The Roccinger Cup

 

Year by Year:

 

2002  Winner  Gerard Rocchi          Location: Wilbraham Country Club / Wilbraham, MA

The inaugural Roccinger was hosted by the Wilbraham Country Club. This match was the first test of the unique golf format and Gerard worked hard for the victory. Jumping out to a quick 6 stroke lead after the first nine holes of competition, Gerard had to phone in a turkey sandwich order at the turn to avoid a complete loss of senses. Bob was able to close the lead to 4 strokes at hole number 14 but Gerard quickly composed himself to finish the match on 15 with a 4 stroke win. After this convincing win, the famous quote from Ali Rocchi "Dad, do you think the Bobinator will ever win?” gave inspiration to Bob. The stage was set for Roccingers to come. 

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2003  Winner  Bob Hellinger           Location: Hampden Country Club / Hampden, MA

The Hamden Country Club hosted the 2nd Roccinger on a beautiful fall day in 2003. This was a close match throughout with Bob making the turn with a 1 shot lead. By the 14th hole Bob was up by 3 strokes and although Gerard managed to cut the lead to 1 stroke after 16 holes, Bob won 17 and closed it out with a halve on 18. The odd makers were stunned and Bob pulled off the improbable win. Who knew this was only the beginning of the longest winning streak in Roccinger history.

 

2004  Winner  Bob Hellinger           Location: Wilbraham Country Club / Wilbraham, MA

The Wilbraham CC was the site of the rubber match. Gerard has never admitted it but it seemed as though he tried a new strategy in this match and let Bob jump out to a 4 stoke lead after 4 holes of play. The strategy seemed to pay off as Bob was only up by 2 strokes at the turn on nine and Gerard evened the match on the 14th hole. But Bob dug down deep and won the next two holes to go up 2 stokes on 16 and close it out on 17. Gerard had another year to contemplate his strategy.

 

2005  Winner  Bob Hellinger           Location: Wilbraham Country Club / Wilbraham, MA

The fourth annual Roccinger was another victory for Bob. Bob won four straight holes on the front nine to take the turn with a 3 stroke advantage. The double shot rule may have again come into play as Gerard was able to tie the match on the 13th hole. From there on in it was back and forth until the 18th hole. Bob was able to keep the match from going into a playoff by winning the 18th hole. Truly a match to remember.

 

2006  Winner  Bob Hellinger           Location: Wilbraham Country Club / Wilbraham, MA

The 2006 Roccinger will be known as the DQ match. On the first hole of play, Gerard called himself on a hole disqualification, the first ever in competition play at the Roccinger. This helped Bob jump out to an early 4 stoke lead. Gerard won the ninth hole and Bob made the turn up by 3 strokes. Gerard made a late charge to cut the lead to one on the 16th hole but he could not sustain the momentum. Bob closed out the match with a win on hole number 17 to take home the trophy once again.

 

2007  Winner  Bob Hellinger           Location: Hampden Country Club / Hampden, MA

Hampden Country Club was the scene of the closest match to date. A total of 6 holes were halved and the lead went back and forth throughout the match. At the turn the score was tied for the first time in Roccinger history. Gerard was able to tie the match on the 17th hole and the match came down to the 18th hole. Bob then claimed victory with a win on the final hole by draining a clutch 4 foot put. This capped a record five straight Roccinger Cup wins for Bob. A record that some say will never be broken.

 

2008  Winner  Gerard Rocchi          Location: Wilbraham Country Club / Wilbraham, MA

The seventh annual Roccinger was the comeback event for Gerard. This was another hard fought, close battle with Gerard making the turn with a 2 stroke lead, a lead he would never relinquish. Bob was unable to mount a serious comeback and Gerard closed out the match on the 17th hole with a 2 stroke lead. Truly a convincing win and redemption for Mr. Rocchi after five years of bitter disappointment. The win set off spontaneous celebrations in Fairfield, CT as Gerard brought back the Roccinger Cup trophy after a long absence.

