2022 Golfing Magazine New England Early Summer Issue

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• Road Trip Through Connecticut • Vermont Golf • Maine Golf • New Hamphire Golf • Must Play Courses.

New England Edition Early Summer 2022

U.S. Open Returns to The Country Club The Country Club Brookline, MA

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Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

I played more courses this summer than ever.

My Golfing Magazine subscription was the best investment I made. I’m definitely renewing.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

New England Early Summer 2022 Volume 53

Issue 3

Early Summer 2022

golfing m a g a z i n e™

Publisher Tom Landers TLanders@GolfingMagazine.net Creative Director Heidi Dyer Production@GolfingMagazine.net Editor John Torsiello Editor@GolfingMagazine.net Contributing Writers John DiCocco Claudio DeMarchi Mike May Mike Stinton George Connor, PGA Sue Kaffenburg, PGA Lucas Hitchcock, PGA Ron Beck, PGA Jimmy Damiano, PGA Gene Mulak, PGA Contributing Photographer Mark William Paul

The Country Club, Brookline, MA MUST PLAYS

FROM THE PUBLISHER

6 Golf Remains a Welcome Companion 28 FEATURES

8 The U.S. Open Returns to The Country Club in Brookline, MA 10 Travelers Championship Preview 12 Golfing Fun in Connecticut This Summer 18 Summer in Vermont Means Golf 19 Blackledge CC’s New Practice Facility

Wentworth Hills Country Club Heather Hill Country Club Hertitage Country Club Crestview Country Club INSTRUCTION

30 Five Sticks to Better Strikes 31 Breaking 100, Pace Yourself 31 Make Short Game Practice Focused

20 New Hampshire Golf EQUIPMENT

22 A Magical Maine Trip Beckons 24 Sterling Golf Management

32 Golfer’s Product Guide

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Golfing Magazine is published five times annually.

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Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

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From The Publisher

Course, and since that time has expanded to include Norwood Country Club and Practice Center, Crystal Lake Golf Club in Haverhill, Rockland Golf Club (the second longest 18-hole Par-3 course in the U.S.), and nine-hole courses Unicorn Golf Club & Stoneham Oaks Golf Club in Stoneham, Chelmsford Country Club, and Maynard Golf Club. It also provides maintenance services for a nine-hole fully-lighted short course in Norfolk called-Fore Kicks.

You’ll also find valuable instructional tips from our cadre of top-notch golf pros, get the lowdown on the hottest golf balls on the market, and read about several courses that you simply must sample this year.

We hope you enjoy this issue and get out to your favorite courses as much as possible.

Hit ‘em long and straight.

We thank you for your enduring love of golf.

about getting more people out to play the game, we do something about it!

To take advantage of this tremendous offer, call 860-563-1633, or visit www.FreeGolf.net. Remember, you get four issues of our digital magazine in addition to discounted rounds of golf when you subscribe.

In this issue of Golfing Magazine we highlight The 122nd United States Open Championship taking place at The Country Club in Brookline, MA. The U.S. Open returns for the fourth time to this historic venue showcasing a renovation by architect Gil Hanse.

Preview The Travelers Championship, New England’s only PGA Tour stop and also learn about renovations to The International Oaks Course in Bolton, MA which will host a LIV Golf event in September.

We also take you on a road trip of Connecticut golf courses, We have some of the best layouts in the state in our lineup, including some private courses that you can play for a cart or a small service fee by partnering with us at www.FreeGolf.net.

We also offer up a number of courses in Vermont, a summer playground, full of things to do and see; world-class fly fishing, hiking, biking, canoeing, kayaking, shopping, museums and parks and keep us around for a week or more. The Green Mountain State is also home to some superb golf courses, a number of them located at resorts, making stay and play always an option.

Subscribers can visit New Hampshire this summer and enjoy a number of the best layouts the Granite State has to offer.

We check out Sterling Golf Management based in Newton, which began with one course, Newton Commonwealth Golf

Tom Landers, Publisher

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olf courses have proved to be oasis where we have been able to reconnect with friends while playing the game we love and enjoy the great outdoors in a safe fashion.

More and more people are turning to golf as a way to keep fit and get out of their homes during the long days of summer.

What better way to do this than to take advantage of Golfing Magazine New England’s Course Play Stimulus Program and play all the golf you desire.

Golfing Magazine is making it easier for readers to “Play Golf for Less” this year with our celebrated “Free Golf ” program that entitles an individual signing up for an annual subscription to the magazine the opportunity to play free or reduced rate golf at over 130 of the top daily fee courses and private tracks in the region.

We have worked tirelessly to enhance our course list for 2022 and your subscription promises to be worth more than ever.

We believe we are going beyond giving lip service to “growing the game” by offering this invaluable program. There’s a lot of talk

Golf Remains a Welcome Companion in 2022

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7

tourNament

122nd United States Open

Returns to The Country Club in Brookline, MA

By Tom Landers

T

he 2022 United States Open Returns To its Historic Roots At The Country Club in Brookline, MA., June 16-

19th.

In the historic 1913 U.S. Open at the Country Club in Brookline, 20-year old amateur Francis Quimet clawed his way into an 18-hole playoff against the best players in Britain, Harry Wardon and Ted Ray. Ouimet, a club caddie, stood on the tee of the short par-3 10th hole tied with his seasoned competitors, and proceeded to record a par to their bogeys to take the lead which he never relinquished. His improbable victory launched a distinguished career as an amateur golfer, which inspired the creation of the Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund.

When the U.S. Open returns for the fourth time to The Country Club this June, that famed par-3 hole will once again be part of the layout – for the first time since 1913. However this year it will play as the 11th hole, a downhill 131-yard wedge shot to a green defended by four bunkers and a

fronting brook. Jeff Hall, USGA managing director of Rules and Open Championships, remarked: “Let’s face it, it’s a wedge for these guys, and yet there will be some players walk-

ing to the 12th tee having just marked a 4 on their card and wondering what happened.”

New England golf fans will have a chance to witness the U.S. Open in their backyard for the first time since Curtis Strange defeated Nick Faldo at The Country Club in 1988. The venerable club, founded in 1882, is still on of the five founding clubs of the United States Golf Association. It has hosted

16 USGA Championships, most recently the 2013 U.S. Amateur, and was the site of the 1999 Ryder Cup – the “Battle of Brookline” where the U.S. team rallied from a 10-6 deficit on Sunday to win the Ryder Cup. The Country Club course was carved out of a racetrack incrementally over a number of years.

Club members laid out the first six holes in 1893. Over the following six years, Willie Campbell, the first golf professional, expanded the course to 18 holes. Reese Jones was brought in to update the course for the 1988 U.S. Open and in 2019 Gil Hanse began a restoration to create a cohesive design dating back to its original form.

To accommodate the inclusion of the par-3 11th hole, the par4 fourth hole will be taken out of play. In addition, Hanse tinkered with the routing of the holes for the championship. The former 13th and 14th holes will now play as holes 8 and 9. This balances the nines and also facilitates starting the championship simultaneously from the 1st and 10th tees in the first two rounds.

Two holes will play with different pars.

Eleventh Hole 8 8

Golfing GolfingMagazine Magazine••New NewEngland EnglandEdition Edition

3rd Hole The 10th hole, formerly a 510-yard par-5, will play as a 499-yard par 4. The 14th hole, which played as a 450-yard par-4 in 1988, has been transformed into a 619-yard par-5.

18th Green

“The changes add a degree of difficulty over what we had in 1988,” said Hall. “On 14, if you miss the fairway from the tee, you may be forced to lay up, which leaves you with a

blind uphill third shot of 160-165 yards.”

In his restoration, Hanse used images taken when The Country Club hosted the 1934 U.S. Amateur to ascertain lost features and move greens closer to bunkers. Lowering the front of the green to allow the players to see the green from the tee modified the uphill 215-yard second hole. In addition, the floors of most of the bunkers were lowered.

Hall observed, “Hanse has done some work that allows us to keep the long holes long, and the shorter holes demanding.

Like any U.S. Open, you’ve got to have control of your golf ball. It’s going to be fascinating to watch.”

Tickets for the event were in great demand when they went on sale to USGA members last fall. Snag one if you can.

