golf Club. We'll find out if new captain Chris Markham can complete the job this year, nine years after the Long Valley club's last Hoffman Cup championship in 2012.

Rumson Country Club squeaked in a one-point, 22-21 victory over a strong second-place Echo Lake Country Club squad. In fact, the whole group was competitive, with fourth-seed Navesink Country Club notching 16.5 points to come in third. 

The semis will be completed next weekend in time for the Finals, to be contested at Montclair on June 10, starting at 1pm.

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The 2023 Hoffman Cup Finals will be held on June 10th using a 1pm shotgun tee time on Montclair's Recently renovated Second and Third Nines. This finals will offer 40 Hoffman Cup competitors one of the first opportunities to compete on Montclair's beautiful and challenging changes, which have succeeded in capturing the Donald Ross vibe we recently saw at the PGA Championship.

To make the finals a tad more dramatic, we will use Golf Genius scoring, graciously provided by the NJSGA. On June 10th all contestants and fans will be able to follow the Hoffman Cup finals almost as quickly as the putts are sunk. 

Thank you to Montclair's membership for allowing us the opportunity to compete on its recently renovated nines, despite what is surely high demand on a June weekend. What a treat!

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