 

2009  Winner  Bob Hellinger           Location: The Legend at Bristlecone/ Hartland, WI

The Legend at Bristlecone in Heartland, Wisconsin played host to the 2009 event and is notable for several reasons, starting with two important firsts in Roccinger history - the 1st ever Roccinger to be held outside of Massachusetts and the 1st ever playoff. With Jake, Matt and Mike finally turning 21 the following year and thus entering the competition for the first time in 2010, 2009 also marked the final year of the 2 man format between Bob and Gerard and with it - the end of the “Founders” era.
As for the tournament itself, 2009 is remembered as the first “tequila comeback” and highlights the unique and beloved format of the Roccinger. Gerard came out of the gates strong, winning the first three holes and made the turn up 4 on Bob. By the 11th hole Gerard had a commanding 5 stoke lead with just 7 holes to play and it looked like a blowout. But, as is the signature of the Roccinger format, the Patron tequila started to kick in and Bob won the next five straight holes to even the match on 16. Gerard was able to compose himself enough to win hole 17 but Bob battled back on 18 to send it into a playoff for the first time in Roccinger history. Four additional holes were needed before Bob was declared the winner on the 22nd hole of play. A comeback of epic proportions!

 

2010  Winner  Jake Rocchi            Location: Lake of Isles/ North Stonington, CT

2010 marked the 21st birthdays of Jake, Matt and Mike and with it, their inaugural qualification to the Roccinger Cup - just in time for the 9th annual event. The 2010 Roccinger is thus remembered as the first Roccinger to feature the new 5 man format and the start of the “Modern” era. The new format is a variation of the original “Founders” era rules with the top score or scores receiving a point for a win or tie. Unlike the 2 man format, there can be multiple winners on any hole under the new rules.

Foxwoods won a competitive bid to host the historic event, becoming the first of 3 Roccingers to be held at the casino’s esteemed golf club at Lake of Isles (2010, 2016, 2017). Mike came out strong and posted a score of 42 on the front nine but the rookie’s inexperience in the Roccinger format cost him dearly as he also posted a 7 shot tequila score at the turn. Winning hole 10 and 11 cost him two additional shots of Patron which ultimately lead to his demise. The rest of the field was able to steadily close the gap and on the 18th hole, Jake and Bob were just one point back with night decending on the course. In the dark, Jake was able to find the green in regulation and went on the tie the match with Mike. After an extravagant night featuring the best that Foxwoods Resort and Casino has to offer, a playoff between Jake and Mike was held the next morning - with the 2010 edition becoming the first and only Roccinger to be held over two days. With and impressive par on the first playoff hole, Jake was able to pull off the victory and trophy went to the next generation for the first time in the storied history of the Roccinger. The win ushered in the new 5 man format to great success and with it, the start of the “Modern” era.

 

2011  Winner  Gerard Rocchi            Location: Sea Scape /Kitty Hawk, NC

The 10th annual tournament was a close fought battle between five worthy competitors and took 6 playoff holes before a winner could be crowned. The course presented a new challenge to the field - an ocean course, Sea Scape offered narrow fairways and strong ocean breezes which played havoc with the scoring. Matt jumped out to an early lead with Gerard close on his heels, and at the turn, was leading with 5 points while Gerard and Mike were in second with 4 points. Bob and Jake (two former winners of the event) were not a factor on the first nine but showed their true Roccinger experience by winning or tieing 6 of the last 9 holes. Not enough to be a factor but enough to make it interesting (for them at least). Mike made a surge on the back nine to vault into contention. As the 18 hole competition came to a close, Matt was able to win the last hole to force a 3 way playoff between Gerard, Mike and Matt. The playoff was a hard fought and epic struggle between three fierce competitors. The tournament ended on the 2nd playoff hole for Matt with a bogey on 18. Gerard and Mike fought on for 4 more holes until Gerard sank a par putt for the victory making this the 3rd win for the veteran player.

The 2011 Roccinger still holds the record for most tequila consumed of any Roccinger, most total points/holes won, longest playoff … and consequently - the craziest post match celebration on record.