The return of the U.S. Open to the fabled course in Brookline will be the highlight of the year for golf in the Northeast. And if players struggle on the par-3 11th hole on Sunday, maybe you will sense the ghost of Francis Ouimet in the gallery. https://www.USOpen.com www.GolfingMagazine.net 9

Tournament

TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

By Bruce Berlet

U

niversity of Connecticut athletics, especially the men’s and women’s basketball teams, garner the most attention in the state on the sporting front, but the biggest event is undeniably the Travelers Championship.

From the humbling beginnings of a Greater Hartford Jaycees fundraiser in 1952 as the Insurance City Open at Wethersfield Country Club, the tournament has grown into one of the best-attended events in the world that attracts solid player fields despite being the week after the U.S. Open. And, most importantly, it has raised more than $45.5 million for hundreds of local charities, including $22.5 million since the insurance magnet became title sponsor in 2007, capped by a record $2.2 million last year.

But while player recruitment is among the most vital lifelines for the success on the PGA Tour, the Travelers Championship is plenty fortunate to have a unique figure to help the cause.

Andy Bessette, the executive vice president and chief administrative officer at Travelers, is the only PGA Tour title sponsor leader to travel to tournaments and walk the practice range trying to help land the best players and ask how things can be improved.

“Yes, that’s true,” Bessette said with a wry smile, “but I wish I had some company.”

Bessette’s “company” several times a year is

10

tournament director Nathan Grube, who is more than delighted to have a major support system.

“It is an absolute team effort between tournament and title sponsor regarding player relationships that we have established over the last 16-plus years,” Grube said. “But we simply would

Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

not have the players we have each year without Andy.”

Bessette and Grube make trips that epitomize the Travelers exec’s guiding business principle.

“Every year our motto, and I’ve always had this motto throughout my whole life, is that the status quo is unacceptable,” Bessette said. “You have to always get better. If you’re not better tomorrow than you are today than you’re going backwards.”

The 67-year-old Bessette specializes in his credo while getting to know more and more players every year, starting in 2006, when he and Grube began meeting and building relationships with players, their families, caddies, media members and many others. Travelers, which has been a sponsor on some level since the inception of the tournament, became title sponsor after Buick ended its four-year association with the event.

“We talked to everybody,” Bessette said.

“We asked (Fairfield native) J.J. Henry, who was the defending champion, and Bubba Watson, ‘What’s important to you guys? We want to have the best tournament on the PGA Tour.’

They were shocked we even asked the question.

We asked (then-ESPN personality) Mike Tirico, ‘What do we have to do?’ And we continue to do that every year. A couple years ago I saw Ted Scott, who was Bubba’s caddie at the time, and I asked him, ‘What can we do to keep making this tournament better?’ He said, ‘Are you kidding me?

You already do everything.’

“We’ll never stop. We will always ask what can we do better, how can we be greater, how can we attract the best players in the world.”

Thanks to his dedication, diligence, leadership and success on multiple fronts, Bessette will be inducted into the Connecticut Golf Hall of Fame at the Hartford Downtown Marriott on June 20, the start of tournament week at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell. He will be joined

by Wethersfield native Bruce Edwards, one of the leading PGA Tour caddies for more than three decades for Hall of Famers Tom Watson and 1995 Canon Greater Hartford Open champion Greg Norman before he died of ALS in 2004 at the age of 49.

Bessette said one of the things that his team has stressed is providing sponsors’ exemptions to future PGA Tour stars. Recent choices have been Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland and Matthew Wolff, while earlier exemptions were given to players such as Patrick Cantlay, Rickie Fowler and Webb Simpson.

“It’s important to identify and include the next class of top young talent,” Bessette said.

“There can be a loyalty that comes along with giving people opportunities in their careers.

There are several examples of how guys remember the opportunity we gave them, and then they come back to play our event after they’ve won majors. We’ve helped them out, and we’ve gotten to know them as people.

“I think this is reflective of Travelers and how we care about people. We care about what they think and about bringing people together. People are more important than brick and mortar. We’ve worked really hard at Travelers to build something that is enticing to people because we want to

2021 Champion Harris English holes winning putt on 18th green in 8th playoff hole. attract the best young people to come work for us.

Harris English, who made a 16-foot birdie putt to defeat Kramer Hickok on a record eighth playoff hole last year, is expected to defend his title after being sidelined most of the year because of surgery on his right hip on Feb. 14. He suffered through some level of pain for more than 10 years dating to his college days at the University of Georgia that helped lead to falling to 373rd in the world rankings. But a victory in the Sentry Tournament of Champions in January 2021 and then the Travelers Championship five months

later vaulted English to 14th in the world and earned him a pick by U.S. captain Steve Stricker for his first Ryder Cup team that scored a record 19-9 victory over Europe.

Health permitting, English will face a starstudded field that had early commitments from No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, whose four victories this year included the Masters; No. 5 Justin Thomas, who defeated Will Zalatoris in a three-hole aggregate playoff to win the PGA Championship; No. 6 Patrick Cantlay, the PGA Tour Player of the Year and FedExCup winner in 2021; No. 8 Rory McIlroy, who finished second in the Masters and eighth in the PGA; No. 11 Xander Schauffele, the 2021 Olympic gold medalist; No. 13 Dustin Johnson, the 2020 Travelers champion; No. 14 Zalatoris, who finished second and fifth in the past two Masters; No. 17 Joaquin Niemann; No. 19 Abraham Ancer; No. 20 Brooks Koepka; and No. 36 Harold Varner III. Watson, a fan favorite and major tournament supporter, might not be able to try to tie Hall of Famer Billy Casper for most tournament titles (four) because of a torn meniscus in his knee that he revealed after he tied for 30th in the PGA. Tournament tickets are on sale at TravelersChampionship.com, and gates will be open to all spectators starting June 22 for the Celebrity Pro-Am. To purchase tickets and for tournament updates, visit www.TravelersChampionship.com.

Runner-Up Kramer Hickok tees of 18th hole in 2021 playoff www.GolfingMagazine.net

11

Private Eyes

The International Club

By Mark William Paul

S

et in the rolling hills of central Massachusetts in the quaint small town of Bolton is the newly redesigned Oaks Golf Course at The International Club. Considered Greater Boston’s premier private club, the vision is to provide a unique and welcoming environment for its members and guests from around the globe.

Purchased by Escalante Golf in February 2021, the Oaks has undergone extensive renovations with the main goal being to recapture the original beauty of the course. Former University of Oklahoma star Tripp Davis, now a renowned course architect of 20 years, is overseeing the renovation of the Tom Fazio design.

Founded in 1901, the pri-

vate, golf orientated club is a 36-hole facility, encompassing approximately 680 acres.

Striving to offer excellent service and attention to minute details will be the core goal of the seasoned staff ’s commitment to the club’s members and their guests.

The Oaks course has been lengthened

with additional tee boxes added. There are four sets of tee boxes to accommodate players of all levels. One of the main goals of the renovation was to improve the bunkers and waste areas. All bunkers have been redesigned and filled with crushed limestone, which has been mined locally. The new scalloped bunkering frames all of the holes, giving the player a perfect mental image of the holes routing. Players will find the greens to be fast and firm and random pin positions will give the opportunity for a different experience each day.

Both the Clubhouse, which houses the restaurant, pro shop and offices, and Fireside Room have been completed renovated.

The Lodge now offers 15 over-

Oaks Course Hole 3

Oaks Course Hole 1 12 12

Golfing Magazine • New England Edition Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

2021 Champion Harris English holes winning putt on 18th green in 8th playoff hole.

Oaks Course Hole 5 night rooms for use by members and their guests.

A new state of the art clubhouse is on the drawing board to be built in the near future.

In addition to the Oaks Course, members will find the Geoffrey Cornish designed Pines Course equally challenging. The Pines opened in 1955 and is currently the longest golf course in the world at 8,325 yards. Slated to close at the end of the 2022 season, the Pines will be renovated by Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore. The course is expected to reopen in Spring of 2024.

The International also features a large recently renovated practice facility. The area features level tee decks on both sides of the range, added targets for improved distance control practice and enhanced short game practice areas, including bunkers.

One of Greg Norman’s LIV Golf Invitational Series tournaments will be played at The International from September 2-4. There will be 8 tournaments in total, which will include 4 US cities.

