In case you think this program is too good to be true!
I only played 4 of the courses and still think this is the best deal in golf. I’m buying one for my 3 buddies I play with each Tuesday. I know I’ll be using it a lot more next year!
Dick R. Danbury, CT
Great magazine! The free golf deal is outrageous! I hope you do it again next year.
Brian K. Norton, MA
I played more courses this summer than ever. My Golfing Magazine subscription was the best investment I made. I’m definitely renewing.
Step 1) Subscribe to Golfing Magazine
Purchase a subscription to Golfing Magazine for $49.95 and you become part of the Golfing Magazine Ambassador Program entitling you to complimentary rounds of golf at over 65 courses by just paying a cart fee. You also receive deep discounts at 75 other courses and resorts in the area. Plus receive discount coupons at local retailers including Golfers’ Warehouse. Plus receive Golfing Magazine 4 times annually.
Step 2) We’ll mail you the Golf Magazine Ambassador program certificate. This is your ticket to complimentary or discounted rounds of golf at all the participating courses.
With over 120 courses to choose from, feel free to play a lot of golf. Call the course as you would normally to book a tee time within 72 hours of your requested tee time. Let them know you have a Golfing Magazine certificate. At check-in, present your certificate and then head out to play golf!
www.FreeGolf.net
George L. Middletown, CT
When my daughter gave me a subscription to your magazine and I received the certificate I thought it meant I got a free round at any one of the listed courses. Then I found out I got a free round at EACH of the courses. I don’t know how you do it but I hope you keep it up. Thanks!
Steve C. Worcester, MA
I gave up my country club membership and ended up playing more golf last summer than ever. Playing a different course every week has me hooked all over again.
Roger W. Waterbury, CT
My subscription saved me over $600 in greens fees this year.
Brett P. Quincy, MA
Our subscribers have called the Golfing Magazine Subscription program
“THE BEST DEAL IN GOLF.”
Brattleboro Country Club
Green Mountain National
Mount Snow Golf Course
Mount Washington Resort GC
Newport Golf Club
The Shattuck .... plus more
Chicopee Country Club
Crestview Country Club
Crumpin Fox Club
Crystal Lake Golf Course
Dennis Pines & Dennis Highlands
Heather Hill Country Club
Kings Way Golf Club
Ledges Golf Club
Maplegate Country Club
Newton Commonwealth GC
Norwood Country Club
Tekoa Country Club
Wentworth Hills Country Club
Waubeeka Golf Links .... plus 22 more
Bethel Inn Resort
Dunegrass Golf Club
Poland Spring Resort
Spring Meadow Golf Club
Sunday River Golf Club
Sugarloaf Golf Club .... plus more
More and more people are turning to golf as a way to keep fit and get out of their homes. 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.
Despite the fact that some of us in New England were fortunate enough to get out on the courses during what can only be described as an unusually mild winter with little snow and ice, spring is still a splendid time to reboot the game and prepare for months of fun and competition. And is there anything that smells as sweet as freshly mown grass on a sunny spring morning?
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 120 of the top daily fee courses and private tracks in the region.
We have worked to enhance our course list for 2023 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 program. There’s a lot of talk 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 talk with Howie Friday, head golf professional at New Britain, Ct.’s Stanley Golf Course and get the lowdown on the new range that opened there this spring. It’s a high tech affair powered by Toptracer technology and promises to be jam packed as it is a year round facility. It’s for serious and occasional golfers alike.
We check out the enormous growth of Chris Cote Golf, one of the premier equipment purveyors in the region that also offers top notch custom club fitting at its several locations in Connecticut.
We tell you about the private golf courses that you can access trough Golf Stimulus Program, a nice added bonus or signing up this year. And, we check out the nine-hole courses that are included in our program. We also have a line-up of some of our favorite instructors in the area to get you ready for golf this season.
We also highlight some of the golf resorts in the New England States, we take you on road trips through the state of Rhode Island and tell you about the best nine-hole layouts in New England.
We also have a line-up of some of our favorite instructors in the area to get you ready for golf this season. Sue Kaffenburg of Bayberry Hills Golf Course in Yarmouth, MA and New England PGA Teacher of the Year gives thoughts on how to make The Pause That Refreshes. George Connor of Farmington Woods Country Club and 3-Time CT PGA Teacher of the Year reviews the Fundamentals of Putting. Dave Souza, Franchise Owner/Center Manager of GOLFTEC West Hartford, CT. informs you how to Fix Your Swing Path and Steve Hancock, a coach at GOLFTEC, Danvers, MA helps you Find the Fix for Heavy and Thin Shots
Also in this issue, you will find some of our “Must Play” New England courses that you can access at a discount with the Golfing Magazine subscription program.
Enjoy our Spring Issue, sign up for a subscription and get the sticks sizzling. Golf season has finally arrived and we’ve got a ton of great courses for you to play.
We thank you so very much for staying with us, and promise to stay with you so that as we put our clubs in the trunk, we can hit the fairway running. Hit ‘em long and straight.
Tom Landers, Publisher
Recognized as a regional leader in all things golf, Chris Cote has launched the Chris Cote School of Golf, adding to its impressive stable of two golf retail outlets and golf ranges with state-of-the art technology for club fitting and lessons.