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2012  Winner: Gerard Rocchi            Location: Wilbraham Country Club / Wilbraham, MA

Wilbraham, MA -- Hosted once again by the internationally renowned CCW, the 2012 installment of the Roccinger Cup was chalked full of drama and entertainment. With a record 4 of the 5 competitors having a chance to win entering the 18th hole, 2012 was arguably the most competitive match in tournament history.
Heavy rain and slow play plagued the first five holes, but tournament officials urged the match forward. The conditions affected no player more than Matt, whose shot on the 5th hole has become an infamous part of Roccinger lore. Teeing off on the par 3, a slippery grip caused Matt's club to fly out of his hands during his follow-through ... sending the 7-iron sailing ... and landing in a tree ... Not beside a tree. Not against a tree. It nestled roughly 30 feet in the air in a tree. Unable to get it down, Matt played the remainder of the round with only 13 clubs.
Mike took an early lead after winning 5 straight holes with two birdies, costing him 2 double shots in the process. Making the turn, all players were still alive in the title hunt. At 5 points, Mike lead Gerard by 1, Jake and Matt by 2, and Bob by 3. His lead had evaporated by the 14th however, as Gerard surged to the top off the leaderboard. Jake and Matt also shot up the standings as the tournament wound down.
With 3 holes to play, Gerard held a 2 point advantage over Jake and Mike. Matt sat 3 back, while Bob had been eliminated - 4 back. Mike and Matt narrowed Gerard's lead with a pair of birdies on the 16th hole, while Matt pared 17 to complete an impressive comeback to contention. Jake added a par on the tough 17 as well to get within 1.
In an unprecedented fashion, 4 golfers had a shot at victory as the final hole began. But a couple poor drives, a few forgettable approach shots, and one historic 15 foot putt later ... Gerard was the one taking the customary final shot of tequilla as the winner of the 2012 Roccinger Cup, his 4th overall title.

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2013 Winner  Matt Hellinger          Location: The K Club / Kildare, Ireland

The Roccinger went international in 2013 for Gerard’s 50th birthday as the Hellinger and Roccinger families embarked on an epic week long vacation in Dublin, Ireland, culminating with the world’s most unique golf tournament. The K Club in Straffan, Ireland had previously been made famous for hosting the 2006 Rider Cup, but the swanky countryside resort now boasts of being chosen as the setting for the infamous 2013 Roccinger Cup.
A fittingly Irish cool, overcast day greeted the participants as they teed off at an unusual 8 AM start time - the earliest in event history. The early start did not seem to effect Mike as he jumped out to an early 2 shot lead after the 3rd hole but as the match wore on, the rest of the field kept pace. Bulmers and Guiness were added to the Roccinger vernacular in Dublin and the late nights that week were apparent when three players found the water on the 7. On the 9th hole, Gerard drained a 20 ft putt and Bob was able to cover with his own 15 ft putt, pulling both even with Mike. Jake and Matt were two strokes off the pace.
The 2013 Roccinger may well be remembered for the closeness of competition with no player ever falling more than 3 strokes off of the lead. The second 9 saw Matt come alive with 5 pars leading to wins & halves, vaulting him into the lead. The final 3 holes on K Club’s Palmer Course will humble any golfer and the Roccinger was decided on these memorable fairways. Arguably the most famous shot in tournament history was made on the 16th, with Jake’s “rock shot” becoming an instant classic when Jordi literally feel out of her golf cart with laughter at the sight of Jake’s approach shot hitting the rock wall guarding the green and sailing into the water … Jake followed that up with a miraculous birdie on seventeen which brought him into a three way tie for 2nd place with Gerard and Mike - all 3 competitors just 1 shot behind Matt. Bob was officially eliminated on 17 as Matt strode onto the 18th tee box with a one shot lead.
Matt was able to par the 18th and kiss the cup for the first time. The Emerald Isle was a fitting setting for a win by the most Irish looking participant in the field!

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2014  Winner  Bob Hellinger          Location: Wilbraham Country Club / Wilbraham, MA

 Wilbraham, MA -- The legendary Country Club of Wilbraham was the site of the 13th annual Roccinger and will be remembered for the caliber of play displayed by the competitors. A total of 6 birdies were recorded on the warm day in August, the most ever in the modern era.

