USGA Coming to New Hampshire!!

If you have ever taken a scenic drive across Greenland and Stratham New Hampshire by way of Winnicutt Road you may have seen a small sign proclaiming the presence of a golf course.  Even if you are a local to the area you may not know there is a golf course out there.  Google Maps does not even show it on its map in the traditional green blob of most Golf Courses.  Be assured there is a course out there though few that i know have seen it, let alone had the pleasure of playing.  In the woodland that separates Great Bay from the ocean lies The Golf Club of New England, an Arnold Palmer designed golf course.

You can drive down their driveway and see the amazing Clubhouse and beautifully maintained fairway as you follow them along the road.  Looking is probably all you will get to do as my understanding is that this is a very private club with a very small member community.  Those of course are just rumors and do not come first hand from the club itself but the effort it seems the course takes in keeping itself unknown to most make me believe it is so.

News has reached my email via the preferred players email sent out by The Oaks Golf Links that the USGA has chosen The Golf Club of New England for the 2012 Junior Amateur Championship.  This would mark the first USGA tournament held in the state of New Hampshire.  I hope this is news of good things to come in the state, our golf season may be one of the shortest in the country but when golf can be played the venues that are available offer some fantastic golf.  I for one will be looking into volunteering for the Tournament.

If there is anyone out there who has had the pleasure of playing The Golf Club of New England please share your experience.  I would love to get some details about the elusive course so that I may be that more envious.

One day i might be able to be able to play and post a review of this course so that others might know what it is like out there, but until then I can only dream.

More information can be found here via The Oaks Golf Links E-Zine

Here is the location via Google Maps


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Cheers to All!

A Special Golf Teacher

In my last round at Exeter Country Club, it came up in conversation that I learned the game of golf from my Grandmother.  Later in the round as I chipped up to 3 feet from the hole for another par I was asked, "you really learned from your Grandmother?  What's her handicap, must be pretty low?"

My Grandmother, aka Golf Grammie, has never been a low handicap golfer. She has shot in the 80's before, but for the most part spends her time in the 90's.  My response to the above question was that there is a lot more to learn about the game of golf then swinging a club. What I learned from Golf Grammie was how to act like a gentleman on the course, be considerate of other players, and always follow the rules.  Anyone who has ever played with Golf Grammie knows that when you are playing with her, there is no such thing as a gimme; if you hit into a hazard you score card better reflect the extra stokes, and if you don't know the rule, ask. In her bag is always the latest edition of the "Rules of Golf."  When her knees are feeling well, she'll often moonlight as a rules official for the junior golf competitions in southern Maine.

My final thought is that being a good golf teacher does not necessarily mean you need to be a low handicap golfer.  Golf Grammie still continues to introduce young children in the woods of western Maine to the great game of golf.  From her "Just a Field Golf Teaching School," she teaches all the things I had the pleasure of learning growing up.  The town is lucky to have her and I feel lucky to have had her as a golfing role model in my younger years.  

To the folks out there in greater world, who was the first person to teach you the game of golf and how do those first teachings affect how you play today?

Cheers to All!

Exeter Country Club

The view from the first tee

Date: April 25, 2010
Tee Time: 10:00 am
Course: Exeter Country Club
Holes 9
Par:35
Location: Exeter, NH
Playing Partners: None - Playing as a Single




It is not often that I feel as welcomed to a course as I did this past Saturday playing Exeter Country Club.  It started off with a call to the club house at 9:00 am to ask if they'd be able to take a single. "Sure!" was the answer, "Come on out we will find a way to fit you in.".  To hear that at anytime always makes me happy but to hear it at 9:00 am on a Saturday is practically a miracle.


My second surprise came on the second tee.  To begin my round I had two ladies playing in front of me.  I waited on the tee until I could no longer see them on the first hole ( Par 4 370 yds) before teeing off.  I slowly made my way to my ball and discovered that the green was completely blind to me.  Since the course had an aiming spot hoisted in one of the trees I was not too concerned with where the pin was as long as I was hitting towards the green.  So, I hit without walking up to see the green.  I hit a great 8 iron over the hill and it sailed right at the aiming marker in the tree.  Walking up the hill I was feeling pretty good about my self.  that was until I heard the bell.  You golfers out there will know what it means to hear a bell on a golf hole.  it means it's OK to hit your next shot because the group in front of you is out of the way.  Sure enough there was my ball in the center of the green and the two ladies walking over to the next tee.  "Oh boy," I said to myself, "this could get ugly."  I two putted for my par, thank you very much, and made my way over to the tee at 2 where they waited.


Here is where the surprise came, not only were they not upset but they asked me to join them instead of asking if I wanted to play through.  More often then not when I catch up to  group when playing as a single they want me gone and out of the way so they can get back to playing their own game, but these ladies very nicely asked if I would care to join them.  I accepted of course but not without apologizing up and down for obviously hitting into them while they were on the green.  