“Our latest venture is the Chris Cote School of Golf. We have seven teachers who give lessons year round at our Portland range (relatively new) and Southington range. It’s been fun to brainstorm with them. Our group of teachers has so many ideas to transform standard lessons. They are really into using technology and have come up with several engaging clinics and on-course teaching opportunities that will be available this summer.” Cote also has a brick and mortar store in Portland where customers can find the latest in equipment and more and play indoor golf.
Cote added that other “exciting” projects include a mobile fitting and custom build trailer. “PING has been a huge help in taking this idea from a concept to a reality. The
trailer has been designed so that we can do a club fitting anywhere in Connecticut, or New England for that matter, and have the club built and in the customer’s hands that day.” Cote’s customers come from throughout New England and beyond with customers willing to drive several hours to experience the best in club fitting and equipment.
Cote is also installing Toptracer screens at his Portland range. “This is an improvement from the mobile Toptracer we have had there for the last few seasons.” While catering to those golfers who want top level custom fitting, the Portland and Southington ranges also welcome those who wish to work on their games. Cote also operates the pro shops at Blackledge Country Club and Portland Golf Course.
According to Cote, the golf business is booming. “We are seeing lots of growth specifically at our driving ranges. There are tons of new golfers who are looking for a more casual golf experience that doesn’t last fourplus hours. The Toptracer technology gives
them the golf experience they are looking for while only taking up an hour or two of their time. Club sales have been at an all time high. Most customers are nervous about the supply chain delays especially, after the last few years but the manufacturers have been able to keep up with the recent demand. “
Cote opined the biggest trend he sees in the industry is that his customers want a first rate club fitting experience. Long gone are the days of customers coming in and buying clubs directly off the rack.
“The biggest trend as far as equipment technology is using carbon fiber in drivers,” he said. “TaylorMade is using it in their driver face and Callaway has it in the driver chaise. Carbon fiber is a lot lighter than titanium that had been traditionally used. This change gives golfers faster club head speed and leads to more distance. I think we will start to see other brands starting to hop on this trend to get that extra distance that everyone is looking for.”
As to why golfers should come to Cote for
all their needs, he explained, “Our club fitters have been recognized as Golf Digest Top 100 club fitters going on 10 years. We are also recognized by Mizuno, Callaway, and PING as top club fitters. Our team is highly trained to help golfers find the set of clubs that best suits their needs. We also pride ourselves on not selling someone a new set of clubs if what they are playing works just as good. We are also a one stop shop for all golfing needs. Our facilities offer golf lessons, club repair, club fitting, thousands of square feet of merchandise, six indoor golf bays, and 90 Toptracer range hitting bays. There is something for every golfer.”
Club fitting has become the norm because of “how important it is,” Cote said, “Everyone’s golf swing has nuance. A club fitting gives us an opportunity to measure those nuances like swing speed, club path, and face angle. We
can use that data to match a golfer up to the best set of irons for their game. Not only is it important because it puts the correct set of clubs into a golfer’s hands, it also makes golf more fun. A player will hit longer and more consistent shots.”
Cote said when he first began in the business he wanted to be known as “Connecticut’s Friendliest Golf Shop”. He continued, “That has become our motto and is something that we put into practice every day. We try to treat our customers as friends. We want to give them the best and the most honest customer service we can. People remember how they were treated. Our plans are to keep doing what we’re doing. Our business model has proven to work so we are trying to fine tune it and make improvements as we need them.”
www.ChrisCoteGolf.com
Golfing Magazine’s Golf Course Stimulus program has some superb private courses you can play if you join. We have around 130 courses this year in our program, all with no greens fees. To take advantage of this tremendous offer, call 860-563-1633, or visit www. FreeGolf.net.
Let’s take a look at the private courses that are part of our list for 2023.
A premier addition to our lineup is The Golf Club at River Oaks, located on the Sherman/New Milford town line in western Connecticut.
River Oaks 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. PGA star Phil Mickelson was said to have called it a superb layout when he visited.
Robert McNeil designed the course that opened in 2003, and he built into it challenge and fairness. The fairways are rather
generous on the par-fives and longer parfours and tighter and strewn with fairway bunkers on several of the shorter par-fours. The greens are fairly large and kept on the fast side. The rough is manageable and the greenside bunkers challenging yet not unfair.
While the course is no push-over, it is eminently playable for any golfer, as long as you tee it up from the proper markers. The tips play 6,730 yards with a slope of 138 and a course rating of 73.8. The layout plays to a par of 71 and has five par-threes, which cut into the overall length, so don’t be fooled into thinking even the white markers, around 6,100 yards, are easy.
They are not, even for the better players.
The finishing holes at River Oaks are all very good, which adds to the satisfaction of playing the course.
The ninth hole features that stunning view of the hills in the distance and is as visually pleasing and challenging a hole as you can want. The drive is to an area well below the tee box and the second shot is across a natural area. Push you drive to far right and you are left with a 180-yard or more approach into a narrow green.