The largest gallery to ever see a Roccinger (final round attendance=2) made for an electric atmosphere. The tournament opened with a birdie by Mike Hellinger on hole #1, arguably one of the harder holes to score under par on at WCC. This of course was a risky strategy by Mike as an opening double shot could have been an issue later in the round. The second birdie was posted on the par 3 fifth hole by Bob Hellinger, and both Mike and Bob scored additional birdies on the 7th hole. The double shots were taking a toll. Gerard Rocchi, Jake Rocchi and Matt Hellinger all posted wins on the front nine and the field began to tighten after the turn.

Jake Rocchi record the 5th birdie of the day on hole number 11 to pull within two of the lead. Gerard made a hard push on holes 11 through 16 and pulled into a tie with Bob going into number 18 with Mike just one stroke off of the lead.  Play-off holes were looking like a strong possibility until Bob stuck his 133 yard approach shot to within two feet. With eyes beginning to blur from the Patron, Bob calmly sank the birdie putt to record his 7th Roccinger victory. Thought to be "too old" to still win a Roccinger, Bob Hellinger showed what grit, determination and a hollow leg can accomplish!

 

2015  Winner  Mike Hellinger          Location: Wilbraham Country Club / Wilbraham, MA

 Wilbraham, MA -- The Roccinger Cup returned to its spiritual home at the Country Club of Wilbraham in 2015 for the 8th time. Idyllic playing conditions with clear skies and “Big Poppa" by Notorious B.I.G. blasting in the background greeted the contestants as they strode to the first tee. All were confident in their ability to garner the trophy but it was clear after 9 holes that this would be a 3-man race. Mike shot a record 2 over par 38 on the front nine followed by the veteran Gerard with a 41, two points back, and Matt with a 42, three points off the leader. Jake and Bob just could not keep pace and would act as spoilers from there on in.
The Roccinger format played true to form as the Patron started to take it's toll on the leader. Body shots take their toll on prize fighters and tequila shots take their toll on early Roccinger leaders. As the match wore on, the scores tightened as Gerard and Matt closed the gap. Mike was holding on as best he could but Gerard was able to tie the leader with a par on 16 while Matt could not sustain his charge. The score remained even on the 18th tee and two par putts by Gerard and Mike sent this round into extra holes.
In a rematch of the historic six-hole playoff in 2013 between the time 5x winner, Gerard, and 5x runner-up, Mike, the pair returned to the 1st hole to break the tie. The 2015 playoff would only need 1 hole this time, however, as Mike was not to be denied his place on the Cup with a par on hole number one to seal the victory. A new Roccinger winner was crowned.

 

2016  Winner  Matt Hellinger             Location: Lake of Isles/ North Stonington, CT

Foxwoods Resort Casino was the host of the 15th anniversary of the Roccinger Cup. The weather was brutally hot with temperatures in the high 90s and a heat index well over 100. This would be a challenging match to say the least and hydration was high on the minds of the competitors. Matt Hellinger was toughly hydrated after winning the first 4 holes and jumping out to an early 2 stroke lead. Mike Hellinger proceeded to come alive winning 8 & 9 and cutting the lead to one at the turn with Gerard, Bob and Jake two strokes off the pace. This was looking like a horse race to the finish and it was. Gerard Rocchi came alive on the back winning 10 & 11 to move into contention while Jake and Bob faltered and were 3 strokes off the pace going into hole #15. The tables turned quickly as the heat and tequila took there toll and when the competitors walked up to the tee at #18, there was a four way tie for first with Jake just one stroke back. This was the tightest match in recent memory.

Looking over the water at the 18th fairway, memories of the 2010 Roccinger Cup hung in the air as the day light faded. Would this be a 5 way tie with extra holes and darkness approaching? Matt & Mike proceeded to land their 2nd shots on the green of this par four hole while Jake, Gerard and Bob missed the green. It was going to come down to the putt and when Matt sank his 20 foot birdie, it put the pressure squarely on the shoulders of his brother. But "Ice Man" Mike covered the shot with his own 8 foot putt and the Roccinger Cup was going into extra holes once again.

