2026 "Do you remember"

Do You Remember... the 21st (or 26th) of September?

Earth, Wind & Fire

“On a dew-soaked course at break of day, the Cider Cup calls, we’re on our way.”

The 14th Annual Cider Cup was held September 26-27, 2025, at Cynthiana Country Club. Due to scheduling conflicts, we moved the event to September for the first time in its history. I'll admit it felt a little strange not gathering in October. My internal clock seemed off all summer, but the tradeoff was fantastic weather. Instead of pullovers and jackets, we spent the weekend enjoying sunshine in polos and short sleeves.

This year's event featured 52 golfers, including alternates and substitutes, breaking the previous participation record of 51 set in 2024. Three rookies joined the festivities, all representing the Blue Team: Brandon Case, Cliffy Marshall, and Scott Kendall. While rookie seasons can be challenging, they gained valuable experience and combined for a 1-5-0 record.

A special acknowledgment goes to Stephen McCauley, Joseph Ammerman and Kevin Letcher, who along with me have each competed in their 14th consecutive Cider Cup, having participated in every event since its inception.

As always, the weekend began with one of our favorite traditions: an incredible breakfast coordinated by several of our wives. Their efforts continue to make the start of the Cider Cup something special.

Pre-Tournament Thoughts

On paper, the Red Team carried a 29.5-stroke handicap advantage entering the weekend. However, experience has taught me not to put too much stock in the numbers alone.

While reviewing recent score postings, I noticed several Blue Team players hadn't posted many rounds over the previous months, which often means one of two things: either they haven't been playing much, or they've been getting better. My suspicion was the latter. During a Friday practice round, I watched Jason Sparks play golf that looked much closer to a 10 handicap than a 22. I knew there were several others in the same category.

When broken down by flights, the Blue Team was loaded at the top. Their A Group featured plus-handicap players Kaleb Lester and Conor Taylor, along with Patrick Oakley and Han Whalen, whom I considered scratch players. Add Austin Sparks (1.6) and Will Renaker (4.9), and it was clear this would be a challenge.

After last year's 31-29 Blue Team victory, the all-time series stood at 7-6 in favor of Blue.

Thursday Night: The Calm Before the Storm

As always, the Scramble and Singles pairings were finalized Thursday evening on Joseph Ammerman's front porch. Approximately 16 spectators gathered to watch the process unfold.

This remains one of my favorite moments of the entire weekend. It's the calm before the storm. Once the pairings are complete, the preparation is over, and all that's left is to play.

Opening Scramble Matches

After watching the Blue Team win the opening session 7½-4½ a year ago, the Red Team devoted more time to Scramble pairings than any other format.

Did we get everything exactly right? Probably not.

I was especially concerned when we went off script and ended up pairing Eric Case and Eric Sanders together lower in the lineup than originally planned. Nevertheless, the strategy proved effective enough, and the session ended in a hard-fought 6-6 tie.

Scramble Notes

Eight of the twelve matches were decided on the final hole.
The Red Team finished those matches with a 4-2-2 record.

Chapman: The Turning Point

The 18-hole Chapman format remains one of the most unique and unpredictable forms of match play golf. Momentum swings quickly, and upsets can happen at any moment.

This year, the Red Team dominated the session, winning 8-4 and taking a 14-10 lead into Sunday.

While I felt encouraged, I couldn't forget last year's event when the Blue Team held a commanding 15½-8½ lead before the Red Team mounted a furious comeback and came within 1½ points of victory.

Chapman Notes

Five of the twelve matches reached the final hole.
The Red Team posted a 2-1-2 record in those matches.

There were several decisive victories:

Kilpela/Biancke defeated Thornton/Jason Sparks 6&5.
Beau Sanders/Ronnie Brown defeated Miles/Eddie Feeback 6&5.
Wes Hall/Brandon Peters defeated Winkle/Kinsey 5&4.

One result I was especially interested in involved Ryan Howard and Ethan Jackson. After suffering a historic 9&7 defeat in last year's Chapman session against Austin Sparks and Conor Taylor, they had something to prove. While it wasn't the same matchup, they certainly answered the bell, defeating the formidable team of Kevin Letcher and Brett Faulkner 6&4 and exorcising a few demons in the process.

Saturday Night at Biancke's

Following a one-year absence, the Saturday evening gathering returned to Biancke's Station and was once again well attended.

With John Daniel Herrington unavailable, Conner Whitaker provided the entertainment, assisted by an impromptu ensemble featuring Weston Jenkins, Nick Thornton, and Jason Sparks.

The crowd even collected $102 to convince Weston to sing.

While I'd still recommend Weston keep his day job, everyone had a great time.

Sunday Devotional

I had the privilege of leading Sunday's devotional and borrowed a message that had impacted me months earlier: Alistair Begg's "The Man on the Middle Cross."

The point was both simple and profound. If we believe we gain entry into Heaven based on our accomplishments or our own merits, we've missed the message entirely. Our only claim is that the Man on the Middle Cross said we could come.

I think many of us make faith much harder than it needs to be. As the devotional booklet distributed to participants explains, it's as simple as A, B, and C.

I'll let you discover those details for yourself.

Alternate Shot

Sunday morning began with Alternate Shot, a format I have sat out in recent years and thoroughly enjoy watching.

Even with a four-point lead, I felt uneasy.

The Blue Team responded exactly like champions, cutting into the deficit almost immediately. When Faulkner and Peters defeated Rees Feeback and Weston Jenkins 5&4, my concern level increased considerably.

Perhaps Weston had used all his energy during the concert the night before.