A well-designed golf course should always reach a stirring climax and River Oaks fills the bill. After a nice par-three in the woods at 15, there’s a downhill parfive (503 yards from the tips) that can be reached in two by the big hitters. And then comes the course’s signature hole, the 210yard par-three 17th that plays across a pond to a narrow green. It’s another great look from an elevated tee.
Farmington Woods Golf Club is a real treat, it is a well-maintained, interesting and challenging track that was designed by renowned American golf course design-
er, Desmond Muirhead, who also crafted the famed Jack Nicklaus Muirfield Village course in Ohio. It is unique to the area in that each hole is challenging, stunning, and memorable. The course is located in a gated condominium community, with ample woods and wetlands surrounding.
One of the best one-two punched on the routing is the par-five 12th that is a dogleg right and tumbles down a steep hill to the putting surface. The 13th is a sweet little par-three that plays across a pond with trees framing the green.
Farmington Woods is a welcoming, active and diverse club and has long been known to be women-friendly (allowing women tee times on weekends equal to men), and its backbone is a variety of strong leagues.
The club is family-oriented due to its emphasis on introductory programs, and other facilities available for its members, including a full-service restaurant, and a pub and banquet facilities, as well as seven tennis courts and four pools located around the community. A wide range of events and activities are available to residents and members.
Tumble Brook Country Club in Bloomfield, Ct. was named for a brook that
flows through the property. It was incorporated and organized in October of 1922 and features 27 holes.
Willie Park, one of the foremost golf course architects of the time, was commissioned to design the first nine. The Park nine is by far the most popular of the three nines at Tumble Brook. Due to its walkable layout and rewarding par-fives, the nine holes are the busiest at Tumble Brook. The original nine opened in 1924 and consisted of current holes 1 through 3, 8, 9, 19, 20, 26 and 27
A second nine, designed by Orrin E. Smith, was opened to play in the spring of 1949. The holes were based off Park’s original layout for the course, although Smith followed very little of Park’s design. Smith was a construction supervisor for Park and Donald Ross. The Smith holes form one of the more challenging nines due to its length (between 100 and 200 yards longer, based on which tee you play, from the two other nines).
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. Fazio created holes that in the present day are 4 though 7 and 21 through 25 to combine
with the original front nine, now holes 1 through 3, 8, 9, 19, 20, 26, and 27. This addition to the course was not blended into Park’s original design, as Fazio characterized his course with flashes of sand in the bunkers and green sites well protected and often requiring the ball to carry onto the green. The Fazio nine is the shortest of the three but it provides plenty of challenge with the most complex greens of the 27 holes.
In 2002 the club began a renovation program for the golf course. Mark McCumber and Associates was the architects for the renovations, and in 2005 the course work was completed.
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.
To have access to these premier private courses, call 860-563-1633, or visit www.FreeGolf.net.
The 18-hole Omni Mount Washington Golf Course was designed by legendary Scottish architect Donald Ross and 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, plus the prestigious New England Open Championship, the New England Senior Amateur Championship and several New Hampshire Mid-Am, Senior and High School Golf Championships.
Reopened in August of 2008, the Omni Mount Washington Golf Course has been 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 par-five 11th hole and the par-three fifth hole feature stunning views of Omni Mount Washington
Hotel and surrounding mountains.
The Omni Mount Washington Golf Course was voted Golfweek’s Best Course You Can Play in New Hampshire since 2009.
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 the historic par-35 course.
In 1989, the course was restored and upgraded by Cornish & Silva Golf Course Architects, with advice from world-renowned 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. A full-service spa, year-round canopy tour and seemingly endless outdoor recreation are sure to enhance your golf getaway.
www.OmniHotels.com/MountWashington
Geoffrey Cornish designed the18-hole, 6,943-yard (there are three other sets of tees) championship Mount Snow Golf Club has also been named one of the top 10 resort courses in the country by SKI Magazine. It has also been rated one of the top five courses in Vermont by Golf Digest.
The course meanders through stunning picturesque countryside and provides stunning views of the Green Mountains, including the peaks of Mount Snow and Haystack Mountain. Tamaracks, oaks, birches, and sugar maples line the fairways while the mountains provide a majestic backdrop. The front nine is spread over rather wide expanses and the back nine winds its way through wooded terrain. Water comes into play on no fewer than 11 holes, and 41 sand traps are strategically located around nearly every hole.
The resort also has a fully-stocked pro shop
with the latest in equipment, accessories, and apparel. Mount Snow’s Original Golf School, founded in 1978, was one of the country’s first golf schools and continues to be a trusted program for those looking to improve their games. There is a multi-day curriculum that includes instruction and evaluation on every aspect of play, with daily on-course instruction.
During your visit, stop by Fairways Restaurant, where you can enjoy fresh food, cold beer, or your favorite cocktail on a large deck overlooking the course. Or relax inside watching the game on flat screen televisions. Fairways is open daily for lunch with frequent menu specials and to-go service, as well as Sunday brunch.
The area around Mount Snow has historic towns, antique shops, artisans, craft producers, farms open to visitation, performing arts venues, and outlet shopping centers. Extend a vacation with a few days of hiking, mountain biking, scenic chairlift rides, and horseback riding, learn fly fishing, or go canoeing, sailing, and kayaking on any of the numerous pristine rivers and lakes.