Heading back to the 17th tee for the first playoff hole, Matt & Mike were vying to be the first two time winner of the Roccinger Cup from the second generation of competitors. The match came down to a well struck 2nd shot by Matt Hellinger which left him 4 feet from the cup. A clutch birdie putt and the match was over. "Victory" for Matt Hellinger.

 

2017  Winner   Mike Hellinger             Location: Lake of Isles/ North Stonington, CT

A forecast of heavy rains did not dampen the enthusiasm at this year's Roccinger Cup as the competitors prepared for a 10 am tee time. Foxwoods Resort Casino was grateful for the opportunity to host consecutive tournaments which bring in $200 to $300 in additional revenue to the area with each event. This was the first time the Roccinger was held on the North course at Lake of Isle and it would prove to be an excellent choice for the wet conditions that met the competitors at the first tee.

The round started with a bang as two carts collided exiting the 1st tee. Luckily, there were no injuries and tequila could not be blamed. As the match proceeded, the field stayed tight with only one point separating the leader from the entire field after 6 holes. At the turn, Matt and Mike were tied with Bob trailing by 1. Jake and Gerard were down by 2 and 3 respectively. After a tequila turn shot by Mike and Matt, it was onto the back nine where Bob saw divine inspiration, or maybe it was the tequila, but he proceeded to win or tie the next 6 holes to move into a 1 shot lead over Mike on hole number 14. But the streak would end on 15 for Bob and Mike would tie the match on 16th.

The match was dead even between Mike and Bob going into the 18th hole. Mike hit a solid tee shot while Bob placed his shot in the hazard. It looked like Mike would close out the match on the final hole of regulation until Gerard nailed his 10 foot put to win the hole and force a playoff between Bob and Mike. But the playoff only lasted one hole as Bob was fading fast from his prior zone. An epic 8th Roccinger Cup for Bob was not to be. Mike closed out the match on 19 and tasted his 2nd Roccinger Cup victory.

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2018 Winner  Jake Rocchi                Location: Greathorse / Hampden, MA

After a ten year hiatus, the famed Roccinger Cup returned the Hampden, Massachusetts and the redesigned GreatHorse CC. Established in 2015, GreatHorse is one of the more challenging course to host the event with numerous (some say ridiculous amount) sand traps and longer length. The venue favored the longer drivers and the results bore this out.
Once again, weather was a factor which forced the starting times to be moved up to try and beat the heavy precipitation. Undaunted by the accelerated times and lack of warm up, the field approached the 1st tee with the anticipation and dread that the only a early morning tequila can provide.
The first hole was halved with par 4 scores from Matt and Bob but that would as close as Matt would be to the field until the 15th hole. Matt halved or won eight of the first ten holes shooting a 3 over 39 on the front nine and led Mike by 3 points with Jake and Bob 4 behind and Gerard by 5.
Now at the Masters, one might think that this was a comfortable lead but at the Roccinger it is quite the opposite. There are two strategies that have long been debated for the Roccinger format. There is the “stay close but sober” strategy where the player tries to remain within a few points of the lead    on the front and then make a push late. The alternate strategy is the “jack-rabbit” strategy where one attempts to win every hole possible and build an insurmountable lead as the tequila starts to numb the senses    . Matt elected the jack-rabbit strategy and fell victim to the agave as he posted a triple bogey on the 11th hole. Matt had 8 points but would stumble to the finish line without another point. In the meantime, Mike and Jake would keep up the pressure. Gerard and Bob were to far off the lead and both were eliminated by the 16th hole. Jake on the other hand came alive with wins or halved on holes 11 through 17. Mike also made the late sprint with 4 points on the back but Jakes hot hand earned him his 2nd Roccinger Cup on the 17th green. After an epic late surge, Jake might have put an end to the “stay close but sober” vs “jack-rabbit” debate.

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2019 Winner  Mike Hellinger       Location: Greathorse / Hampden, MA

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The 2019 Roccinger returned to Greathorse for a 2nd consecutive year and the result was eerily similar.

