Page 10
County Courier
•
July 12, 2018
ENOSBURG
COUNTRY CLUB
CREATES
FAMILY FUN By Ruthie Laroche For the County Courier
67048
Ann LaRoche enjoyed her second hole-in-one on the golf course on the sixth hole at the Enosburg Country Club. LaRoche was using her pitching wedge on June 3rd when she made her shot. This isn’t her first hole-in-one; she enjoyed another one about ten years ago. Golfing has been a part of LaRoche’s life since her dad introduced her to the sport when she was a teenager, and she has gone on to teach it to her children and grandchildren. “I put a par three in at my house for the grandkids,” said LaRoche with a chuckle, “I hope the young folks will get into the sport. I learned to play when the Enosburg Country Club was a nine-hole course.” LaRoche, who has had two back surgeries, suffers from Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia, has not let her ailments hold her back. She finds that time on the course is just as beneficial as attending
physical therapy; the golfing keeps all her muscles more limber and also gives her time to get out and enjoy time with friends. “This keeps me moving. I have to keep going even if it hurts,” said LaRoche, who now uses a wood more than she used to and often takes half-swings to allow her to keep golfing, “I look a little awkward when I play, but I know I’ll hurt if I’m on the course or sitting on the couch.” A lot of folks have opted to get out on the green, whether they are in great physical condition or battling health problems. “Some people I know have multiple sclerosis and they still play. People had the patience to play with one golfer who had serious osteoporosis, but he wanted to play. We have others who have physical difficulties, but we are all able to play socially and have some fun in our lives,” said LaRoche. Golfing fills a void for many who retire and find that they miss the relationships they had with coworkers during their working
years. “As you get into retirement you establish a new community of friends at the golf course,” LaRoche explained. LaRoche wasn’t the only one to sink a hole-in-one last month. Damian Blouin also had a hole-inone at the Enosburg Country Club. Blouin was using a gap wedge on hole 15 on June 29th. This Sunday families and teams will take to the Enosburg Country Club green to play in honor of Gerry Whitney. Whitney was a board member at the country club and an avid golfer. Seeing young people embrace the sport of golf was something Whitney desired to promote. He was in the process of helping to secure family tees for the Enosburg Country Club when he passed away from cancer. “Getting the family tees was a passion for Gerry; he really did feel that we needed to get the youth involved and appreciating golf like we did. He loved the family aspect of golf; he felt that it was something that a family could
do together,” said Lisa Whitney, Gerry’s wife. Gerry worked with Dwayne Feeley to begin the family tee project, desiring to have the tees be PGA approved. “When Gerry passed away, I picked up the stick and ran with it. I said, ‘I am going to get this done for you, honey’,” said Lisa, “It’s so rewarding to see everything put into place. It was a lot of work figuring out the yardage and where the kids should play. We worked on it for a couple years and here we are!” Stephanie Machia who serves on the board of directors at the Enosburg Country Club noted that the family tees provide golfers with a lot of options. “The family tees aren’t just for young golfers; they are for families and beginners as well. Because they are PGA approved an experienced golfer can play them and post their score to GHIN,” Machia explained. Teaching a child or friend the game of golf can be timeconsuming and many folks are
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hesitant to give up their game while a beginner is learning. The family tees provide an excellent opportunity for everyone to enjoy the game. “When a child or a beginner comes along with an experienced golfer it can be hard for them to complete a game. Through the use of family tees, the experienced golfer can change the clubs they use and adjust their strategy, adding an interesting twist to the game,” Machia pointed out. The length of time golf takes to play has been cited as one reason why some have left the sport. Machia explained that the family tees allow for an experienced golfer to play for an hour and a half and post their score due to the PGA status of the tees. The second annual Gerry Whitney Memorial Golf Tournament will be played in Enosburg this Sunday to honor Gerry and his love for the sport. The tournament will welcome old and young golfers alike. Chad Lovelette of Enosburg and his family will be among those
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