The Bethel Inn Resort golf course in Bethel, Me. is a venerable layout, built over 100 years ago.
The course takes full advantage of mountain vistas and the natural beauty of the area. Large, well-trapped greens, tree-lined fairways and five tee positions make play challenging for golfers of every ability. There is a pleasant mix of short and long par-fours, tough parthrees and demanding par-fives that will test the ability of golfers of all abilities.
The course was just nine holes for a number years before an additional nine holes was added in 1988 to bring it to championship caliber. The course was redesigned and expanded by the renowned New England architect Geoffrey Cornish. The existing layout has been recognized not only for its natural beauty but also as a very good test of playing ability.
The 6,663-yard, par-72 layout was listed by America’s Greatest Golf Resorts among the top 10 resort courses in the Northeast, and Golf Digest magazine awarded it 3 1/2 stars.
The Bethel Inn Resort offers complete and affordable stay, play and dine golf getaways and PGA golf school vacation packages.
There are 158 guest rooms at the Inn in both traditional accommodations and luxury townhomes. There’s a formal dining room or the more casual Millbrook Tavern and Grille to enjoy. The resort offers a health club with spa
services, a lake house, tennis and other lawn games, and several state parks are located nearby for the adventurous. The property offers a truly all-around, funpacked experience for individuals, couples and families. www.BethelInn.com
The Wyndhurst Manor & Club, located in Lenox, Ma., features an historic 18-hole course (actually 19 holes).
It’s a picturesque, traditional New England resort course routed over the hills surrounding the resort and through mature woodlands of the area. The course features tree-lined fairways and naturally contoured greens that have been carefully preserved in the more than 80 years since the course was built.
The eighth hole is one of the best on the course. You tee off next to the resort hotel and can cut the distance to the hole on the 347-yard par-four dramatically if you take the drive over trees that hug the left side. It’s all downhill to a small green that is easy to miss if you don’t concentrate on the pitch shot.
You need to score well on the front side because the inward nine is much more difficult, with several brutal par-fours and some very good par-threes waiting. The 11th is one of the course’s signature holes, a 200-yard parthree that plays from a chute of trees to a severely slopped green. Huge bunkers guard the putting surface.
The finishing hole is a wide open 393-yard par-four that allows you to hit driver and follow up with a mid- or short-iron into the slightly elevated green. Then it’s a bit of a drive, or walk, back to the clubhouse,
which allows you to take in the scenery and tally up your score. And remember that 19th hole? The par-four is situated near the eighth green and plays toward the clubhouse, allowing golfers who need to get back for dinner or a spa treatment to enjoy a shorter round.
www.WyndhurstManorAndClub.com
At the Poland Spring Resort in Poland Spring, Ma. you will find a superb golf course that was established in 1895 by Arthur Fenn and re-designed by the famed Donald Ross in 1912. The Links at Poland Spring in Maine claims to be the first golf course built at a resort in the United States.
To warm up for your round, Poland Spring Resort has a 330-yardlong driving range with natural grass, artificial tees, and a spectacular view of the rugged White Mountains.
After or après golf you can relax on the clubhouse porch overlooking the championship golf course at Mel’s Hilltop Restaurant, or grab a quick 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 a number of options for dining.
Poland Spring Resort’s Lodge includes both an arcade and a general store. Fresh air adventures are to be found everywhere here, with miles of hiking trails that line the golf course and wind through the woods, taking you past the calm waters of Lower Range Pond. Cyndi’s Dockside, a restaurant on the shores of Middle Range Pond, was recently renovated and provides another alternative for family dining by a large fieldstone fireplace or outside next to the lake.
Poland Spring Resort is part of the Maine Trifecta giving you the opportunity to play three golf courses in the area: Poland Spring Golf Course, Fox Ridge Golf Course and Spring Meadow Golf Course. Call 207-998-4351 for information, or visit www.MaineTrifecta.com. www.PolandSpringInns.com
Sunday River Golf Club in Newry, Maine is a spectacular Boyne Golf property in a classic New England setting.
A Robert Trent Jones, Jr. design, the course is perched on a sloping hillside, overlooking the Sunday River Valley with the Mahoosuc Mountain Range towering above, offering panoramic views that stretch all the way to “Old Spec”, Maine’s third highest peak. Tree lined fairways offer dramatic elevation changes with the natural topography striking the perfect balance between challenge and playability.
The par-threes, several of them playing from dramatically elevated tees, as well as the par-fives, are strengths of Sunday River. The 499-yard par-five first hole sets a stunning tone for the remainder of the round. The fairway runs downhill to the green and the putting surface can be reached in two shots, providing you play your ball down the right side and avoid two bunkers on either side of the green.
The 425-yard-par four fifth plays shorter than its length because it’s all downhill, and the ninth, a 339-yarder, is a great example of a superb, short par-four. The tee shot and approach must carry waste areas.
The 17th, par-four, top handicap hole is just a beast from whichever tee box you are playing. Finding the fairway off the tee of this demanding hole is critical for success. Bunkers guard the right and left side of the landing area. Carrying the fairway bunker along right side will allow the best angle of approach from the right center of the fairway to a dramatically elevated green.
