On Monday, December 20th, Andy Shaffer turned in his CGA card with deep regret. Shaffer was a member of the CGA since 2002 and amassed over $3,100 in career earnings (Author's note: I believe Shaffer is 3rd on the Career Money List, but the list has not been updated since 9/7/09 so I am not able to report an exact figure for his career earnings nor his all-time ranking). By any measure, Shaffer was one of if not the best player to ever play in the CGA.
Shaffer had this to say about his CGA experience:
The friendship's and the incredible times on and off the course will be 8 years of gratitude and amazement for me personally. I wrote out my own top 10 moments of CGA yesterday and had a great time recollecting the awesome memories that all of you had a hand in helping create for me.
Shaffer's Chuckie West playing partner for the past two years, Brad Underwood, had this to say upon learning of the news: "Andy will go down in my book as the best player the CGA has ever had. We will miss his golf swing, but more importantly just having him out with the guys."
Chuckie West would have tried for a record 3rd straight team title in 2011, but instead Mr. Underwood will now "go into the hat" for the 2011 season.
We wish Shaffes (aka Chong) the best of luck in his post-CGA life. He will always be welcomed back.
Following are Shaffe's Top 10 CGA memories:
- Winning 2009 Team Title with Brad Underwood as Chuckie West came back from 3rd overall to win the League on the last hole of the last day of 2009.
- Winning 2007 Team Title with my “Brother from another Mother” (Hos). Red #’s dominated right out of the gates and won from start to finish in 2007 and had both players finish in the top 3 overall individual.
- Winning my only CGA Match Play at the infamous “Black Diamond” in 2009 with only Pete and I and Jay Feller there to observe while the rest of the league was off “golfing” on the back nine, thanks for following us around Jay!
- 2003- “Chemical Alie- Shock n Awe” came out and destroyed us (Vulgeraghty) during the championship nine at the TEA. Needless to say the warheads that the current Commash was using against me at the time- were later deemed to be WAMD grade material.
- 2002- First year in the league, going through my divorce at the same time, the CGA gave me something to look forward to each Monday night, even though it was on top of a City Trash Dump (The Phoenix)
- 2002-Finishing my first major in complete darkness at Foxfire was hilarious (chasing the rodent around the tee-caught on film), congrats KC (Ray Charles)
- Ozzie and Webbie dressed up as Domino’s Pizza Boys, and it wasn’t even Halloween yet!
- 2005- Almost physically assaulting the A..whole living on #9 one night , trying to defend my partner from being harassed and verbally assaulted almost got into a fist fight, PRICELESS.
- Seeing so many of “your golf games” improve each year, even as we all get older, is awesome. Keep it up Jorge, you’re gonna break 80 brother and take everyone’s $
- Special thanks to Greg and Ozzie for inviting me into the CGA back in early 2002 and the opportunity to meet and play golf with so many great dudes. Play well Cronies and PLAY FAST!!