Only four matches reached the final hole, and the Blue Team posted a strong 2-0-2 record in those contests, winning the session 7-5 and narrowing the overall score to just two points.

The stage was set for Singles.

Singles: Finishing the Job

Heading into Singles, the Red Team held a slim 19-17 advantage.

With 60 total points available, it would take 30½ points to claim the Cup. The math was simple:

Red Team needed 11½ points.
Blue Team needed 13½ points.

Given the strength of the Blue Team's A Flight, our goal was modest. We hoped to capture two of the six points available in those matches.

Instead, we split them 3-3.

The key result was Scott Bolin's victory over Kaleb Lester, which provided a huge boost of momentum.

One of my favorite quotes of the weekend came from Bolin, who said:

"I felt like I was playing in the Georgetown College Invitational."

The comment came after facing Conor Taylor, Patrick Oakley, and Kaleb Lester in consecutive matches.

As someone who spent countless hours driving their team bus while Austin was coaching, I had the privilege of getting to know those young men. They are exceptional golfers, but even better people.

And while we're handing out congratulations, Reese Asher deserves recognition for his impressive victory over Patrick Oakley.

Singles Results

A Group: 3-3 split

B Group: Red Team 4-2-0

C Group: Red Team 3-2-1

D Group: Red Team 4-1-1

Final Score:

Red Team 34
Blue Team 26

Only four of the twenty-four singles matches reached the final hole, with the teams splitting those contests 1-1-2.

When you consider that 20 of the weekend's 60 matches went all the way to the final hole, the margin between victory and defeat becomes remarkably small. The Red Team held a 7-5-8 record in those matches but flip just a handful of results and the outcome looks entirely different.

After fourteen years, the rivalry has come full circle.

Red Team: 7 Wins
Blue Team: 7 Wins

Exactly where we started.

Stats, Notes & Observations

Austin Sparks and Conor Taylor each posted perfect 4-0-0 records for the Blue Team.
Nate Sowder (2-0-2), Logan Brown (1-0-3) and Charlie Biancke (2-0-0) finished the weekend unbeaten.
Grant Howard, Richard Wiglesworth, Scott Bolin, and Zach Hernandez led the Red Team with three points each, posting 3-1-0 records.
Ninety-three different players have now participated in the Cider Cup.
In fourteen years, 645 points have been awarded, and only three total points separate the two teams.

The Amish Factor

Just days before the event, Mike "Yoder" Seaman became somewhat unsettled when he learned we were abandoning his preferred black-and-gray wardrobe for a significantly redder team look.

The Saturday Red Polos, or as Yoder called them, "pink," threatened team morale for a brief period.

Fortunately, I found an old black pullover from a previous year and presented it to him on Friday. He battled through the adversity and posted a 0-1-1 record while wearing red.

However, he went 2-0-0 while wearing blue on Sunday.

Perhaps he's onto something.

Quote of the Weekend

Patrick Oakley summed up the spirit of the Cider Cup perfectly:

"I wish there was someone on the opposing team that I didn't like so I could root against them."

Pizza Controversy

A developing story emerged on Sunday afternoon.

Chase Wachter reported that several players on the Red Team appeared to disregard the clearly stated "two slices maximum" guideline during lunch.

Nolan Yates' name surfaced repeatedly during the investigation, with reports alleging as many as eight slices may have been involved.

At this time, those allegations remain unverified, but the situation will continue to be monitored closely.

Other Callouts

We continue to be blessed by men such as Nate, Taylor, Monty, and others who have volunteered to lead devotionals throughout the years.

I'd love to see even more volunteers step forward in the future.

Financial Impact

The Cider Cup continues to have a meaningful impact on both Cynthiana Country Club and our local community.

The days leading up to the event saw increased activity as participants fine-tuned their games.
Friday practice rounds generated approximately $540 in cart, food, and beverage revenue.
Two Rivers Pizza generated $951 in food sales during the weekend.
Food and tip revenue at Biancke’s Station totaled $1,014. (Not counting alcohol and tips)
Club staff reported receiving more than $400 in tips.
$200 for Conner Whitaker's musical performance.

$4,936 in revenue for Cynthiana Country Club.
$1,600 raised for Ronnie Brown’s brothers’ family. (There will be more coming, but I need to balance the books a bit)

Thank you

Events like this don't happen without the efforts of many people.

Thank you to:

Grant Howard, Tim Levi, and Hub Fryman for their outstanding work preparing the golf course.
Joseph and Emily Ammerman for hosting the Pairings Party.
Amanda Aldridge and the entire CCC staff for another exceptional weekend.
Brian Kinsey, Kelvin Winkle, Shain Stephens, and Austin Sparks for handling tee markers, flags, tent setup, and countless details behind the scenes.
Our wives, families, and friends for their unwavering support.
Our Cider Cup rookies. Thank you for joining the tradition. We hope you'll be back for many years to come.

Final Thoughts

Finally, thank you to everyone who played.

Without question, the Cider Cup is my favorite golf event of the year. It somehow manages to get better every year, and being able to share it with my son continues to be one of the great joys of my life.

What makes the Cider Cup special isn't the format, the trophies, the statistics, or even the golf itself.

It's the people.

Somehow, over the last fourteen years, this group has become a family. Friendships, competition, faith, laughter, and memories are what keep us coming back year after year.

There is something special about knowing that after all the planning, all the matches, all the birdies, and all the heartbreaks, we'll gather again next year as friends.

Please visit www.cidercup.com for additional statistics, photos, and information.

God bless each of you and your families.

Ray Sparks