For the most part here, the fairways are generous, greens are spacious, there are only a few blind shots and, of course, uneven lies. The key to scoring is your shot into the green. Pick the right tees for you and you will be fine.
Sunday River has received numerous accolades from golf publications, including Golf Digest’s Number One Course in Maine, and list among its Top 10 Upscale Public Courses.
The resort has over 700 condominiums, ranging from studio condos to three-bedroom townhomes, all with access to indoor and outdoor pools and saunas. Sunday River offers attractive stay and play package at the property’s Jordan Hotel, which is just two miles from the golf course.
For more information on Sunday River check out the website www.SundayRiver.com
Golfers in the state of Maine are fortunate to have two resorts that are part of the Boyne Resorts cache, Sugarloaf being one and Sunday River the other.
Boyne Resorts is a collection of mountain and lakeside resorts, ski areas, and attractions spanning from British Columbia to Maine. The company owns and operates 11 properties and an outdoor lifestyle equipment/apparel retail division with stores in cities throughout Michigan. An industry leader in multiple U.S. regions, operations include snow sports and year-round mountain recreation, golf, an indoor waterpark, spas, food and beverage, lodging and real estate development.
Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley, Maine is the state’s premier golf destination; the Robert Trent Jones Jr. design provides golfers with stunning panoramic mountain views and an unforgettable experience from first tee to final putt.
Panoramic views here are a plenty, and one that you are not likely to forget, such as the view from the 11th tee box, the hole appropriately named “Precipice”. The par-three is Sugarloaf’s most famous hole and one of the most photographed in New England. Dropping more than 120 feet, the hole plays nearly two clubs downhill to a green guarded by bunkers back and right of the green and the Carrabassett River short and left. A par is a great score.
The 11th is the “Signature Hole” and the second in a run of five holes, 10 to 15, known as the “String of Pearls.” The collection of holes offers up everything and anything that anyone could want, from risk-reward, intimidating bunkers, flirting with the Carrabassett River, and spectacular views of the Bigelow Mountain Range.
Closing out the String, is the 15th hole, “Cobbled Stone”. Providing a unique challenge, similar to Augusta’s 12th hole, wind will often swirl, causing indecision on club choice. A successful approach over the Carrabassett River will provide a great chance at par on this receptive green.
Sugarloaf Golf Club is a must play and many would agree as accolades
have been pouring in year after year. Playing here is no walk in the park, but five sets of tees allow you to choose the right one’s course ratings and slope, range from Black 75.2/150 to Green 72.6/135.
Sugarloaf was selected as the Best Course in Maine in 2017 and 2018 by Golfweek Magazine and was chosen three times among the 100 Greatest Public Courses in America by Golf Digest.
A round would be complete without a visit to Strokes Bar & Grill for a made-to-order breakfast before you play, or pick something up to take with you to the tee. Finish your day with a quiet cocktail on the patio while soaking in the panoramic mountain views.
Just about any style of accommodations that anyone could want are available at Sugarloaf, from hotel, to condos to homes.
Stay and play packages are available at www.Sugarloaf.com.
Thanks to Golfing Magazine’s Free Golf offer, our subscribers can play some of the top courses in Rhode Island. All you have to do is take advantage of Golfing Magazine’s Free Golf offer, call 860-563-1633, or visit www. FreeGolf.net.
Laurel Lane Country Club (www.LaurelLaneCountryClub. com) in West Kingston is is a par-71, 6,128-yard course that has relatively few bunkers and is a place where all skill levels to play. The course begins in demanding fashion. The first hole is a 412-yard par-four, the second, a 482-yard par-five that tempts payers to go for the green in two after a big drive, and the third a 189-yard parthree. The backside has several short par-fours where birdie awaits and a 548-yard par-five to end your round.
Country View Golf Club (www.CountryViewGolf.net) in Harrisville is lined with willow trees and routed over a rolling terrain. There are few bunkers but they are strategically placed, and the greens are on the small side and rather difficult to hit, which places a premium on chipping ability. The par-fours on the front side are risk-reward holes, while the only par-five on the outward nine being the 475-yard sixth, which is reachable in two for long hitters. The back side toughens up, with two tough par-fours, and two strong par-threes, including the 199-yard 17th.
The owners and management at Coventry Pines Golf Course (www.CoventryPines.com) in Coventry have invested dollars and labor into refurbishing their nine-hole course. Coventry Pines is a little tester, measuring 3,170 yards. Two of the toughest holes are back to back, the 408-yard par-four fifth and the 520-yard par-five sixth. The latter is listed as the course’s number one handicap hole.
Midville Golf Club (www.MidvilleGolfClub.com) in West Warwick is a sweet nine-hole course. Ownership and the superintendent place a premium on superb playing conditions. The layout measures just under 3,000 yards from the tips, and there are several par-fours that are almost reachable off the tee by big hitters. The number one handicap hole is the 6th, a par-five that measures 535 yards.
Kings Crossing Golf Club (www.KingsCrossingGolfClub.com) in North Kingston was originally designed by renowned golf architect, Geoffrey Cornish and opened in 1964. From the beginning of the round players will find an unexpectedly meandering and flowing landscape with holes that offer variety, aesthetic charm and flexibility. The course is
uniquely laid out to allow players to enjoy a round of four holes… which is called the “shorty”, a solid 9-hole test to challenge all abilities. The greens are softly moving and fair, while the bunkering on the course brings a classic style to the eye. Another characteristic of Kings Crossing is playability.
