ISSUE #25

👋 Hey NCC golfers,

The biggest week in Delaware golf is almost here!!!

The 61st Delaware Open tees off next week at DuPont, and the field is loaded. We broke down every storyline in this week's newsletter. And for the first time ever, we're live streaming the tournament!

That's not all. We've got a free perk for you this week: subscribers can join a fall Twilight Golf League at Rock Manor or White Clay Creek with the registration fee waived. Details inside.

Plus club championships you can still enter, Fall leagues being announced left and right, and a night golf event you won’t want to miss.

Let's get into it.

The biggest event in Delaware golf returns next week, and this year's field might be the deepest in recent memory. Eight former champions. A three-time winner defending his title. A red-hot local amateur crashing the party. And for the first time, you can watch it live!

The 61st Delaware Open runs August 25-26 at DuPont Country Club, and the NCC Golf Report will be live streaming both days on YouTube and Facebook. More on that below. First, the stories.

All eyes start on Braden Shattuck. He's the defending champion, and he's not just a one-off winner, he's taken this title three times (2018, 2021, and 2025). Shattuck is one of the most accomplished players in the region: the 2023 PGA Professional Champion, a multiple-time PGA Championship competitor, and the reigning Philadelphia PGA Player of the Year. He also has real local roots, he played his college golf at the University of Delaware and grew up competing on Rock Manor. His comeback story alone is remarkable, having rebuilt his swing from the ground up after a 2019 car accident left him with serious back injuries. He's the man to beat, and everyone in the field knows it.

Here's what makes this year special: Shattuck isn't walking into a soft field. He's surrounded by golfers who've all hoisted this trophy. Ryan Rucinski won it in 2024. Michael Chanaud took the 2023 title. Zac Oakley has won it twice (2015, 2022). Add in past champions Dave McNabb, Eric Onesi, and Jay Whitby, and you've got a field stacked with pedigree. To win the 61st Delaware Open, you'll have to beat a room full of guys who know exactly what it takes.

Now for the story we're most excited about. Kie Shaw of Rock Manor is the local amateur worth watching, and he arrives on a heater. Shaw took medalist honors at the Odessa National qualifier with a 4-under 68, the low score of the entire day, and he recently captured the Rock Manor Club Championship for the second time. And get this, he only started playing 4 years ago!

A high school amateur, playing the best golf of his life, taking on a field full of champions, including Shattuck, who came up on the same Rock Manor turf. If you're looking for a reason to watch, this is it.

There's another local pro worth following: Michael Tobiason, the Head Golf Professional at Deerfield. Tobiason is a Wilmington native who learned the game at Delcastle, played in the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional, and appeared on Golf Channel's Big Break. I was lucky enough to have a lesson with Michael at the beginning of the season, and you can check out that video here.

Keep an eye on the Barbin brothers, Austin, Evan, and Zach, all three competing out of Chesapeake Bay Golf Club. This is one of the most accomplished golf families in the region. Evan won the 2024 Delaware Amateur right here at White Clay Creek, and Zach, an assistant pro at Chesapeake Bay, just won the 50th Pro-Am for Wishes at Penn Oaks earlier this month. Three siblings in the same championship field is a rare thing, and this trio arrives playing some of their best golf.

New Castle County's public courses are well represented this year:

Greg Wolfe (St. Anne's)
Matt Loeslein (Odessa National)
Andrew Hess (Odessa National)
Tom Eisenacher (Frog Hollow)

And host DuPont Country Club has a big home-club crew teeing it up on familiar ground. View the entire list of players here.

Coverage times will be announced on our Facebook and Instagram later this week, and we'll send out an email with the full details, so make sure you're following us and keep an eye on your inbox. The best way to catch it live is to follow us on YouTube and Facebook now, so you get the notification the moment we go live.

Thank you to the sponsors making this coverage possible

Next week’s live stream is happening because a group of local businesses stepped up to back local golf.

Coverage Presented by Back Nine Wilmington & Paoli
When the courses close and winter sets in, Back Nine is where your game stays sharp, state-of-the-art simulators, real practice, and a place to compete year-round. They're the area's home for indoor golf, and they're proud to headline this next week's coverage.

Leaderboard powered by St. Anne's Golf Links
Every time you check the standings next week, you've got St. Anne's to thank. One of New Castle County's premier public courses, St. Anne's is a links-style layout in Middletown that plays like nothing else in the county.

Supported by Sundance Kitchen, Bath & Exteriors
From kitchens and baths to the outside of your home, Sundance is the local team that makes your house look as dialed-in as you wish your golf swing was. Quality work, done right, by people who live and work here.