This year’s tournament set an all-time record attendance figure (3) and the Brochu clan was greatly appreciated for their help 4 caddying, trap maintenance and support. The forecast called for rain as the competition started but heat was the actual issue as temperatures climbed into the nineties with high humidity. Dehydration is always an issue in these conditions but the Roccinger format puts alcohol into consideration and it does affect the play.

The match was close early with a par win on hole one for Mike and wins for Matt, Bob and Jake on the next three holes. Then on hole number 5, Jake was able to sink his par put for a win and proceeded to win 4 of the next 5 holes which included a birdie on a tough par 5, hole number 8. At the turn, Jake and Mike were tied for the lead with 5 points each. Bob was in 2nd with 3 points, with Matt at 2 and Gerard at 1 heading into the back nine. 

Jake's hot form continued on the back, winning 4 of the next 5 to take a 3 point lead with 6 holes remaining. 

But like the prior year when Matt pulled away from the field early and then hit the infamous “Patron Wall”, Jake hit that same wall on hole 15. He fought hard to shake off the haze but would not be able to hold off a charge from Mike who won 5 consecutive holes starting on the 13th, including a birdie putt on 16 to take a 1 point lead heading into 18. Had the play gone farther than 18, Mike would have hit the Patron Wall but was lucky to end it on the last hole and drink from the Cup with a winning tally of 11 points and a score of 82. 

The Patron Wall is real and it is what makes the Roccinger format so unique in all of sports.

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2020 Winner  Mike Hellinger    Location: Country Club of Wilbraham / Wilbraham, MA

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The 19th annual edition returned to the historic CCW for a record 9th time. Teeing off on the back nine first, scores were tight early on as Jake jumped out to a 1 point lead after 4 holes despite a birdie from Matt on the 11th (2nd hole of the round). Bob continued a strong start with a par on the 15th to tie Jake and Mike for the lead with 4 points after 6 holes. Jake parred the difficult 17th to retake the lead and Matt followed with a par of his own on the tough 18th to pull one back. The 18th hole also saw the return of the legendary “Gerard Rule” after Gerard took a work call on the course. While the committee decided not to enforce the 3 tequila shot penalty for working during the most important event of the year, future infractions will not go unpunished ... Nevertheless, at the turn, Jake lead with 5 points with Mike and Matt at 4, Bob with 3 and Gerard at 2. 

Mike made his move on 1 (the 10th hole of the round) with a par to tie Jake at 5 points and took the lead with another par on 2. Matt and Gerard parred the 3rd to make the scores Mike 6, Jake 5, Matt 5, Bob 4, and Gerard 4 with 6 holes remaining. Gerard continued his push up the leaderboard into a tie for 2nd with 2 more pars while Jake also added one of his own. However, Mike would go on to win the next 4 holes starting on the 4th to open up a 3 point lead over Jake, Gerard and Matt with 4 holes left and a par on 7 (16th hole of the round) clinched back to back wins with a total of 10 points overall.  

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2021 Winner  Mike Hellinger   Location: Turtle Point Golf Club / Kiawah Island, SC

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As the 20th annual, the 2021 Roccinger was the most hyped installment in recent memory and the match/vacation did not disappoint. Between the stunning ocean scenery and challenging layout, the course itself (Turtle Point GC on the S. Carolina coast at famed Kiawah Island) will be remembered as perhaps the best in Roccinger history – and the entire trip (4 days of golf, concluding with the legendary Ocean Course along with private beach access enjoyed by all and 2 days of exploration/fine dining in Charleston) one for the books.
The Rocchis jumped out to an early lead with Jake and Gerard winning the 1st and found themselves pacing the field after 3 holes with Jake at 3 points and Gerard at 2. By the 6th, Jake remained top at 4 points followed by Gerard at 3, Mike 3, Matt 2 and Bob 1. The par 3 7th proved pivotal as Bob drained a 25-foot birdie putt to win the hole outright and heading into the back nine 2 holes later, the tally was Jake and Mike tied at 5, Gerard just 1 back at 4, Bob 3, Matt 2.
Mike briefly grabbed the lead on 10 as he and Bob made pars, but Jake’s tight wedge shot on 11 resulted in the first 1st of 3 wins in a row to grab control. After 13, Jake lead by 2 at 8 with Gerard and Mike at 6, Bob 4, Matt 4. Matt’s chip in birdie on the scenic par 3 14th (the start of 3 straight holes along the ocean) gave him life and his par on 15 matched Jake to leave the tally Jake 9, Gerard, 6, Mike 6, Matt 6, Bob out of the running at 4 with 3 holes to play. Gerard and Mike then parred 16 to cut the lead to 2 with Matt eliminated. The tournament looked over on 17 when Jake’s drive seemed to find the left rough but inexplicably, the ball wasn’t found (one of the unluckiest breaks in memory), leaving Gerard and Mike to win and pull to 1 behind entering 18. Mike won 18 with a par to force a playoff with Jake and continued his momentum with a win on the 1st hole, earning his 3rd Roccinger win in row. However, the much bigger storyline was Gerard’s impressive play which proved a heavily debated point coming in that the Founders could still in fact contend with their sons.

