Dennis' banner year isn't over just yet

Who could blame Madison County golfer Lee Dennis for not wanting 2010 to end?

The 54-year-old's dream year began in January, when he won the Georgia PGA's Waycross Senior Classic in a one-hole playoff and it's ending on the highest of notes as the Athens native learned last week that he'd been named the Georgia PGA Senior Amateur of the Year.

"Before my last tournament, I was in fifth place," Dennis said. "I ended up winning by 11/2 points. It's based on how well you play in Georgia PGA tournaments. ... To be honored as player of the year is really special because there's a great bunch of seniors out there."

On Oct. 19, Dennis put the finishing touches on a two-round total of 147 to win the Senior Tour Championship - which features the top 40 professionals and the top 40 amateurs in the state - at Chateau Elan and earn the necessary points to earn player of the year laurels.

"In the first tournament of the year in Waycross, Lee beat Jack Hall in a playoff and it was Jack Hall that he vaulted over in the season-ending tournament to be senior amateur of the year," said Dan Mullins, president and tournament director for the Georgia PGA. "He's been a good player for the Georgia PGA for quite a while."

Earlier this month, the Comer resident teamed with longtime Athens resident Doug Stiles to win the Peach Blossom Invitational at Idle Hour Golf Club in Macon.

"This has been an amazing three-week stretch," he said. "Doug and I were up by two strokes with three holes left to play and our opponents birdied 16 and 18 to force a playoff. We both shot par on the first hole and I got a birdie on the second playoff hole to win it. ... We only had two bogeys in 54 holes - it was a nice tournament."

And if that wasn't enough, Dennis found time to card a hole-in-one on the 17th hole at his home course, Jennings Mill Country Club.

"It's been a great year," Dennis said. "I was also having a great year in 1999, but I broke both my arms. You're never sure if you can

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