For more information on joining this elite gem, go to https://www.theinternational.com, call 978-779-6911 or email John Conroy at Oaks Course Hole 12 john.conroy@theinternational.com.

Runner-Up Kramer Hickok tees of 18th hole in 2021 playoff www.GolfingMagazine.net

13

MUST PLAYS

Golfing Fun in Connecticut

By TOM LANDERS

G

olfing Magazine’s “Free Golf ” program you get a complimentary round of golf on a number of courses in Connecticut when you sign up. Call 860-563-1633, or visit www.FreeGolf.net to get aboard and take a road trip through the Nutmeg State.

Here are the layouts, some of which are private, that you can play for a cart or a small service fee by partnering with us.

PRIVATE COURSES The Golf Club at River Oaks (www.ClubRiverOaks.com) is located on the Sherman/New Milford town line in western Connecticut. The courses has a number of holes on its back nine that hug the Housatonic River, which is visible through the trees in late autumn or early spring. The look from the tee box on the par-four dogleg left ninth hole reminds one of playing golf in northern New England rather than Connecticut. Many consider this to be one of the top two or three courses in the state.

Robert McNeil designed the course that opened in 2003, and he built into it challenge and fairness.

Farmington Woods Country Club (www.FarmingtonWoods.com) in Avon was designed by American designer Desmond Muirhead, who also crafted the famed Jack Nicklaus Muirfield Village course in Ohio.

The layout is unique to the Farmington

River Valley area in that there are dramatic elevation changes in what is usually a rather flat section of Connecticut. The course features woods that line many of the fairways, as well as wetlands.

Tumble Brook Country Club (www.TumbleBrookCC.com) was incorporated and organized in 1922 and features 27 holes. Willie Park, one of the foremost golf course architects of the time, was commissioned to design the first nine. A second nine, designed by Orrin E. Smith, was opened to play in the spring of 1949.

The third nine, designed by George Fazio, opened for limited play in the fall of 1970, and was eventually integrated with the rest of the golf course in 1971.The seventh hole on the “Green Course,” a combination of two of the three nines, is a 440-yard beast where par is an accomplishment for any level of player.

Suffield Country Club (www.SuffieldCC.com) is an historic track crafted by Ian Smyth in a classic, traditional New England-style. The course ambles over the rolling land, and plays around 3,000 yards for nine holes. The short distance of the course is offset by tight fairways and small, fast undulating greens. Out-of-bounds borders holes three through six, and heavy rough and tall oak trees lurk off the fairways.

Only two holes, three and seven, have fairway bunkers.

First Hole at Sunday River Golf Club 14 14 14

Golfing Golfing Magazine New England Edition GolfingMagazine Magazine•••New NewEngland EnglandEdition Edition

THE GREATER HARTFORD AREA Simsbury Farms Golf Course (www.SimsburyFarms.com), which measures 6,509 yards in length from the championship markers, was designed by Geoffrey Cornish and opened for play in 1972. Recognized as one of the top 100 courses in New England by one New England publication, the course provides an excellent test of golf and a visually pleasing round. A driving range and large practice green, as well as a newly constructed clubhouse compliment the golfing complex.

Blue Fox Run Golf Course (www.BlueFoxEnt.com) in Avon has 27 holes of golf. A new nine was added several years ago and these holes are a pleasing mix of those that are open in nature and several that are lined by trees. There is ample bunkering in the fairways and around the modest-sized greens. One of the best new holes is the 512yard par-five fourth on the White Course.

If you can steer clear of fairway bunkers to the left of the fairway and high grass on the right, you may be left with an opportunity to go for a large, oblong green in two.

The Kemp family of purchased the Airways Golf Course (www.

AirwaysGolfCourse.com) in West Suffield in 1996 with the intent of providing good, affordable and friendly golf to the town and surrounding communities. Their course is

Tumble Brook Country Club

on the short side, 5,845 yards from the tips, and you can score here as long as you drive the ball well. Included in the final five holes of the front side are four par-fours measuring around 300 yards, including the ninth at 273 yards. The 16th is a strong par-five playing 481 yards from the tips. The hole doglegs to the right and there is water to worry about off the tee and on the second shot.

Keney Park Golf Course (www.KeneyParkGolfCourse. com) in Hartford underwent renovations and upgrades that turned the par-70 track in the 700-acre Keney Park into a beauty. The first nine holes of the course were finished in 1927, and the remaining nine were completed in 1930. Keney was designed by notable early 20th century American architect Devereux Emmet, who has several illustrious courses to his credit, including Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md., the site of several U.S. Opens.

Goodwin Park Golf Course (www.GoodwinParkGolfCourse.com) in Hartford offers 27 holes, with the shortish North Course (2,544 yards) a great place for beginners andatsenior players hone their 10th Hole Sugarloaf GolftoCourse skills and enjoy a leisurely round. The more demanding 18-hole course plays around 6,000 yards from the back markers and fea-

Keney Park Golf Course tures a number of par-fours that are drivable, or approachable, off the tee for long hitters.

The 381-yard ninth hole may be the toughest par-four on the track.

Gillette Ridge Golf Club (www.

GilletteRidgeGolf.com) in Bloomfield is an Arnold Palmer Signature course and a layout that fits nicely into the existing natural landscape. Great care was taken to preserve the numerous trees that serve to frame fairways and greens, as well as the ample wetlands on

Gillette Ridge Golf Club

the property.

The architects built a number of peninsula or island greens, using granite from the site to construct walls near several greens and tee boxes.

There are some forced carries at Gillette Ridge, both off the tee and on approach shots to the medium size, undulating putting surfaces, but nothing so daunting to scare away the average player. Bunkers, ponds or wetlands come into play on almost half the holes. The fairway landing areas are ample.

East Hartford Golf Club (www.EastHartfordGC.com) was designed by Al Zikorus, plays around 6,200 yards from the tips, and has a nice mix of short par-fours that can be attacked with driver, reachablein-two par-fives and solid parthrees. There are a number of tee settings to cater to all abilities. This classical design is great for newcomers to the game, but tree-lined fairways and small greens present a challenge to even the most skilled golfer.

Hunter Golf Club (www.HunterGolfClub.com) in Meriden offers great views of surrounding trap rock ridges and Castle Craig in Meriden’s Hubbard Park, which can be seen while playing the fifth hole. The layout has one of the most challenging and perplexing opening holes you will find anywhere. It’s only 368 yards from the back tees, but a stream dissects the fairway a little over halfway to the green, so the dilemma is to take driver and risk hitting it short or right and into the water, or lay up and be left with a long approach to an elevated green. The 10th hole is a demanding 587-yard par-five that bends to the left and has water hazards on the left side of the fairway and near the green, which makes the second shot and approach tricky.

The 27-hole Stanley Golf Course (www.StanleyGolf.com) in New Britain has long been considered one of the premier daily fee facilities in the state. With three distinct nines to select from and some of the best conditions in the Greater Hartford area, Stanley has a dedicated following among the state’s golfers. Some modifications were made a few years back www.GolfingMagazine.net 15

MUST PLAYS to the course, with several new or reshaped holes created and some shifting of the nines, which made the course even more interesting and more challenging.

Manchester Country Club (www.ManchesterCountryClub.com) opened in 1917 and was designed by two early 20th century course architects, Tom Bendelow and Devereaux Emmett, the latter creating famed Congressional Country Club in Washington, D.C., and Keney Park’s golf course. Manchester has bunkers placed strategically around fairway landing areas and putting surfaces, which puts a premium on accuracy both off the tee and on approaches to medium-sized greens.

The course plays 6,339 yards from the tips and has a par of 72. There are some elevation changes and water comes into play on several holes.

In Glastonbury, you will find the nine-hole Minnechaug Golf Course (www.MinnechaugGolf.com). The wellmanicured layout is only 2,668 yards from the back markers and plays to a par of 35.

But the fairways are narrow and the parthrees demanding. The course features a true island green, a 125-yarder that plays from an elevated tee box.

One of the best-conditioned, playerfriendly tracks in Connecticut is Rockledge Country Club (www.GolfRockledge.com) in West Hartford. The relatively flat layout has a parkland setting and offers a pleasing mix of holes. Rockledge has a mix of

holes, ranging from short par-fours, like the 290-yard second and 317-yard 11th, where birdies await, to classic risk/reward par-fives.