Diane and Julie were there names, members of the Exeter Country Club.  They were shocked to hear that it was my first time at Exeter and welcomed me whole heatedly.  They began by telling me about how happy they are being members, the intricacies of the course and how the Course Superintendent was so meticulous (Which was evident on every hole).  At one point they said to me "Sorry you have to play with a couple of women." to which I explained "Not a problem at all, one of my favorite playing partners is my Grand Mother, she is the one who taught me to play golf."  It was their turn to be surprised.  They proceeded to give me hints on how holes are laid out and how most people play them.  This became quite helpful on a couple of holes.   The secret they said, is to stay left on all the holes.  If there is trouble it will be on your right,  good advice I found.

Looking back at the 3rd Green overlooking the marsh

My play for the day was actually quite a relief.  I still had a few miss hits but overall I was pretty consistent in my swing and my score showed it.  Around the greens I feel I performed above my norm.  I have always been a pretty good chipper but I was putting almost everything to within a few feet of the pin making for an easy putt.  I hope this is a good indication of low rounds to come.  


Overall the course was in good condition, the people were friendly, the club house was neat and had plenty of merchandise if you needed supplies before your round.  Although I did not stop to eat after finishing up my 9 holes the 19th hole "The Grill on the Hill" looked very inviting.  I would not say this is the hardest course on the seacoast but it certainly offered some good shot making opportunities and many places where club selection was not as easy as reading the yardage.  


So, to Diane and Julie thank you for a most enjoyable round.  Thank you for the encouragement to become a member and join the Men's league at Exeter.  If all the members of your club are as welcoming as you two I might just do that.


Score: 43 (Getting better)


Until the next round,


Cheers To All!

Unexpected results at the Verizon Heritage

Yesterday's Verizon Heritage Classic ended in unexpected fashion with a playoff between Jim Furyk and England's Brain Davis.  In no other sport will you find an ending as happened near the 18th green of Harbor Town Golf Links in Hilton Head South Carolina, and in many ways it is what defines this great game.

Off the tee both men were in the middle of the fairway with mid irons in to the green.  Davis hit first and in trying to take some off of his 6 Iron, put the ball into the hazard.  In this case the hazard was hard-packed beach sand, amongst general ocean debris.  Furyk was next up and put his ball at the back of the green with a lengthy putt ahead of him.  On the green Furyk, although on the fringe, was still away.  He nestled his ball up to four feet from the hole leaving him a not so easy Par putt in playoff conditions.

Davis was left with choice, take a drop 30 feet from the hole and try to make a miraculous chip in for the par to potentially tie or take his chances with his ball in the hazard lying on hard packed sand.  After deliberating with his caddy he went for the shot out of the hazard.  Davis set up as if in a bunker took a nice full swing and plopped the ball out of the sand and across the green to give himself a 30-40 foot putt to tie the hole.  But wait...what's this...Davis is pulling a rules official over to talk.  He is telling the official that in his back swing he thinks he hit some of the debris poking out of the sand.  Within seconds of doing so without even looking to see where his ball had gone he was turning himself in for what he had to have known was going to be a 2 shot penalty and the end of the playoff.  When hitting the ball from the hazard it is against the rules to come in contact with any loose impediment.  To do so is considered improving your lie.  Some dramatic 2 way radio transmissions followed as the rules department tried to establish if a 2 stroke penalty was needed.  In the end it was, and Davis walked away with second place, a loss of what I can only imagine to be many thousands of dollars and a clear conscience.

A pat on the back goes out to Davis after his showing.  You make us all who have kicked a ball into the fairway from a poor lie,  not gone back and re-hit a ball that went OB, or grounded their club in a bunker and never taken penalty stroke all hang our heads in shame.  On the line for us is nothing more than one or two strokes written on a piece of paper.  But for Davis, it means money that he will not make and a two year exemption on the tour not obtained.

For all you other players of professional sports take note of how a true sportsman plays.  I want to see football players who tap the shoulder of a ref and say, "excuse me but I am pretty sure I was holding back there while your back was turned, a look at the replay will show that I was so please send my team back 15 yards and we can continue the game," or a baseball player who says to the umpire, "I know you couldn't see it from your angle but I felt the glove tagged me out so don't count the run I just made."

Oh, how all sports would change if they were all played in such a fashion.

Cheers to All!

Home, Home on the Range

55 degrees and 20 mile an hours winds call for a covered driving range.  Sagamore Golf Center in North Hampton New Hampshire was my venue for practice this fine spring day.  Although a bit over priced (IMO) at $10.50 for a medium bucket the facility does offer a covered hitting area, an outdoor hitting area, a practice putting\chipping green and an 18 hole Mini Putt-Putt for the kids.  Food and Ice Cream is available if you are making a day of it and the grounds are always well maintained.


I brought the video camera along to analyze my swing later on.  I still pulled the ball with most of the clubs in my bag but not nearly as much as before. I worked mostly on lagging the club at the bottom of my swing. I have a tendency to get a little too quick through the ball and flipping my hands under.


After reviewing my video I can see that I am taking the club to far back in my swing.  At the top it is almost crossing the swing plane completely a la John Daly. This is causing me to pick my head up at the top and dip during the downswing.  It is also preventing me from bringing the club head back to square and causing some shots to push off to the right.  