Pinecrest Golf Club (www.PinecrestRI.com) in Carolina, which opened for play about 13 years ago, is a wellthought out-routing, fun and challenging at the same time. While not overly long, Pinecrest is fairly tight and has several doglegs and uphill shots that complicate navigation. The third hole is a par-four that goes straight uphill from the tee box, which makes its relatively short yardage misleading. This nine-holer is well worth a second trip around.
Winnapaug Country Club (www.WinnapaugCountryClub. com) in Westerly is a solid routing, one that rambles over hill and dale and that affords several views of the ocean in the distance. The layout plays around 6,400 yards from the tips. The par-fives are all under 500 yards, which makes birdie a real possibility on each. The par-fours are an eclectic bunch, ranging from the difficult 425-yard fourth hole to the 339-yard fifth. The parthrees are a strength of the course.
Although it is only nine holes, Rose Hill Golf Club (401-788-1088) in South Kingstown is a par-three layout in allows you to work on your iron play and has holes ranging from 118 to 218 yards. It is a favorite of locals and tourists alike because you can play nine, or even 18, in way less than two hours. The course is well maintained. Three holes, the second, fourth and fifth, play across water and test your nerves and ability as a ball striker.
By, JOHN TORSIELLO
Kevin 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
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.”
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
New name, same great service… LeaderBoard New Engand’s Air Cannon has quickly become a “go to” promotion of choice for charity golf fundraisers across the northeast. “We have completed our 7th year with the Air Cannon and have supported over 2,500 events since our launch in 2014.” said Nick Richard, a Partner in the company. “With our staff of more than twenty trained fundraising professionals we can accommodate multiple events concurrently, especially important on busy Monday’s in season.
The company has standardized on the latest third generation, stainless steel air cannon designs, much more rugged and a major step up from the plastic versions of past years. These new cannons are manufactured exclusively for LeaderBoard and offer increased range and even better accuracy.
The company offers a great variety of promotion formats to keep the competition fresh from year to year. “We offer great prizes at every event based on the best shot of the day.” This year we are excited to add two new options for the winning shot, a customized Pinned Dart Bluetooth Speaker and premium LeaderBoard branded merchandise. We are once again offering the popular Golfing Magazine certificates for reduced greens fees at more than 100 courses across New England, good for the entire season.
This past year the company recorded multiple “aces”, bringing the company’s total to
more than 50 holes-in-one since the program was launched. “With our optional hole-in-one insurance we elevate the potential for a fantastic prize to another level“ explained Richard. New for 2023 players can win a trip to the Ryder Cup or a dream trip to Ireland playing some of the world’s best links courses. Of course, cash prizes are also available in any amount with the added incentive to split the total on a 50/50 basis for the winner and the designated charity.
The Leaderboard Air Cannon is a
powerful fundraiser and an exciting addition to the day’s activities. It is a full turnkey service with two staff from the company manning the Air Cannon Hole. The most popular format sets up on a short par 4 where the carry to the green is between 300 and 350 yards. Typically players donate for team shots to guarantee a short putt for an eagle two. For corporate events and client appreciation days we offer a flat rate program. It is promoted as a “Closest to the Pin” contest and offers organizers an excellent sponsorship opportunity. “We invite the sponsor to hang out with us on the tee box to do a quick ‘Meet and Greet’ with the players. It is a great opportunity to thank the players for their support while raising thousands of dollars for the charity.” Last year we raised in total, over a million dollars at more than 500 events.
For more information on the LeaderBoard Air Cannon please visit our website at www.LeaderBoardBoston.com or contact us at info@LeaderBoardBoston.com
According to the National Golf Foundation (NGF), the number of nine-hole rounds was up over 15 percent in 2020. The NGF also reported that 33 percent of core golfer rounds in 2020 were of the nine-hole rounds, while occasional golfers reported that 48 percent of the rounds they play are nine holes.
While some golfers may look down their noses at nine-hole courses, saying they are too short or that they attract too many beginners, nothing could be further from the truth. Many private clubs have a nine-hole courses that are often historic in nature, some dating back 100 years or more. Some public courses can say the same thing. These courses tend to be a bit quirky in nature and are fun to play.
One of the best things about playing nine holes is that you get onto and off of the course in rather quick fashion. Unless you have the slowest golfers in the world in front of you (sometimes that does happen) you can play nine holes in an hour and a half or two hours at the most. Thus, a nine-hole round can be easily fit into a normal working day. Skip lunch and take the clubs with you to your local nine-hole course and you will find yourself refreshed; you can have something to eat while you play after all.
Take advantage of Golfing Magazine’s Free Golf offer and test out the following nine-holers. Call 860-563-1633, or visit www.FreeGolf.net.
Green Woods Country Club in Winsted (www.GreenWoodsCC.net) is a former private track that went semi-private a few years back. The conditions are very good, even on this early season day. Typical of the old nine-hole courses in New England (Greenwoods was built over 100 years ago) the layout is on the short side, with small, tricky greens as its only defense in these days of powerful drivers and juiced golf balls.