Timberlin Golf Club (www.TimberlinGolf.com) in Berlin also has a park-like routing, and was given a facelift a few years back in the form of new bunker complexes, fairway and green complex work, an effort led by noted golf course architects Stephen Kay and Doug Smith.

The track is kept in immaculate condition and the renovations added more teeth to this scenic track, originally designed by Al Zikorus.

THE GREATER WATERBURY AREA Originally a nine-hole private golf club, purchased by the town of Watertown in 1975, a second nine holes were added in 1980 to make Crestbrook Park Golf Course (www.CrestbrookPark.com) one of the best daily fee tracts in the area.

Crestbrook features fast, sloping greens and has four sets of tees for all levels of play.

The course, which plays almost 7,000 yards from the tips and features a number of elevation changes, has par-fives that demand thoughtful tee and approach shots and beefy par-threes, like the 228-yard seventh where the tee shot must clear a pond to reach the putting surface.

Southington Country Club (www.SouthingtonCountryClub.com) is fairly wide open with a few delightfully quirky holes, such as the deceptively short

306-yard par-four second and the 120yard par-three 12th. The course is well maintained and the new ownership has made improvements to the layout and the facilities. It’s a track that is approachable for golfers of all levels.

Hawk’s Landing Country Club (www.HawksLandingCC.com) in Southington is not long, 5,825 yards from the tips, but the course has great par-threes and some interesting par-fours. The seventh and ninth holes both play around 230 yards, while the 18th is 190 yards from the back markers with the tee shot having to carry a pond. The 360-yard par-four fifth is a good test. It doglegs to the right and the drive and approach must steer clear of water.

Whitney Farms Golf Club (www.WhitneyFarmsGC.com) in Monroe was designed by Hal Purdy and yardages range from 5,480 yards to 6,714 yards, with slope levels of 127 to 134. The layout starts in stern fashion, with three holes that will test you immediately. The first is a 426 yard par-four, the second another par-four measuring over 400 yards, and the third a 526 yard par-five. After letting up a bit, the front nine again rears its head with four difficult holes to end the outward journey. There are two par-fives that play over or around 500 yards and a pair of par-threes that are 200 yards or longer. The back nine is a bit less severe with shorter par-fours where birdie awaits. But you’ll also encounter two parfives that play over 560 yards from the tips,

Southington Country Club 16 16

Golfing Magazine • New England Edition Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

and the final hole is a brutal, 442-yard par-four that can make or break a round.

Laurel View Country Club (www.LaurelView.com) in Hamden is a classic Geoffrey Cornish track, and a stern test of playing ability. The course can be stretched beyond 7,000 yards and features some of the toughest parfours in the state, like the 479-yard fifth. There’s a pond guarding the right side of the green, which often must be attacked with a long iron or fairway wood. Number nine is 450 yards from the back markers, and climbs up a hill to the putting surface, making the hole play 20 to 30 yards longer than its listed yardage.

The seventh hole is a monstrous parthree, measuring around 250 yards from the tips, leaving even the best players with a fairway wood in their hands on the tee box.

HEADING EAST Coventry’s Twin Hills Country Club (www.TwinHillsCountryClub.com) was built on a former farm and offers golf in a rural setting yet convenient to Hartford and other cities off Rt. 84. Twin Hills has the country charm of stone walls, a covered bridge and its signature stone bridge located on hole number three (a massive 600yard par-five) that makes one think of the famous bridge crossing to the 12th green at Augusta National Golf Club.

Nestled into the rolling hills of the tiny town of Hebron is Blackledge Country

Norwich Golf Club

Tallwood Country Club Club (www.BlackledgeCC.net) that boasts two 18-hole courses. The club’s owners added nine holes in 1995 and another nine in 2000, creating what is called the Gilead Highlands course. The newest nine on Gilead Highlands is a bit reminiscent of Carolina courses, with wide fairways, bunkering, and tall pines and oaks framing many of the landing areas and large greens.

Anderson’s Glen has the club’s original 18 holes and is another very solid test. The fairways are tree lined and the greens undulating.

Tallwood Country Club ( w w w. Ta l l w o o d C o u n t r y C l u b . c o m )

in Hebron is known for its classic New England landscape. Situated on over 200 acres of rolling country farmland, it’s another perfect place for a quiet golf getaway. The course offers a pleasingly eclectic mix of strong par-threes, long and demanding and then shorter and tricky par-fours, as well as par-fives that sometimes are reachable in two for long hitters and other times, not so much.

Quarry Ridge Golf Club (www.QuarryRidge.com), located on the slopes of the Connecticut River valley in Portland, offers some of the best views in Connecticut. This is a true shot-maker’s delight, with dramatic elevation changes, a mix of long and short holes, and tricky greens. The course is regularly listed among the best in Connecticut. The course plays 6,369 yards from the back tees, but it’s all about proper club selection and accuracy at Quarry Ridge.

Portland Golf Course (www.PortlandGolfCourse.com), which measures just over 6,200 yards from the tips and plays to a par of 71, is also set in the rolling hills of the Connecticut River Valley.

Its tree-lined fairways, various elevation changes, and doglegs make the track challenging and enjoyable for all players. The 405-yard par-four first hole is a strong way to begin a round. The tee shot is relatively easy, but the second shot is down a 60-foot drop to the green, making club selection difficult. www.GolfingMagazine.net

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Connecticut National Golf Club Black Birch Golf Club (www.BlackBirchGolf.com) in Moodus has earned a reputation as one of Connecticut’s “hidden gems.” Ownership has improved the course, which included increased turf quality, new tee boxes on select holes, re-designed holes (13 and 14 in particular), a new fleet of carts, and the installation of an updated irrigation system.

Windham Golf Club (www.WindhamClub.com) first opened in 1922 and was once maintained as a private facility. The putting surfaces are medium in size with some undulation. They roll true and reward good approach shots with makeable birdie opportunities. The rough areas are kept at a height to punish wayward tee shots but still allow players to advance the ball to the greens.

GOLF BY CONNECTICUT’S CASINOS Elmridge Golf Club (www.ElmridgeGolf.com) in Pawcatuck features three nines that are approachable for golfers of all abilities. The par-fours are on the short side, most measuring between 340 and 370 yards from the middle tees, but a number of them are doglegs. The par-threes are strengths of the layout and several measure close to or over 200 yards. One of the 18

best par-fives on the course is the 525-yard seventh on the Blue Course. The hole bends slightly to the right and a good drive will leave you with a shot to go for the green in two. But there are bunkers guarding the putting surface and the green is elevated.

Nor wich Golf Club (www.NorwichGolf.com) is known for its fine playing conditions and is a tricky layout that is fun for players of all abilities. The course opened in 1925 on July 4th. It was designed by Tull and Tull, a famous golf course architectural firm of the day, and there is some indication that Walter Travis, a noted designer and legendary amateur player, had a hand in the routing. Norwich isn’t long, just 6,191 yards from the tips.

But its slope of 131 from the championship markers gives you an idea of just how difficult it can be.

Connecticut National Golf Club (www.CTNationalGolf.com) in Putnam was reborn after extensive renovations several years ago added 800 yards of length to the original 6,169 yards, as well as modern styling. In all, some 4,000 trees were removed, new fairways seeded and sodded, bunkers added or altered, and new green complexes built. It’s now one of the best daily fee layouts

Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

on Southern New England. Connecticut National Golf Club is a pleasant mix of links-style and parkland holes.

River Ridge Golf Course (www.RiverRidgeGolf.com) in Jewett City opened in May of 1999 and is a carefully maintained course. The first three holes were built on open space that was formerly an apple orchard. The other 15 holes are characterized by rolling hills and scenic vistas that present various challenges. The front side plays to a par of 37 and is a demanding nine holes. It has three of the course’s par-fives, all pretty much asking for three good shots to find the green in regulation.

Robert McNeil re-worked Mohegan Sun Golf Club (www.MoheganSunGolfClub. com) and took a layout first designed by Geoffrey Cornish and reworked by Stephen Kay in 2002 and created something new and special. McNeil opened up to course to give it somewhat of a links feel on many holes, with mounded fairway and greenside bunkers and tall fescue grass growing in the rough areas. In all, five holes were totally rebuilt, the bunkers redesigned and all new greens installed.