If anyone out there in the golf universe has any good drills for helping with this please feel free to comment.


Cheers to all!

A Tricky Lie

Date: April 12, 2010
Tee Time: 2:00 pm
Course: Rockingham Country Club
Location: Newmarket, NH
Playing Partners: None - Playing as a Single

After hitting what I thought would be a great shot to start my round here is where I found my ball.  This would eventually lead to a triple bogey first hole.

Rockingham Golf Club is a 9 hole course situated between the towns of Newmarket and Newfields New Hampshire.  Although not necessarily a long course it offers some challenging shot making opportunities.  It has been an early spring but it looks like the greens here saw the worst parts of the winter and are going to be long in recovering.  Holes 2, 3, 6, and 7 seem to have faired worst with large patches of Brown burnt grass.  The greens are still putt-able, but don't expect the ball to react the same way as it would on a nice healthy green.

I played with a couple college students from the local University.  Engineering students who had time away from classes to hit up the links for a quick nine.

I have decided I need to force myself to go to the range a few times before going back out to the course.  Although I did hit some good shots today I am still pulling the ball to the left and I feel like my swing rhythm is off. I also need to pick up a new pair of shoes and a new putter.  At the end of last year my putter went into my bag wrong and knocked it off center.  When I put I have to manipulate the club face to square in order to hit a straight putt.

Score:
Front nine and total - 44

Until the next round,

Cheers To All!

Tiger Talk

Is Tiger wrong to get upset after hitting a poor shot? Answer – No.  Should he hold back, and bottle up all that emotion?  Answer - No.  Should the Media leave it alone and let the man play the Game.  Answer – YES!

After ABC’s in your face cameras accidentally picked up some choice words issued by Tiger yesterday many in the media circuit talked about how inappropriate his behavior is.  Tiger cannot be faulted for an outburst when under that kind of pressure.  I have been to golf tournament and have heard others golfers utter profanities under their breath.  The difference being, there are not herds of cameras and microphones following those players like Hyenas stalking prey.  Myself, I like to see him berate himself; it reminds me that he is still human.  I also know that shortly after telling himself what an idiot he is he starts to play better and often times wins tournaments.  I think if we were ever to see a relaxed Tiger who shows no emotion we would see a losing Tiger.

I have a good friend who plays in much the same way.  When his game starts to shift downward he has an outburst, becomes quiet for a couple holes and then starts to play better.  I think some of us just need the raw emotion of anger and determination to play better. 

I hope everyone enjoys the conclusion to Masters today.   I am rooting for either Lee Westwood or Fred Couples.  I am not sure why I don’t want Phil to win but I have never been a big fan of his.  Seeing one of the other players who are not that far back make a charge today would make for a fun tournament to watch.

Cheers to all!

When your wife says, "I want you to go play golf!". . . Play golf!

Date: April 4, 2010
Tee Time: 11:15 am
Course: Breakfast Hill Golf Club
Location: Greenland, NH
Playing Partners: None - Playing as a Single

"Not your best," the starter said to me as I started walking down the fairway on the first tee after putting two balls into the left OB (Out Of Bounds).  That one statement more or less sums up my round.  However, I walk away still happy to have enjoyed a round of golf on Easter.  Spring has sprung as early as I can remember it springing in New England.  The grass is green and trees are already budding.  The golf courses are still a bit on the soggy side after 12+ inches of rain falling in the last four weeks, but play was only disrupted by this on a couple of holes.  The greens at Breakfast Hill were a bit bumpy, which is to be expected this early in the year.  All in all the course was in great condition for early April, a time in New England when courses are used to still being under a few inches of snow.

I was immediately surprised with how many people were playing golf on Easter.  I called to make sure the course was even open before leaving, and ended up needing to make a tee time in order to get out.  I am glad to see that golf courses are going to get this little spring boost, they must really need it after a few hard years.

I was joined with a couple of guys, father and son, getting in 18 before Easter dinner that night.  These two were a great joy to play with.  The Father, John had just moved to the Seacoast and was just getting familiar with the area, and his son Neal who had traveled up from Boston and his busy life as a Pharmaceutical Rep to Play golf with dad and have Easter dinner.  None of us played particularly well, but nobody got upset or frustrated, we were all out to just have a good time enjoying the unusually great weather for early April.  When one of us hit a nice shot there was some patting on the back but when there was shot the ended up 10 yards into the woods we were all just as content to shrug it off and move of without a word.

My swing I will say was not altogether bad.  The problem I faced throughout the round was a pull hook, causing most of my drives to go into the left woods and my approaches to par threes to go over the green.  My putting and chipping were surprisingly good for the first time out.  Normally at the start of the year I struggle with feel in and around the greens due to being away from the game for so many months but that was not the case.  I feel that a couple trips to the range will do me well and any flaws that I have in my swing will be easily fixed with some repetition.

My final thought for my first round of the year is this:
"Even in April one must wear sunscreen!"

Score:
Front Nine - 54
Back Nine  - 48
Total - 102 "Not My Best!"

Until the next round,

Cheers to all!