Walking onto the Hotchkiss School Golf Course (www.Hotchkiss.org) in Lakeville is akin to stepping back in time, that is, from a golfer’s viewpoint. The course is located on the grounds of a prestigious private school, and has been virtually untouched since it opened in 1924.The course was originally built Seth Raynor, one of the legendary names of American golf course architecture. Raynor’s’ work was routed over the existing terrain, which makes for mounding in the fairways and sometimes wildly undulating greens, as well as deep greenside bunkers.
Canaan Country Club (www.CanaanCC.com) in Canaan is a scenic routing in the northwest hills of Connecticut The par-35 course, which borders the Blackberry River and crosses over wetlands, has several holes that feature a picturesque view of Canaan Mountain. The par three eighth, which plays from 170 to 210 yards depending upon tee placement, has made several “Ten Toughest Par 3’s in Connecticut” lists over the years. It plays over a deep gully to an elevated green. The green is deep, so a back pin placement adds 10 to 15 yards to the shot. There’s OB left, but a bailout to the right is possible, which leaves a finesse pitch shot to the green.
Eastwoods Country Club (www.EastwoodsCountryClub.com) in Torrington is a great place for beginners and
accomplished players alike. The layout plays to around 3,000 yards from the tips and features one of the toughest par-fives in the state. The 564-yard ninth hole demands a right to left tee shot that must steer clear of trees on both sides. The second shot is uphill and needs to clear a pond to set up a mid-iron approach to a table top green.
Copper Hill Golf Club (www.CopperHillGolf.com) in East Granby is a very good test of golf, with a nice mix of short and long par-fours, two very demanding par-threes, and two par-fives that are reachable in two for long hitters. Copper Hill measures 3,030 yards and has two par-fives, the 473-yard fourth and 459-yard eighth, that are reachable in two for the big hitters, and a cool par-four, the fifth, measuring 265 yards, where you can drive the green.
Pomperaug Golf Course (www.HeritageSouthbury.net) is sited near the Pomperaug River in Southbury. The course isn’t long but there is water on every hole, which can play havoc with your tee and approach shots to the modest-sized greens. Number nine is a good, short par-four. The drive must lay up before the river to set up a wedge across the water to a very wide green. Get too greedy if the pin is tucked up front and your ball might fall back into the river.
The par-three ninth hole at Vineyard Valley Golf Club (www.VineyardValleyGolfClub.com) in Pomfret is one of the coolest short holes in the region and is northeast Connecticut’s answer to the famous island green at TPC Sawgrass in Florida. Playing anywhere from 110 to 160 yards, the green is fronted by a marsh that has been the end of many a good score. If you’re even a foot shy of landing on the green your
destiny is a double bogey at best.
Minnechaug Golf Course (www.MinnechaugGolf.com) in Glastonbury offers excellent conditions and a fun test of golf. It also has one of the few true island greens in New England, the 126-yard eighth, which some consider to be the first of its kind in the nation. Graham Clark did the original routing for the course, and Al Zikorus and William F. Mitchell undertook some redesigns years later.
Historic Roseland Golf Course (www.RoselandGolfCourse.com) in Woodstock is one of the oldest nine-hole layouts in the state. Originally built in 1896, Roseland celebrated its 100th birthday more than a decade ago. The course is a modest 2,397 yards in length, providing golfers of all skill levels with the opportunity for a fun, relaxing and enjoyable round of golf. The track features narrow, tree-lined scenic fairways. Small greens present
a challenge to all golfers. With only one moderate hill, the course is relatively flat and is quite easy to walk.
The Chanticlair Golf Course (www.Chanticlair.com) in Colchester opened in 1972 and was designed by Hy and Gigi Stollman. The course has undergone continuous improvements. The track measures just under 3,000 yards and its signature hole is a pretty, 138-yard par-three, the fourth that plays to an island green. The layout boasts some of the state’s best conditioned greens.
Highland Greens Golf Course (www.HighlandGreens.com) in Prospect is a lighted, nine-hole par-three course that is ideal for beginner and senior golfers who may shy away for the country club or high-end daily fee golf course scene. You can play nine holes here in about an hour and a half, and those new to golf enjoy the shorter holes that don’t beat them up as they attempt to learn the nuances of the game. Accomplished players can work on their iron play. As mentioned, Highland Greens is lighted, so you can spend a great evening with family and friends at the course.
Gainfield Farms Golf Course (www. GainfieldGolf.com) in Southbury is an executive layout located between Waterbury and Danbury. It is ideal for beginners, women and children, as well as for working on your short game or when you have limited time. The course can be played in less than two hours, a plus when trying to fit some swings into a busy work day. Gainfield Farms Golf Course has eight par-threes ranging in length from a short 94 yards up to 195. The latter hole, plus the 188-yard third hole, are tough to par even for the best players. The one par-four plays around 260 yards and can be reached off the tee by big hitters.
Quarry View Golf Course (www.
