Hall of Champions

Holding the Solstice Cup is a special experience.

The prestigious list of past champions, their stories and scores are documented below.

2024 Champion – Jeff Hipp

Well, finally, Jeff is the champion! However, there is an asterisk applied to the results of the 2024 Solstice Cup. The weather played a significant role in influencing the proceedings of the tournament. We successfully completed the first two rounds as planned. However, because we anticipated experiencing inclement weather conditions, we made the strategic decision to utilize the first two rounds of individual scoring to compensate for the anticipated loss of the rounds scheduled for Saturday. This decision proved to be a wise one. Jeff delivered an impressive performance, shooting scores of 73 and 74 to create a substantial lead over the competition and ultimately secure his first Solstice Cup title!

Placement	Player	1st Six	2nd Six	Final Six	Day One Total	R3--F9	R4--B9	Total thru Day Two	Subtotal going into The Final	2024 Solstice Cup Total
Champion!	Hipp	15	12	14	41	21	20	82	82	82
T-3	Simmons	14	12	13	39	18	21	78	78	78
	Hailer	14	13	11	38	19	21	78	78	78
	Ellison	15	13	15	43	21	19	83	83	83
T-3	Morris	14	12	15	41	18	21	80	80	80
Second	Marx	14	13	13	40	21	20	81	81	81
	Friebe	14	12	11	37	21	19	77	77	77
	Ciulis	14	13	14	41	19	21	81	81	81

2023 Champion – Al Morris

“Be wary of an injured golfer” was mentioned at the start of the week and it resonated strongly as Al played incredibly well throughout the entire week despite not feeling 100% and ultimately came away as the Champion. Both Rick and Jeff (Hipp) were fiercely in pursuit, but unfortunately, they couldn’t quite catch up to him. As the final round began, Rick was in the lead while Jeff and Tom were close behind in third place. Al, who was positioned in second, played solid and consistent golf, managing to pull away decisively at the turn and never looking back. Well done, Al! You are now a two-time Champion!

Place	Player	R1_1st 9	R2_2nd 9	Day One Total	R3	R4	Total thru Day Two	R5	R6	Subtotal going into The Final	Final Round	2023 Solstice Cup Total
Third	Hipp	20	24	44	22	15	81	21	18	120	33	153
Second	Simmons	24	23	47	22	18	87	17	24	128	27	155
	Hailer	15	23	38	17	17	72	21	24	117	29	146
	Ellison	20	20	40	22	17	79	17	24	120	28	148
Champion!	Morris	24	24	48	17	15	80	21	24	125	33	158
	Marx	15	20	35	22	18	75	21	18	114	26	140
	GHOST	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Placement	Player	1st Six	2nd Six	3rd Six	Day One Total	R4 Front	R5 Back	Total thru Day Two	R6 Front	R7 Back	Subtotal going into The Final	Final Round	2022 Solstice Cup Total
Second	Hipp	11	13	11	35	23	19	77	20	23	120	34	154
	Simmons	14	13	12	39	20	20	79	21	20	120	27	147
	Hailer	11	15	12	38	20	22	80	18	22	120	30	150
Third	Ellison	14	15	11	40	22	21	83	21	17	121	31	152
	Morris	14	12	12	38	23	22	83	21	17	121	30	151
Champion	Marx	13	12	13	38	20	21	79	20	22	121	33	154
	Ciulis	14	12	13	39	22	20	81	18	23	122	24	146
	GHOST	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

2022 Champion – Scott Marx

What a finish! Scott repeated as Champion in the first-ever Solstice Cup Playoff. Scott made an 80-foot putt on the 18th hole to tie Jeff Hipp for the lead. The two went off to #10 at Belvedere to settle the Championship. They tied the first hole and moved onto the second play-off hole, #11. After two great drives by both players, Scott holed his approach shot, with a 3-wood, to win the Cup in dramatic fashion! A birdie to tie in regulation and an eagle to win! Well done, Scott!