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2022 Winner  Mike Hellinger  Location: Kettle Brook Golf Club / Paxton, MA 

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The 2022 Roccinger will be remembered as a monumental and historic year as the tournament expanded from 5 to 6 players with the addition of Ali Rocchi for the first time. With Ali's debut, the beloved tournament ushered in a new, excitineg era with a revised format, just as it had in 2010 with the introduction of Jake, Matt and Mike. As the Roccinger's first female competitor, Ali has been hailed as the "Annika Sorenstam of tequila" by potential tournament sponsor Tequila Aficionado Magazine and her first tee shot was as an important and overdue milestone in the illustrious history of the Roccinger Cup. Because of the new rules, 2022 also set a new record for tequila consumed - a record some say that may never be broken and could result in slight rule tweaks for 2023. 

The new format saw the players split into 2 groups of 3 on the first tee. Jake, Matt and Mike teed off first with Ali, Bob and Gerard in the second group. The groups remained the same for the first five holes before re-shuffling on the 6th tee box based on the leaderboard. Another historic moment occurred on the second hole, as Ali took her first ever Roccinger Cup tequila shot after winning the hole outright and followed it up with another shot 2 holes later. After 5 holes, Bob and Jake swapped groups based on their scores, with Bob the early story after jumping out to a tie for 1st place with 4 points to join his sons in the top group. At this point, all 6 competitors would also take the 1st of their 2 designated group shots together (on the 6th and 11th tee boxes). 

Per the new rules, the groups stayed the same for the next 5 holes before another switch after hole 10. After 10 holes of play, Mike and Matt remained in the lead with Bob, Jake and Gerard tied for 3rd. Because of the tie, a coin flip was held for the first time to determine who would join the top group with Gerard the loser and joining the top group for the next 5 hole stretch. When the dust settled after 15 holes, Mike had maintained his lead with only Jake still alive and Ali, Bob and Matt eliminated. Jake battled back and pushed the match to the 18th hole but Mike was able to pull out the victory with a tie on the last hole for his 4th straight Roccinger Cup. Due to the record amount of tequila consumption, this year's scorecard was lost as was Mike's cell phone on the 16th hole but the winning tally is said to have been 14 points after a 79.  Despite the missing scorecard, 2022 will always be remembered as the successful start of the 6 person format and a new and improved era of the Roccinger Cup. 

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2023 Winner  Jake Rocchi  Location: Kettle Brook Golf Club / Paxton, MA

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What do the 2023 Roccinger and Ryder cups have in common (beside the elite quality of golf)? They both will be remembered for post round parking lot scuffles and expletive laden exchanges …

Held at Kettle Brook golf club for the second (and final time), on the course - this year’s Roccinger Cup was one of the tightest affairs in recent memory with all competitors remaining in the hunt until the 3 final holes. Jake jumped out to an early lead with a couple clutch long range putts and after 9, held the lead at 6 points with Bob at 4, Matt 3, Mike 3 and Gerard 2. Bob had one of the best shots in recent memory with a chip in for birdie from a terrible lie on 11 which put him just 1 back of the lead and hopes for an improbable victory were on everyone’s mind. 