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19

Road TRip

Summer in Vermont Means Golf

V

ermont is a summer playground, full of things to do and see; world-class fly fishing, hiking, biking, canoeing, kayaking, shopping, museums and parks and keep us around for a week or more. The Green Mountain State is also home to some superb golf courses, a number of them located at resorts, making stay and play always an option.

Several of the state’s best courses are in Golfing Magazine’s Free Golf program.

To take advantage of his offer, call 860-563-1633, or visit www.FreeGolf.net. You also get our digital magazine sent to you when you join.

The Mount Snow Golf Course (www.MountSnow. com) in Dover is one of Green Mountain National Golf Club Vermont’s premier “mountain” courses and has been rated one of the top five layouts in Then there is the drivable par-four sixth, the state by Golf Digest magazine. The the classic risk-reward par-five seventh, and 18-hole, 6,943-yard (there are three other the long par-four 11th, where bogey doesn’t sets of tees) course has also been named one feel all the bad. of the top 10 resort courses in the country.

A number of improvements to the The track meanders through the course and clubhouse have been made Vermont countryside and provides views of in recent years, including a fresh look in the Green Mountains, including the peaks the dining room, kitchen, and bar area, of Mount Snow and Haystack Mountain. irrigation, tree work, cart paths, enhanced Tamaracks, oaks, birches and sugar maples gardens and more. The club also has a new line fairways, while the mountains provide fleet of golf carts. a majestic backdrop. The front nine is Green Mountain National Golf Club spread over scenic expanses and the back (www.gmngc.com) in Killington is in nine winds its way through wooded terrain. its second year under new management, Water comes into play on 11 holes and Brown Golf Management Company, which 41 sand traps are strategically located on is working tirelessly to enhance an already almost every hole. notable facility.

Brattleboro Country Club Green Mountain features holes that (www.brattleborocountryclub.com) has have demanding tee and approach shots and been called “a hidden gem” and our read- places a premium on all-around ability. The ers simply must try out this classic New course was carved out of the mountains, England layout. and thus offers solitude and a “private” golf The course measures 6,533 from the experience. Gently sloping fairways that tips and is full of interesting, challenging feature generous landing areas, distinctive and fair holes. Take the par-five second for changes in elevation, and undulating greens instance. The hole heads up a hill, takes a add to the beauty. There are centuries-old right turn to a narrow strip of fairway only rock formations carved by glaciers, and the to head up another hill for the third shot. view from 16th tee is stunning.

20

Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

The seventh hole is a downhill par-three that plays shorter than its 151 yards. With a ridge in the middle of the green, put your tee shot to the side of the ridge where the pin is located. There’s a bunker in the back of the green.

The Killington Resort course (www.KillingtonGolf.com) features a layout that takes full advantage of unique mountain terrain. Streams, a 2,000-foot elevation, and stunning vistas create a visually sweet venue in which to enjoy the game.

The routing features a pleasing mix of holes. There is water on a number of holes, and enough sand bunkers to keep your attention on tee shots and approaches to the modest-sized putting surfaces.

The second hole is a 515-yard par-five that demands a long, straight drive to set up the second shot. The green is reachable in two shots by big hitters, but there is water that fronts the putting surface, so the wiser play is layup and wedge for the third shot.

The 18th is a nice finishing hole, playing 321 yards. Be careful on your tee shot on the par-four, as water hugs the left side of the fairway.

Blackledge CC’s New Practice Facility “Calling all Bombers”

C

ounting the days to the opening of the Club’s NEW Practice Facility.

Undoubtably, the Premier Golf Practice facility in Connecticut, with a driving area stretching out to 340 yards to accommodate even the longest of hitters. Located across the street from the main entrance of Anderson’s Glen, the Practice facility will feature; 40 hitting stations, target greens and bunkers and a practice fairway bunker to take care of the long game. For those wanting to improve their scores, it is all about the short game! In case no one told you? We just did! Here you will find a – Short game chipping area with practice bunker and 7,500 sq. feet of putting green. Really want to improve your game? Consider a lesson from the qualified PGA Staff including the newest member of the staff, Director of Instruction Nicole Damarjian.

Known for being the “Public Course with the Private Touch” Blackledge Country Club is a 36-hole public golf course nestled in the scenic Connecticut countryside in the town of Hebron.

Anderson’s Glen, the original 18 and known as “The Old Course”, was designed by architect Geoffrey Cornish and opened in 1963. With its tree lined fairways and

undulating greens provides a very solid test for golfers.

Gilead Highlands, known by many as “The New Course”, was designed by architect Mark Mungeam and opened in the Spring of 2000. Reminiscent of Carolina courses, with wide fairways, bunkering, and tall pines and oaks framing many of the

landing areas and large greens.

Both courses are consistently rated among the top choices by golfers in the Greater Hartford-area. Over the years, Blackledge has played host club to many popular tournaments. www.BlackledgeCC.net

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21

Road Trip

T

Play New Hampshire Golf

hanks to Golfing Magazine’s ground-breaking Course Play Stimulus Program, subscribers can visit New Hampshire this summer and enjoy a number of the best layouts the Granite State has to offer.

One of the premier courses in New England has joined our program to allow you to sample a classic layout that was designed by the legendary architect Donald Ross. Indeed, there are 27 holes to enjoy at the Omni Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods.

The 18-hole Omni Mount Washington Resort Golf Course (www.OmniHotels.com) was completed in 1915. Its backdrop features New Hampshire’s spectacular Presidential Mountain Range. The par-72, 7,004-yard course has hosted four New Hampshire Opens and the prestigious New England Open Championship in 2010.

Reopened on Aug. 1, 2008, the Mount Washington Course was restored to Donald Ross’ original plans by noted golf course architect Brian Silva, including bunkers crafted in a classic flair and infinite varieties of recovery shots in the closely cropped

areas around the putting greens. The parfive 11th hole and the par-three fifth hole feature stunning views of Omni Mount Washington Hotel and the surrounding mountains.

The nine-hole Mount Pleasant Course first opened in 1895, and has been host to generations of golfing enthusiasts from New Hampshire and beyond. Greats like U.S. Pro Golfer Gilbert Nicholls, Golf Course Designer Alex Findlay, British Golf Champions Harry Vardon and J.W. Taylor, and U.S. Open Golf Champion Willie Anderson have all played this historic par35 course. In 1989, the course was restored and upgraded by Cornish & Silva Golf Course Architects, with advice from worldrenowned golfers Gene Sarazen and Ken Venturi, and now offers players a more challenging round alongside New Hampshire’s scenic Ammonoosuc River.

You will want to stay and play when you visit, as the Omni Mount Washington Resort is a grand masterpiece of Spanish Renaissance architecture, conceived by industrialist Joseph Stickney, and named a National Historic Landmark. The Inn originally opened in 1902 and has served as

Omni Mount Washington Resort Golf Course 22

Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

a retreat for the famous and every day folk ever since.

New Hampshire is also where you will find one of the most challenging courses in New England. The Shattuck Golf Club (www.ShattuckGolfCourse.com) in Jaffrey was carved out of granite and mature woodlands and demands a well thought out approach to every shot on every hole. This is a tough routing and target golf at its best.

You must hit your spots, both off the tees and on approaches to the greens The 200-yard par-three second is a picture perfect hole, with elevated tees that look down over a grassy hillside to a large, bunkered green set in front of a pond. The tee area doesn’t feel all that high, but it’s unusually deceptive. The most common error here is over-clubbing.

The 426-yard par-four 10th starts from a highly elevated area, offering a spectacular view of a large green below, with Mount Monadnock serving as the backdrop. The hole is a dogleg left with a deep drop-off at the turn. Drive the ball too far and you’ll go over an edge on the fairway.

The par-four, 391-yard 16th is another beauty and played over a reflecting pond in

front of the tee to a wide, rolling fairway and bunkered green with a Colonial farmhouse behind. Keep it straight, as there’s deep rough left and right. A big green is slightly elevated, so your second shot may require one more club.

Pay a visit to Brookstone Golf and Driving Range in Derry (www.Brookstone-Golf.com), a ninehole, par-three golf facility, to get you ready for your northern golfing exposure.