Placement	Player	1st Six	2nd Six	3rd Six	Day One Total	R4 Front	R5 Back	Total thru Day Two	R6 Front	R7 Back	Subtotal going into The Final	Final Round	2021 Solstice Cup Total
	Hipp	16	12	11	39	20	24	83	21	19	123	34	157
	Simmons	18	17	11	46	23	18	87	20	19	126	31	157
Third	Hailer	16	17	18	51	22	23	96	16	23	135	27	162
Second	Ellison	18	12	18	48	22	20	90	19	21	130	33	163
	Morris	13	14	17	44	20	18	82	19	23	124	30	154
Champion!	Marx	16	13	17	46	22	23	91	21	19	131	36	167
	Heidt	16	14	13	43	23	24	90	16	21	127	0	127
	GHOST	13	13	13	39	22	20	81	20	19	120	0	120

2021 Champion – Scott Marx

Scott captured his first Cup with his classic steady play! Tom was looking for a repeat but Scott would have nothing of it! What a great final day! Nice win Scott!

2020 Champion – Tom Ellison

The Solstice Cup was played locally in the Detroit area due to Covid but that didn’t stop Tom from bringing home the Cup!. It was a very tight and exciting finish right down to the 18th hole as Rick was closing in on Tom. What a finish! Great job Tom!

Placement	Player	1st Six	2nd Six	3rd Six	Day One Total	R4 Front	R5 Back	Total thru Day Two	R6 Front	R7 Back	Subtotal going into The Final	Final Round	2020 Solstice Cup Total
	Hipp	12	10	12	34	21	20	75	18	25	118	35	153
Second	Simmons	12	14	12	38	19	23	80	23	20	123	41	164
	Hailer	18	10	12	40	22	25	84	19	19	125	23	148
Champion!	Ellison	15	16	13	44	18	25	87	23	25	135	32	167
	Morris	13	16	14	43	21	23	87	20	19	126	31	157
	Marx	18	14	12	44	18	18	80	20	19	119	25	144
Third	Ciulis	15	15	14	44	22	18	84	18	20	122	37	159
	Sandercock	13	15	13	41	19	20	80	19	19	118	21	139

Place	Player	R1_1st 9	R2_2nd 9	Day One Total	R3	R4	Total thru Day Two	R5	R6	Subtotal going into The Final	Final Round	2019 Solstice Cup Total
	Hipp	16	18	34	21	18	73	14	17	104	35	139
Second	Simmons	16	19	35	23	19	77	17	18	112	33	145
	Hailer	18	19	37	23	18	78	18	17	113	27	140
	Ellison	19	16	35	20	20	75	14	17	106	20	126
Champion!	Morris	23	18	41	23	20	84	17	14	115	37	152
Third	Marx	23	19	42	21	16	79	18	18	115	29	144
	Ellis	18	16	34	23	16	73	19	17	109	32	141

2019 Champion – Al Morris

Al broke away from the field on the final day to beat out the chasers, Rick and Scott. AL would not be denied and brought home his first Solstice Cup victory!

Place	Player	1st Six	2nd Six	3rd Six	One Club	Day One Total	R4 Front	R5 Back	Total thru Day Two	R6 Front	R7 Back	Subtotal going into Final	Final Round	2018 Solstice Cup Total
	Hipp	12	14	15	5	46	16	20	82	0	0	0	0	82
Champion!	Simmons	12	12	16	10	50	19	19	88	21	18	33	72	160
	Hailer	12	17	15	12	56	18	19	93	13	20	23	56	149
Third	Ellison	10	17	15	14	56	19	16	91	14	16	33	63	154
	Morris	10	14	15	13	52	22	14	88	21	18	23	65	153
Second	Marx	10	18	1	13	57	22	20	99	14	20	23	60	159
	Ciulis	10	12	12	13	47	18	16	81	0	0	0	0	81
	Lorts	12	18	12	11	53	16	14	83	13	16	0	29	112

2018 Champion – Rick Simmons

Rick became the first first-ever back-to-back Champion! Great play and steady nerves helped Rick edge out Scott tobring home the Cup for the second time! Well played Rick!

2017 Champion: Rick Simmons

Our hostess with the mostest pulled through and won the Cup! Rick is a very deserving champion. He played great golf throughout the tournament and capitalized on each of his partner’s strengths. Each competitor would love to be the champion but it was great to see our annual host capture the glory of the Solstice Cup. Well played Rick!