By the time the Roccinger Instagram account went live on the 16th hole (showing live coverage of the tournament to fans for the fist time ever - a historic milestone and likely new tradition …),  Bob’s momentum had faded as Mike and Matt fought back from poor starts and the leaderboard stood: Jake 8, mike 7, matt 5, Bob 6, Gerard 4.

Mike then won 16 and 17 to pull 1 point ahead of Jake. But, as he did all day, Jake played great golf to win 18 and force the 75)? Playoff in cup history (it’s worth noting the previous 6 of which were played at no cost …) Jake would go on to win the 1st playoff hole over Mike with a par, earning a well deserved 3rd Roccinger Cup victory with a final tally of 10 points. 

However, the aforementioned controversy ensued when the course refused to let Jake and Mike play their one playoff hole without paying for two 18-hole rounds plus cart fees ($160 total). I repeat, $160 for 1 hole of golf despite being the only group left on the course at 3 pm due to the 50 and rainy conditions …  Heated “Pleasantries” with Kettle Brook golf course staff were exchanged inside the pro shop and then again in the parking lot before the competitors bid the course Adue forever … An infuriating but memorable conclusion to another edition of the world’s most unique and beloved golf tournament. 

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2024 Winner  Mike Hellinger  Location: GreatHorse / Hampden, MA​

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The 2024 Roccinger was an epic edition that will undoubtedly standout in cup lore and be talked about for years to come. 

Hoping to curry favor with the golf gods after their recent trip to Scotland, founders Bob and Gerard donned kilts, bonnets and stockings in a hilarious display that cemented the 23rd annual Roccinger’s place in history. 

On the course, this year’s tournament started off with a bang as Jake rolled in a birdie putt on the first hole (and in the process ushered in a brand new rule where each competitor also takes a shot … on top of the winner - Jake - taking an additional shot for making a birdie - a solid addition to the long-standing rule for birdies). Jake’s hot start continued as he won the first 3 holes to open up a 2 point lead. An amazing up and down from 150 yards by Gerard along with an impressive 5 foot putt from Bob on the picturesque 4th hole then earned the founders a win to pull one back of the lead.

After 6 holes, the lead was Jake 4, Bob 3, Mike 3, Gerard 2 and Matt 1 with Jake maintaining his lead until Mike’s par on 8 put him on top of the scoreboard. However, pars from Bob, Jake and Gerard on 9 put the tally at Jake 5, Mike 5, Gerard 4, Bob 4, Matt 1 at the turn. After Bob nearly showed our 64 instagram followers what was underneath his kilt during his memorable story update, Jake won the 10th hole to grab the lead.  Mike and Gerard won the tough 11th with matching pars and Bob posted another amazing update to the Instragam account after Mike’s win on 12. 13 saw Matt pick up a point but a bogey from Jake won the treacherous 14th hole, putting him back in a tie atop the leaderboard at Jake 8, Mike 8, Gerard 6 Bob 5 and Matt 2 with 4 holes to play. 

A birdie for Bob on the par 3 15th fired up the gallery and when the live steam kicked off on the 16th hole, 4 players were left with matt eliminated and in charge of the play by play. The lone par of the group from Mike on 16 then knocked out founders Bob and Gerard and put him 1 up on Jake with 2 holes to play.  Mike closed out the win with a par on 17 to claim his 7th Roccinger Cup, tying Bob Hellinger’s long-standing record for the most all-time Roccinger Cup victories. Also of note, the win for the sons now puts them ahead of the founders for all-time victories with 12 combined wins vs 11 combined for the elder statesmen. 

In closing, we’d be remiss not to mention that the 2024 tournament ended in similar fashion to how it started (with a bang) … as the vaunted trophy fell off Mike’s golf cart in the parking lot with the cup portion popping off from the base and a slight scuff adding some “character” to the trophy. The trophy was re-assembled however, thankfully with no dents accounted for and came out virtually unscathed.  Despite the mishap, a post match party was held at the GreatHorse cabins with 3 Hellinger babies in the mix, adding to what was one of most fun and memorable Roccingers to date.

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