The sweet little track was designed to fit the existing landscape and mix a blend of nature and course architecture. The layout was crafted by noted architect, Howard Maurer, and the course features large greens, sand traps, rolling hills and water hazards strategically placed to create “target style” putting surfaces.

Eastman Golf Links (www.EastmanGolfLinks.com) in Grantham is situated within a four-season recreational and residential community located just two hours from Boston, in the Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee region of New Hampshire. The first nine holes opened in 1973 and a second nine opened in 1976.

Several upgrades and renovations have taken place during the last decade.

The Shattuck Golf Club The 408-yard par-four fifth at Eastman doglegs sharply about 200 yards from the tee, making the club of choice for the first shot a hybrid or fairway, which might be followed by the same club on the approach to a green well protected by bunkers. The 11th hole is a dangerous par-four. Big hitters can fly their tee shots over the right side

of a pond that juts out from the left. But pull it left and you’re in the water.

To take advantage of Golfing Magazine’s Free Golf offer, call 860-563-1633, or visit www.FreeGolf.net. Remember, you get five issues of our magazine in addition to Free Golf when you subscribe.

Come enjoy the day at one of the top 10 public courses in Massachusetts.

Relax before or after your round on the new Heron’s Nest deck with lunch, dinner or your favorite 19th hole refreshments!

BLACKstone national golf club 227 Putnam hill road, Sutton, MA 01590 508-865-2111 • www.bngc.net

50 minutes from Boston, 15 minutes from Worcester and 40 minutes from Hartford

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23

Road Trip

A Magical Maine Trip Beckons

By JOHN TORSIELLO

M

aine has miles and miles of rugged ocean coastline, forests, rivers and lakes, mountains and, of course, lots of wonderful golf courses, some of them dating back 100 years or so and others of recent vintage.

Why not plan a trip to the Pine Tree state and blend a week’s worth of golf with charming hotels and bed and breakfast establishments, great seafood, and a plethora of outdoor activities, from kayaking and fishing to hiking and sailing.

Here is a sampling of the some of the best courses you can play in Maine, thanks to Golfing Magazine’s Course Play Stimulus Program.

To take advantage of Golfing Magazine’s Free Golf offer, call 860563-1633, or visit www.FreeGolf.net.

Remember, you get five issues of our magazine in addition to Free Golf when you subscribe.

Established in 1895 by Arthur Fenn and re-designed by Donald Ross in 1912, the Links at Poland Spring (www.PolandSpringInns.com) claims to be the first golf course built at a resort in the United States. Poland Spring Resort recently added a new 330-yard driving range with natural grass, artificial tees, and a spectacular view of the rugged White Mountains. After a round at Poland Spring you can relax on the clubhouse porch overlooking the championship golf course at Mel’s Hilltop Restaurant, or grab a quick

Bethel Inn Golf Course bite at the Pro Shop Café before you join your family for a swim in the large crystal clear swimming pool, all just a few yards from the 18th green. The Inn offers many options for dining, such as a home cooked breakfast and evening meals that are served daily, buffet style, in a comfortable dining room.

Spring Meadow Golf Club (www.SpringMeadowGolf.com ) at Cole Farms in Gray is a delightful routing, with management taking great pride in the conditioning of their layout. The course

measures 6,656 yards from the tips and plays to a par of 71. The par-fives here are very sturdy, including the 600-yard third that tests your ability early in the round.

Speaking of early, you can’t have a much more demanding start to a loop than the first at Spring Meadow. The par-four plays 430 yards from the tips and there is a pond to the right that must be avoided on the tee shot. If you play safe to the left you will have a longer approach that again must contend with the water and a bunker.

Spring Meadow Golf Club, the Links at Poland Spring, and Fox Ridge Golf Club are part of the Maine Trifecta (www.

MaineTrifecta.com ) golf offering, were you can golf all three and stay at Poland Spring Resort for two different prices; $319, which includes lodging, three allyou-can-eat buffet meals, 18 holes at each course, golf carts and range balls at each course; and the $339 Deluxe Trifecta, which includes the above plus upgraded accommodations and four buffet meals.

All rates are per person, double occupancy, plus seven percent Main sale tax.

The Bethel Inn Resort (www.BethelInn.com ) golf course in Bethel, built just over 100 years ago, remained nine holes of little recognition until 1988 when it was redesigned and expanded to an 18hole championship layout by the renowned architect Geoffrey Cornish. The 6,663-yard, par-72 course takes maximum advantage of mountain vistas and the natural beauty of the area. Large, well-trapped greens, treelined fairways and five tee positions make

Tumble Brook Club Sunday RiverCountry Golf Club 24

Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

play challenging for all golfers.

There is a pleasant mix of short and long par-fours, tough par-threes, and demanding par-fives that will test the ability of all levels of golfer. America’s Greatest Golf Resorts magazine has rated the Bethel Inn layout among the top 10 resort courses in the Northeast, and Golf Digest magazine has awarded it 3 1/2 stars.

Riverside Golf Course (www.RiversideGolfCourseME.com) is owned and operated by the City of Portland. The popular and traditional public golf facility first opened in 1932.

The facility features an 18-hole course, a 9-hole course and a 3-hole practice course. The classic layout, rolling hills and tree-line fairways are bordered by the Presumpscot River.

The toughest hole on the 18-hole course is the 554-yard 10th hole, a par-five.

The tee shot is elevated to a low, long and wide fairway bordered by a water hazard the left. The approach to the green is guarded by a line of pine trees on the left and more water on the right. There are also bunkers on both sides of the putting surface. The ninehole course is a feel good layout with four of the first five holes shortish par-fours. There is only one par-five, the 540-yard sixth, that can prove tough if you wander on your tee shot and second strike of the ball.

Dunegrass Golf Club (www.Dunegrass.com) in Old Orchard Beach has been offering local and visiting golfers the opportunity to experience an uncommonly high caliber of golf for Maine and New England since 1998. Designed by

Dunegrass Golf Club internationally known golf course architect, Dan Maples, Dunegrass Golf Club has quickly gained the reputation as the Portland area’s premier public golf course. Maples imbued the course with the look and feel of a layout one might find in the Carolinas.

The par-threes at Dunegrass are all very good and water comes into play on the four short holes. The 17th can play almost 200 yards from the tips and has water short and to the right of the putting surface.

One of the most spectacular and scenic courses in New England, the Sunday River Golf Club (www.SundayRiver.com ) is a Robert Trent Jones, Jr. design featuring 18 breathtaking holes that wind through the Maine woods and over dramatic elevation changes in a stunning mountainside setting.

Overlooking the Sunday River Valley with

the Mahoosuc range towering above, the course follows the natural topography of the landscape while striking the perfect balance between challenge and playability. Facilities include a clubhouse, restaurant and bar, pro shop, and practice range.

As Maine’s premier golf destination, Sugarloaf Golf Club (www.Sugarloaf.com )is a must-play for any golfer. This Robert Trent Jones Jr. design provides golfers with stunning panoramic mountain views and an unforgettable experience from first tee to final putt.72 6,910. Aptly named for the course’s designer, the first hole plays downhill, and is a dogleg right par-four that is as demanding as it is scenic. The hole offers your first glimpse of the Bigelow Mountain Range. Be sure to factor in elevation change on both your tee shot and approach. Bunkers to the left and right guard the small green.

Lake Kezar Country Club (www.LakeKezarGolf.com ) in Lovell is one of the oldest courses in Maine, built in 1923, when several summer camp owners recognized the need for a golf course to entertain summer visitors.

The world-renowned golf architect, Donald Ross, was chosen to design the course. His trademark design was “naturalness”, which is evident at Lake Kezar, with the course flowing through pines, stone walls, brooks and flowers.

The back nine was added in 1998. The course offers four sets of tees. The design invites you to bump and run it onto the green whenever you can to avoid trouble The Club Oaks, 17th Hole Sugarloaf Golf Club behind severalatofRiver the greens. www.GolfingMagazine.net

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Profile Must Plays

New England’s Sterling Golf Management

By, JOHN TORSIELLO

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evin Osgood, Founder and President of Sterling Golf Management based in Newton, Ma., came into the business as a golf course superintendent in 1980.

He’s still working that side of the steadily growing company, as well as various at other administrative and employee training duties.

“I started a golf course management company 28 years ago,” said Osgood, “because I always loved my profession, the game, the golf business, understood what the golfer wants, could assist properties with improvements and knew how to run a business. I stepped forward.”