Supported by A Golf Collab
Golf is more than a sport, and A Golf Collab is on a mission to prove it, opening the game up to communities too often left off the tee sheet. Through original experiences and apparel, they're building a more diverse golf culture, one round at a time. Because in golf and life, your approach matters.

Now let's go watch some golf. ⛳

Alright get your bets in!

Last Poll Result: A whopping 85% of you said you’re just here for the golf and will be passing on playing in any tournaments this season. I appreciate the honesty. Competitive golf is not for everyone.

A free perk, just for subscribers: join a Twilight Golf League on us.

We teamed up with Twilight Golf to get you something good. NCC Golf Report subscribers get free registration (fee waived) to join a fall Twilight League at two local courses. After-work nine holes, friendly competition, and the best light of the day, no registration cost.

Here's what's on offer:

⛳ Rock Manor, Tuesdays. August 25 through September 29. Tee times 4:30 to 5:20 PM.

⛳ White Clay Creek, Thursdays. August 27 through October 1. Tee times 5:00 to 6:00 PM.

Want in? We'll send you a private signup link with your registration fee waived. Just fill out the quick form below and we'll get you set up.

Last Week’s Trivia Results: 42% of you guessed right last week that Chris Anderson is the Wilmington, DE native is considered one of the greatest golfers in state history, winning the Delaware Open a record seven times and once reaching match play at the U.S. Amateur.

↗️ 🏆 Kie Shaw wins the Rock Manor Club Championship. The amateur fired a pair of 73s to take home the trophy, and he's carrying that form straight into the Delaware Open next week. Congrats, Kie.

↗️ 🏆 It's Club Championship month across the county. Three of our courses crown their 2026 champions on the same weekend, August 29-30. Whether you're competing or just following along, there's a title on the line near you:

Back Creek (Aug 29) tees off at 9:30am with Gross and Net divisions across Men's, Senior, and Ladies. $20 members, $100 non-members. Call the golf shop at 302-378-6499.

Ed Oliver (Aug 29-30) still has registration open. Get in while you can.

St. Anne's (Aug 28-30) runs a Friday practice round into 36-hole championship rounds. Sign-ups close Aug 26, reply to [email protected] to enter.

↗️ 🏌️ Birdie's announces the inaugural Delaware Indoor Classic. A 2-man scramble on Sunday, October 18. 9am tee time, played on Pebble Beach (virtually, of course). $150 per team with cash prizes on the line. Register at [email protected].

↗️ ⛳ Birdie's Fall League signups are open. Two-player teams, 8 weeks plus playoffs, every Wednesday starting September 28. Practice at 5:30pm, play at 6pm, rotating 9-hole competition format. $90 due at signup plus $20 weekly per person, and play any day as long as scores are in by Wednesday at 5pm. Email [email protected] to get in.

↗️ 🌙 White Clay Creek launches a 9-Hole Tuesday League. A 12-week Better Ball Stableford league (2 to a team) starting September 1. $45 gets you in, and the registration deadline is August 27. Grab a partner and settle some friendly scores. Click the link above to register.

↗️ 🏈 Flight Indoor launches a Monday Night Football league. An indoor golf league running 10 weeks, Sept 14 to Nov 16. 16 teams, two players each, $300 per person. A fun way to keep the season going indoors.

↗️ 🔥 Range Night at Back Creek, Aug 27. $5 for any size bucket, free for kids, plus free hot dogs and a DJ from 3:30 to 7:30pm. Bring the family.

↗️ ⛳ Free Titleist club fitting at Ed Oliver. Monday, August 24. Time slots are available from 10am to 3pm.

Hey NCC crew,

I'll be honest with you, I'm a little nervous about next week.

Live streaming the Delaware Open is the biggest thing we've ever taken on. There's a real chance something goes sideways. But I'd rather try something ambitious and stumble than sit on the sidelines and cover it from a distance like everyone else.

Because that's the whole point of this thing. When I started the NCC Golf Report, it was just a guy who loved local golf and thought it deserved better coverage than it was getting. 25 weeks later, we're broadcasting the state's biggest championship to whoever wants to watch. This still doesn't feel real.

None of it happens without you. The people who open this every week. And it doesn't happen without the local businesses who are backing the stream because they believe in what we're building here.

So next week, come watch with us. Cheer on the local players. Bear with us if the stream hiccups. And know that you're part of something that didn't exist in New Castle County golf a couple years ago.

See you out there, live.

I ❤️ New Castle County Golf.

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