In 1937, Bing Crosby created a golf tournament that he called “The Clambake”.  This tournament preceded the existence of the PGA Tour.  His intention was to invite his Hollywood pals that enjoyed playing golf to a weekend of partying and playing a team-format tournament along with professional golfers.  The tournament was originally played at Rancho Santa Fe Country Club near his home in San Diego.  Sam Sneed was the first winner for a prize of $500.  In 1947, Bing moved the tournament to the Monterey Peninsula.  The same tournament still continues today as an official PGA Tour stop as the AT&T Pro-Am at Pebble Beach.

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I’m going to call the tournament this summer in Cape Breton, the “Lobster Boil”.  There won’t be any Hollywood stars, professionals, or spectators …just a bunch of hacks from Toronto duking it out for bragging rights.  Everyone who is coming loves golf – I’m sure it will be a great time.

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Reminder of the format:

-      Fly direct to Sydney the evening of Thursday, July 17

-       Play Friday and Saturday Foursomes and Fourball matches at www.thelakesgolfclub.ca (5 minutes from my cottage).

-       Friday night, we'll do a Lobster Boil and Bonfire at the cottage …and a little Pitch and Putt competition up on my practice facility under the lights with some beers and betting.

-       Saturday night, we'll head over to Inverness for Sunday's Singles matches and finale at www.cabotlinks.ca

-       For those that need to get back to the office Monday July 21, book Westjet or Air Canada and you’ll be at your desk before 9:30 am.  (Details below)

-       For those that want to make it a more leisurely trip, join me for another day of golf at Cabot Links, head back to my cottage Monday night, and we'll take a flight back to Toronto Tuesday morning.

-       Or, as some of you have already told me you are planning, invite your family out afterward and stay for a longer vacation and explore the rest of Cape Breton

Flight prices have gone up between $50-100 (depending on what flight you book) since November.  So if you are booking now, the trip will likely cost you around $1,600 all-in, plus another $400 if you stay the extra day at Cabot Links.

I need to start narrowing down numbers to manage logistics of ground transport, accommodations, meals, and tournament format (likely to be some variation of Ryder Cup format).  Many of you have given me verbal confirmations, but until you have booked a flight, I won’t count you as 100%.  Please let me know as soon as you can whether or not you are coming.  

For those that have already told me you can’t come, I won’t include you on any future emails.  I just want to include everyone on the original invitation list on this second follow up email to make sure I have all of my details correct.

I have attached an excel file that lists all of the invitees.  If there is someone that I may have overlooked, please let me know – I am sure I have forgotten to invite some.  As long as they are good guys that love golf and play enough to have a real handicap, they are welcome to join us.  I can probably do up to 24 guys …currently 12 have booked flights.

Please double check the data I have for you on this spreadsheet and update me accordingly.

If you are coming, do the following and let me know your choices:

1) Let me know if you want to stay the extra day to golf again at Cabot Links on Monday, July 21.  If so, you will fly back on Tuesday morning.

2) Book Departure flight to Sydney for Thursday, July 17, 2014:

- Westjet WS 278 Departs from Pearson at 7:55pm  *** (I'LL BE ON THIS FLIGHT) ***

- or Air Canada AC 8794 at 10:15 PM, but it doesn't land until 1:34 AM because we lose an hour going east …but if you need to take this flight, then take it

3) Book Return flight to Toronto on Monday or Tuesday, July 21 or 22:

- Westjet WS 275 leaves Sydney each day at 6:30 AM and lands Toronto at 8:06AM

- Air Canada AC 1152 leaves Sydney each day at 5:30 AM and lands at 7:08am  *** (I WILL BE ON THIS FLIGHT ON TUESDAY) ***

Note, if you have already booked AC8799 or AC8795, you should have received an itinerary change saying you are now on flight AC1152.  It seems as if they have amalgamated these two 50-seater flights onto one 90-seater.

4) If you want your own fancy room at the Inn, contact www.thebirchescountryinn.ca at 1-866-244-8862.  I put a few rooms aside under my name.  Tell them you want to take one of those rooms and give them your own credit card info, etc.  This will be in addition to the trip cost I mentioned above.  (Let me know if you are doing this).