Osgood is Past-President of the New England Golf Course Owner’s Association, Past-President & the Golf Course Superintendents Association of New England and has been on the MGA Board of Directors, as well as the Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund.

After beginning with one course, Newton Commonwealth Golf Course, where Osgood once served as Head Superintendent, the company has expanded to include Norwood Country Club and Practice Center, Crystal Lake Golf Club in Haverhill, Rockland Golf Club (the second longest 18-hole Par-3 course in the U.S.), and nine-hole courses Unicorn Golf Club & Stoneham Oaks Golf Club in Stoneham, Chelmsford Country Club, and Maynard Golf Club. It also provides maintenance services for a ninehole fully-lighted short course in Norfolk called-Fore Kicks.

Jay Miller, a past golf course owner in California, golf course owner of the year in California, and a recipient of the National Golf Course of the Year Award, serves as the company’s Director of Golf Course Operations.

Miller, like Osgood, is upbeat about the company and golf in general. “We were up in rounds about 38 percent across the board last year and our gross revenue was up and that is without banquets, catering and food and beverage sales.”

Because many activities that shut down last year have started up again, especially 26

Newton Commonwealth Golf Course adult and youth sports, Miller anticipates that rounds at Sterling Golf courses will be down by between 10 to 16 percent this summer. But that’s still far beyond the preCOVID-19 pandemic numbers when golf was in a bit of a holding pattern.

“Our nine-hole courses are doing particularly well,” said Miller. “Many people who worked at home last year found that they could easily sneak out for a couple of hours and play some golf. We see that trend continuing in 2021. Overall revenue should increase this year because banquets, catering and the restaurants are up and running again.”

Miller said, “We saw a lot of young people in their 20s and 30s playing last year, the millennials, and I think that will continue to be a plus for the industry a whole. They may not play by the rules all the time and listen to music on the course, but they have fun and always post photos on Facebook and Instagram. And they stop in and have a cheeseburger and beer afterwards. We are also seeing a spike in our lessons for youngsters and beginners, especially women. Our league play is also strong.”

Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

Miller said Sterling Golf will bring new fleets of golf carts on line this year, although the carts were on back order early in the season because of a slowdown in the supply chain.

Sterling Golf is also deeply committed to growing the game among juniors. “We are the leading golf company in New England for Mass Golf ’s Youth on Course program rounds. Youngsters six to 18 can play on our courses at certain times for only five dollars (after an initial $15 registration fee). These youngsters are our future customers. Our PGA Junior Leagues and junior camps are sold out.”

Miller points to several factors for Sterling Golf ’s success. “We have a great staff, from our general managers through all our positions. We are customer service-oriented and Kevin Osgood and the Osgood family have created stability for our employees.

They are loyal to their employees and the employees return that loyalty. Hardly anybody leaves the company once they are on board.” https://www.SterlingGolf.com

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MUST PLAYS

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Wentworth Hills Country Club

e know golfing is fun. The ownership at Wentworth Hills Country Club in Plainville, Ma. is intent on making it even more enjoyable.

The club has purchased a new fleet of “Shark” golf carts that allows players to remain in contact with the clubhouse throughout a round. They can order food and refreshments while playing the front nine and pick up orders at the turn. In addition, the carts offer yardages and golfers can even watch video tips from Greg Norman between their own shots.

The club has a unique “challenge” that gets golfers who ante up $5 or $10 on top of their greens fees a shot at a $10,000 or $20,000 prize if they make a hole-in-one on the par-three 17th hole.

And, the club has developed an app for cell phones that make the user a member of the “Wentworth Hills community” once they get the app. Individuals are notified of discounts on greens fees and other promotions and specials. A map of the course and yardages are automatically available on the user’s phone when accessing the app. ”We are trying to keep up with the younger generation that is so into technology,” said one of the club’s owners, Constant Poholek. “The hole-inone challenge is a game within the game and money

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we receive helps out charitable causes. We are trying to do things to make golf even more fun and keep people coming back.”

The club also continues its popular “cigar nights” where players get a round of nine holes, a cigar and dinner for a reasonable fee that changes according to the dinner provided by the club.

Wentworth Hills is a fun course to play, offering classic risk/reward holes that dare low-handicappers to “go for it,” while allowing for alternate routes to the green for less experienced golfers. The varied natural topography here features rolling, treelined fairways, large, receptive greens, ponds and lakes protecting holes, and 60 strategically-placed bunkers.

The course, while playing just over 6,200 yards from the tips, has a slope of 128 and a rating equal to its par of 71. The track places emphasis on proper club selection and accurate approach shots to the putting surfaces.

Wentworth Hills is located between Boston and Providence and only minutes from Route 495, which makes it an ideal destination for golfers from the Metro Boston area to Federal Hill in Providence. www.WentworthHillsCountryClub.com

Heather Hill County Club

ith 27 holes of golf, Heather Hill Country Club in Plainville, Ma., makes for a full day of golfing fun. The club offers one regulation 18-hole course and one nine-hole course.

The North Course (nine holes) has a few hills that can cause uneven lies.

The fairways are narrow, and the greens are small. The South Course (18 holes) has many more hills than the North Course, but doesn’t have a lot of sand bunkers. The fairways are wide open, but most are tree lined, so you just can’t spray it around and get away with it. The greens are large, and water hazards come into play on three holes.

The 18-hole course plays around 6,000 yards from the tips and has a mix of short- and medium-length par-fours, tricky par-threes, and two par-fives that can reached in two shots by big hitters. One of those par-fives is the 478yard third that is very straightforward with few hazards complicating matters, although there are two bunkers near the putting surface. The seventh and eighth are solid back-to-back par-threes, playing almost 200 yards and 180 respectively.

The back side has three short par-fours that allow you a real chance at birdie, the 334-yard 13th, the 317-yard 14th, and the final hole, a 317-yarder.

Number 12 is a good par-five that plays 516 yards from the tips, with the hole doglegging to the right, which may demand a precise layup shot to set up a wedge approach.

The nine-hole layout measures 3,368 yards from the tips. It begins with a 157-yard par-three, with the toughest stretch of holes coming at three through five. The third, a par-four, plays 400 yards, while the fourth is a challenging 500-yard par-five.

The club has a restaurant and bar for after-round enjoyment. www.HeatherHillCountryClub.com 28

Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

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MUST PLAYS

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Heritage Country Club

eritage Country Club in Charlton, Massachusetts has long been a favorite of locals and those golfers who like to throw their sticks in the trunk and drive a bit to play a real good course. Heritage offers private club conditions and amenities at affordable rates.

Heritage CC has joined Golfing Magazine’s growing list of courses you can play when you subscribe to our magazine.

You get a complimentary round of golf with a small service fee charged when you arrive to take care of a motorized cart for the round.

The 18-hole course at Heritage Country Club features 6,335 yards from the longest tees and a par of 71. The course rating is 69.3 and it has a slope rating of 118. The layout was designed by Donald Hoenig, with the track opening for play in 1964. Shane Bayer manages the course as General Manager.

There are a mix of holes at Heritage CC that will keep you entertained through your entire

T

round. Some of the fairways are rather tight, so accuracy is called for off the tee to get you involved in the hole from the tee box.

The layout starts off in stern fashion, with a pair of fairly long par-fours followed by a 200yard par-three where par is a good score indeed.

The fourth is a 452-yard par-five that is reachable in two shots for long hitters.

The fifth hole is a beast of a par-five, playing around 600 yards and it’s a true three-shot hole to get the putting surface. Number eight

Crestview Country Club

he setting is amazing for this semi-private Country Club which exudes pride of ownership.

From the moment you enter the property, making the quarter mile country side drive you can’t miss the rolling manicured greens.

Serving golfers in scenic Agawam, MA, and Suffield, CT, area, Crestview Country Club features panoramic views of the Pioneer Valley. Known as the “Gem of Western Mass,” a renowned Geoffrey Cornish design. The course is challenging enough to have played host to the PGA TOUR Travelers Championship Open Qualifier in 2015, the CT Section PGA Championship in 2013, the LPGA Friendly’s Classic from 19951998, as well as several US Amateur qualifiers.