Place	Player	1st Six @ CCC	2nd Six @ CCC	3rd Six @ CCC	One Club @ CCC	Day One Total	R3 @ Antrim Dells	Total thru Day Two	R4 Chapman @ BGC	R6 Scramble @ BGC	R6 Final @ BGC	Final Day Sub-Total	2017 Solstice Cup Total
T-Third	Hipp	16	15	5	11	47	40	87	22	25	26	73	160
Champion!	Simmons	14	13	4	9	40	47	87	20	25	34	79	166
	Hailer	18	13	5	6	42	39	81	20	21	28	69	150
	Ellison	14	14	5	11	44	38	82	22	21	32	75	157
	Morris	15	14	4	12	45	40	85	20	21	32	73	164
Second	Marx	16	13	5	10	44	47	91	20	21	32	73	164
T-Third	Ciulis	18	15	5	15	53	38	91	20	24	25	69	160
	Lorts	15	13	5	9	42	39	81	20	24	33	77	158

2016 Champion: Dan Ciulis

2016 was a hard-fought year and Dan brought his A-game. Jeff gave him a run but he could not close the gap on Dan's great week of play. Rick played very well, too, and finished 3rd to Jeff's second. Well done Dan-O-The-Man-O. A hard-fought victory it was.

Place	Player	1st Six @ CCC	2nd Six @ CCC	3rd Six @ CCC	Day One Total	R3 @ DMGL	Total thru Day Two	R4 Chapman @ BGC	R6 Scramble @ BGC	Final @ BGC	Final Day Sub-Total	2016 Solstice Cup Total
Second	Hipp	13	12	14	39	43	82	19	19	43	81	163
Third	Simmons	19	12	14	46	43	89	19	21	28	68	157
	Hailer	13	15	13	41	34	75	22	21	27	70	145
	Ellison	13	15	14	42	40	82	24	14	24	62	144
	Morris	13	12	13	38	31	69	19	20	29	68	137
	Marx	14	14	14	42	31	73	24	19	31	74	147
Champion!	Ciulis	14	13	18	45	40	85	22	20	38	80	165
	Lorts	19	14	18	51	34	85	19	14	0	33	118

Place	Player	R1 @ BGC	R2 One Club 9 @ BGC	Day One Totala	R3 @ Boyne Mon	R4 @ Boyne Alpine	Total thru Day Two	R5 Chapman @ BGC	R6 Aggregate @BGC	2015 Solstice Cup Total
	Hipp	36	31	67	30	38	135	40	58	233
Second	Simmons	43	27	70	27	37	134	44	65	243
	Hailer	39	30	39	35	37	141	33	58	232
Champion!	Ellison	43	30	73	36	38	147	37	64	248
	Morris	36	27	63	27	29	119	33	58	210
Third	Marx	39	31	70	36	34	140	4	58	242
Fourth	Ciulis	36	24	63	35	34	132	40	64	236

2015 Inaugural Champion: Tom Ellison

What more can be said about Tom's run for the victory in the inaugural Solstice Cup. He played very well and capitalized on his great short game and partners timely play to bring home the inaugural Solstice Cup trophy. Rick, Scott and Dan were right behind him battling for the trophy but Tom held everyone off on Saturday's singles to capture the crown and the honor of becoming the first Solstice Cup winner.

The Early years… 1991 - 2014 Big Wood

The "Golf Trip" began in 1991 with a close-knit group of guys who centered their camaraderie around Rick, his brother Brad, and their friends Mike "Gibby" Lorts, Brian "Coolman" Coleman, Scott Marx, Tom Ellison, along with a few other enthusiastic participants. This initial golf trip was played at the beautiful Lakewood Shores Resort, with the Gailes course serving as the centerpiece of the experience. Little did that founding group of players know that this would start decades of unforgettable trips filled with laughter and competition. In the second year, 1992, the trip returned to Lakewood Shores, welcoming Jeff Hipp to the group alongside the previous year's players. That year featured the legendary stories of “Cadavers,” “Three-Swing Guy,” and other colorful characters that became a part of their shared history. Tom’s memorable squirrel session inside the Jade(d) suite on Rick solidified the notion that the Cadavers could never again join the trip, as they were left quite mortified by what they had witnessed. As for year three, in 1993, the location remains a mystery and could have been the Grand Traverse Resort. From 1994 to 2003, the trips continued, culminating in a special period from 2004 to 2014 in beautiful Charlevoix, where Rick's new cottage became a beloved gathering place. 2014 marked the end of an era with Big Wood, closing a significant chapter in their golfing adventures.