Otherwise, you can stay at my cottage free of charge.  Depending on numbers, I might rent the neighbouring cottage, pop a couple tents, or borrow my aunt’s RV for overflow beds if needed.  I have 2 showers, plus we can use the golf course locker room shower if needed.

For Cabot Links, I have already put aside some rooms, so no need to take any action for that.

I will have an uncle shuttling us around in a van/bus.  I will figure out a “caterer” for a Lobster Boil on Friday Night.  But don’t expect anything too fancy …it is Cape Breton.

Cheers!  Bring on Spring.  I’ve had enough of this winter now.

For several years I have been planning on inviting a bunch of buddies who are passionate about golf out to Cape Breton for a three-day Ryder Cup-style competition.  All of you know I love golf and know I love Cape Breton.  Finally, I am getting this trip I've always talked about organized.

Save the Date:  July 18-20, 2014  (weekend of The British Open)

Timing is designed to allow you to miss just one weekday out of the office (Friday, July 18) if time is of the essence.  Or, if you can swing it, stay for an extra day after the competition for a more leisurely day at Cabot Links on July 21 and a more relaxed travel schedule back to Toronto on Tuesday, July 22.

Approximate Cost:  $1,500 (About $400 more if you stay for Monday at Cabot Links (Covers Flights, Green Fees, Accommodations, Prizes, and Ground Transport …I will firm up costs when I have a better idea of numbers)

We'll play Friday and Saturday Foursomes and Fourball matches at www.thelakesgolfclub.ca (5 minutes from my cottage)

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On Friday night, we'll plan to do a Lobster Dinner and Bonfire at the cottage …and a little Pitch and Putt competition up on my practice facility under the lights with some beers and betting.

Then on Saturday night, we'll head over to www.cabotlinks.ca for Sunday's Singles matches and finale at www.cabotlinks.ca

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For those that need to get back to the office Monday am, there is a flight that leaves Sydney at 5:50am and lands Toronto at 7:30am.  For those that want to make it a more leisurely trip, join me for another day of golf at Cabot Links, head back to my cottage Monday night, and we'll take a flight back to Toronto at noon on Tuesday.

The trip could work for anywhere between 8 and 24 guys (if we're near the higher end of that range, we'll get a few overflow rooms at the inn nearby)

If interested, do the following:

1) Let me know that you want to come.  I will consider you confirmed when you tell me you've booked your flights.  Believe it or not, flights to Sydney are always booked up in advance (they are usually at least half full of guys commuting to Fort McMurray).

2) Decide whether you want to stay the extra day to golf again at Cabot Links on Monday, July 21.

3) Book Departure flight to Sydney for Thursday, July 17, 2014:
    - Westjet WS 278 Departs from Pearson at 7:55pm  *** (I'LL BE ON THIS FLIGHT) ***
    - or Air Canada AC 8794 at 10:15 PM, but it doesn't land until 1:34 AM because we lose an hour going east …but if you need to take this flight, then take it

4) Book Return flight to Toronto on Monday or Tuesday, July 21 or 22:
     - Westjet WS 275 leaves Sydney each day at 6:30 AM and lands Toronto at 8:06AM
    - Air Canada AC 8795 leaves Sydney at 5:50 AM and lands at 7:30am
    - Air Canada AC 8799 leaves Sydney at 12 noon and lands at 1:35pm  *** (I WILL BE ON THIS FLIGHT ON TUESDAY) ***

5) Keep your golf game sharp and have your Handicap Index ready for next July (We'll be setting the teams in the weeks approaching the date).

6) Cross your fingers for good weather.

7) If you book your flights now, they should cost about $500 all-in.  Expect to spend another $1,000 - $1,500 for everything else.  I will collect money from everyone once I know our costs.

8) Let me know if there is someone else you know that I should invite.  I may have overlooked someone easily, or may not have their email address.  Any good guys who appreciate friendly competitive golf are welcome.

If you need to bribe the wife, consider the option of having the family join you afterward (or before) for a family vacation touring the Cabot Trail and/or PEI and other parts of the Nova Scotia (Organize that separately, but I would be happy to give you lots of suggestions).

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I have also attached a tentative schedule for the weekend.