With it’s 5 sets of tees it is very playable for all levels of golfers. Best to be ready to take on the course right out of the gate. Best not to be tying up your laces on the first tee because the first 2 holes are challenging to say the least. Even from the white tees you are looking at an opening hole (#3 hdcp) of 400 plus yards backed up by a 526-yard part 5.

A scenic collection of challenging par 3’s await as you are guided through the meticulously maintained rolling fairways with a number of risk reward par 4’s and 5’s to round out you round. Plus, a 19th hole to 30

is a par-four of around 300 yards where birdie awaits before moving on to the monstrous 490-yard par-four ninth. The ninth can also be played as a par-five, which makes sense for most golfers.

The back side also starts off tough, with two par-fours of around 400 yards sandwiched around another long par-five of about 600 yards. The 305-yard par-four 14th is a birdie hole and then it is on to a demanding finish that includes another par-five that measures almost 600 yards from the back tees. Better bring a great long game when you play here and tee off from the tips. The wise option the first visit may be playing from one tee up, which will put the total yardage to around 6,000, shortening some of those long par-fives.

85 Sampson Road Charlton, Ma. www.HeritageCountryClub.com

Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

settle those bets. Big hitters can tee it up from as far back as 7,100 yards, the reds tees bring that down to a very manageable 5,500.

There is no excuse for not being ready when you get to the first as the club has an expansive driving range, practice green and pitching area. If by chance your game needs a little tune up, the professional staff is there offering lessons, clinics and specialized instruction. Not just for the adults in the room but Juniors as well.

Dining here is an art unto itself and you will want that experience, whether indoors or outdoors.

The VIEW Restaurant and The California Grill feature panoramic views of the Connecticut River Valley, sumptuous food and an impressive array of cocktails and wine selections.

If you are lucky enough to live close by membership at Crestview Country Club should be a consideration. A classic country club, one of the best semi-private golf courses in the area, other amenities include: pool, tennis courts and fitness area. www.CrestviewCC.org Or to book a tee time call: (413) 786-0917

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What was once solely utilized to prevent a snowplow from destroying a mailbox during the winter can now be found in almost every PGA Tour player’s bag.

What I will refer to as an “alignment rod” can be purchased for very little money at any hardware store. These rods can be very useful when working on your game. I have pictured five alignment rods that when set up in place, can work several parts of the swing that if executed properly will produce shots that are hit higher, fly straighter and will find the sweet spot on your clubface on a more regular basis. As you can see, the five alignment rods are all on or stuck in the ground.

Each rod serves a specific purpose.

The first rod is located on the ground, along my toe line. This is a commonly used tool to help players with their alignment. The rod is used by almost every player on the PGA Tour. The rod should be aligned parallel to your target. This will aid in making your swing not shift during the strike of the golf ball.

The second and third rods are forming a letter “V”. These are put into the ground on an angle which will help form an arc for the golfer to swing on. The most efficient golf swings form a concentric circle, with very little shifting to the swing plane. Moving the club around on the backswing, like a football player kicking a field goal, then returning the club back to the ball where the club will be moving slightly in-to-out and not in jeopardy of looping or “coming over the top” in the downstroke. As the club moves into the forward swing, most players that would hook and push the ball will hit out excessively, causing these results depending upon the clubface. The front side of the “V” will ensure that this does not happen, and the club will swing around the corner and form an arc.

The fourth and fifth rods serve what may be the most important part of a great swing. The rod that would be put next to the golfer’s trail foot will ensure the golfer is turning his or her hips going back and not sliding. If the golfer slides his or her hips back, he or she will move the club low behind the ball. This will cause contact issues!

This is probably the most common fault among amateur golfers. The center of the pelvis should not move back. If the golfer bumps the alignment rod in the backswing, this will provide instant feedback.

The fifth rod will serve as the opposite of the fourth rod at the back side of the swing.

On the down swing, not only does a good swing have a hip turn but it will have a hip slide. The idea of moving the hips linear is very foreign to most golfers. If a player only produces a rotary action, they will never get all their weight to the front side of the swing.

A golfers’ goal should be to bump his or her lead hip into the alignment rod that is in the ground on the front side of their swing. Again, this simple alignment rod will produce instant feedback for the golfer.

Gene Mulak is the Director of Golf at Silver Spring Country Club in Ridgefield, CT . Gene is a certified Stack & Tilt instructor. He can be reached at (774) 406-1549 or Golf@SilverSpringCountryCC.org

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Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

Instruction

BREAKING 100…PACE YOURSELF! Breaking 100 is monumental! There are many types of shots that will contribute to scoring that first 99 (or better) score. The quickest way to get the job done is to focus your attention on PUTTING. Do the math! What if you had 2 putts (or less) on each hole? That’s a max of 36 for your 18 hole score. That leaves 63 shots over those 18 holes for the rest of your shots. That’s a lot!! So, let’s fix your putting.

There are two elements that you must pay attention to when you putt: direction and distance. Direction is certainly important.

But you will attain your goal of breaking 100 faster if you commit to learning how to control the distance your ball travels. Learn to put proper PACE on the ball by becoming “speed focused”. To do that you’ll need to deliver your ball to the hole with a certain “arrival” speed. Think of your ball arriving at the hole with only 2 to 3 revolutions remaining before it comes to rest. That dying speed makes the ball more likely to fall DOWN into the hole. And if it doesn’t go in, it still guarantees an easy tap in for ALL your second putts.

Get the feel of appropriate PACE by rolling balls with your hand to holes of different lengths on a practice putting green. In the beginning you might have a ball roll too far or too short. This is how your computer (your brain!) calculates what works and is the start of establishing “feel”. Adjust your “umph” until the ball runs out of speed just beyond the hole ONLY by 2-3 ball revolutions. Notice

By Sue Kaffenburg

that your hand is depending on the information being gathered by your eyes. Experiencing the energy needed for that pace translates exactly to the energy you’ll need when your putter is in your hand.

Start with a 10 foot putt. Once you’re set up, turn your eyes to the hole and LEAVE them there. Feels scary but roll putts while looking at the hole! You’ll probably experience hitting too far. No worries.

Keep looking and adjusting so you literally see the amount of roll you produce in real time. Then adjust until your ball stops within 2-3 revolutions of the hole. You could putt like this, looking at the hole. Alternatively, build a dedicated LONG “last look” at your target, 2-3 seconds, into your pre-shot routine before returning your eyes to the ball to make your stroke. That will create that needed communication between your eyes and the rest of you! You’ll be on your way to becoming a member of the double-digit club. Next goal: breaking 90.

Sue Kaffenburgh, PGA/LPGA Bayberry Hills Golf Course, Yarmouth, MA. www.GolfLessonsCapeCod.com SusiePGA@comcast.net 508-364-GOLF (4653)

Make Short Game Practice Focused Practicing the short game can be boring for a lot of people.

Here is a great game that I like my players to use in order to remain focused during a short game session. Rather than chipping over and over to the same hole, play this game, keep score and always try to improve your best result.

Pick a hole and chip one ball into each of the four quadrants surrounding the hole. So, it’s one ball each that finishes: Past the hole and right; Past the hole and left; Short of the hole and right; Short of the hole and left.

Keep track of how many shots it takes you to get one ball in each quadrant. Now, go make the putts! Knowing that you have to make the putts will prevent you from “cheating” by hitting a chip shot very long and very right as an example. A perfect score would be 8. Practice this drill a few times per week in order to improve your ability to focus, chip into a defined area and make those short putts that will save par.

I also like players to think of which quadrant they want a ball to finish in while they are playing. If a hole is cut on a severe slope there will be one quadrant that is better than the other three. For most right handed players, the easiest putt is uphill with a little amount of right to left break.

Rather than just aggressively chipping the ball as you try to make it, or haphazardly chipping the ball towards the general vicinity of the hole, pick a specific spot in the preferred quadrant. Not only will this give you an easier putt, you will be more invested in the shot. Planning the shot out this way will let you visualize the chip.

As a result you will tend to hit more precise chips.

By George Connor

George Connor is the Head Golf Instructor at Farmington Woods Country Club in Avon, CT. 860-830-6969 or George@ConnorGolf.com www.GolfingMagazine.net

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Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

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Golfing Magazine • New England Edition

GustBuster Pro Series Gold™ Golf Umbrella

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Golfing Magazine • New England Edition