QuarryViewGolf.com) in Canaan, along with its full-service golf center, is a great place for the beginner golfer. You won’t feel intimidated if this is your first time out. Experienced players will enjoy the quick play and the ability to concentrate on improving their iron shots and short games. Quarry View has the feeling of playing on two unique types of golf courses, for each hole has fairways lined with fescue similar to a links course, while the surrounding woods is typical of a traditional New England layout. The course, driving range and short game area are well manicured and designed with excellent drainage that enables Quarry View to remain playable even after a heavy rain when other courses are under water.
Sleeping Giant Golf Course (www. SleepingGiantGolfCourse.com) in Hamden is set in the shadows of the Sleeping Giant Mountains southern Connecticut. Drop the notion that you need a collared shirt, a ranger, and the most expensive golf carts in the world to enjoy a round; the club is laid back. The course plays 2.671 yards from the tips and has a par of 35, with six par-fours, two par-threes and one par-five. Several of the par-fours are stern, such as the 407-yard second and the 374-yard fourth. The final four holes are all birdie holes, with the seventh and eighth playing only 207 and 227 yards respectively. The only par-five can be tricky. It plays 459 yards from the back markers and the green can be reached in two shots by long hitters, but it’s three good shots to find the putting surface for most golfers.
Quaboag Country Club
(www.QuaboagCountryClub.com) located in Monson is a splendid 9–hole course with a championship layout and private club conditions. The course offers sweet views and was
ranked a 9 out of 10 by the Worcester Telegram & Gazette golf review. The second hole is a 215-yard par-three and the next hole is a very demanding, 440-yard par-four. The seventh, a 255-yard par-four, can be reached from the tee by big hitters. There’s a fully stocked pro shop, full service restaurant, and golfers lounge.
Greenock Country Club
(www.GreenockCC.com) in Lee was established as one of America’s first courses, dating back to 1895. Redesigned in 1927 by the legendary golf architect Donald Ross, the 9-hole course has stood the test of time, a masterpiece of craftsmanship and original style. The club is located just one mile from exit 2 off Interstate 90, within minutes of the historic town of Stockbridge, and just a few short miles from Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The sixth hole is a riskreward par-five, measuring only 465 yards, but
there is water left and right of the green if you are thinking about going for it in two.
Unicorn Golf Course (www.UnicornGC.com) in Stoneham has an interesting history. It was originally designed as an 18-hole private golf course. The layout was crafted by the renowned architects Wayne Stiles and John Van Kleek, and covered portions of the towns of Stoneham and Woburn. In 1972, the town of Stoneham purchased the property within Stoneham and redesigned the course to play as a nine-hole course now known as Unicorn. The course traverses a hilltop piece of land, with some holes playing out in the open, and others surrounded by huge old oak trees lining the fairways.
While an 18-holer we include Rockland Golf Course (www.RocklandgGC.com) in Rockland because you can be fit it into a busy day with ease, as it contains all par-threes. The course was carved out of a piece of land featuring tall oaks and rock outcroppings lining some fairways. Due to its friendly layout, the course also provides an ideal learning environment for the beginner golfer, while presenting a challenge to even the most skilled player due to the beefy length of some of its holes.
The Blandford Club (413-848-2443) in Blandford is a delightful nine-hole layout nestled in the scenic hills of the western portion of the Commonwealth State. Only 2,722 yards from the tips and playing to a par of 35, this a fun track for all skill levels. The course is one of the oldest in the region, having opened in 1910. It was designed by William Dexter.
Maynard Country Club (www.MaynardCC.com) in Maynard, Ma. offers pleasing atmosphere and a very solid test of golf, with the course playing more difficult than its overall yardage of 2,783 yards
suggests. The ninth hole is a 280-yard par-four and has a green that can be reached off the tee by longballers.
The Stoneham Oaks Golf Course (www.StonehamOaks.com) in Stoneham is a par-3 executive course open to the public that was established in 1994 and is owned by the Town of Stoneham. Located right off the I-93 highway and only eight miles North of the heart of Boston it is in the perfect location for commuters traveling from around the Boston area to grab a quick nine holes of golf. Featuring a 1,125 yard course Stoneham Oaks recently, has undergone a change of management and is now being operated and maintained by Sterling Golf Management. The course, while short in length, provides golfers with unique challenges and beautiful greens which run true to form. The short length of the course creates the perfect opportunity for players of all ages and abilities to be able to enjoy the course and work on their short-games.
Bedrock Golf Club (www.BedrockGolfClub.com) in Rutland is a privately owned, challenging, nine-hole, par36 golf course operated by the Carr Family. Former PGA Tour Professional and current PGA of America member Joe Carr has served as Bedrock’s Golf Professional since the club’s inception on May 23, 1992. The amenities offered include a scenic course carved through the Rutland woods, fully stocked pro shop, practice putting green, motorized carts, pull carts, tournament schedule and the “Back Nine Pub”, a full service bar and grille. Bedrock is located 10 miles west of Worcester. The well manicured course weaves through woodlands and measures 3,443 yards from the longest tees.
Kings Crossing Golf Club (www.KingsCrossingGolfClub.com) in North Kingston was originally designed by renowned golf architect, Geoffrey Cornish and opened in 1964. From the beginning of the round players will find an unexpectedly meandering and flowing landscape with holes that offer variety, aesthetic charm and flexibility. The course is uniquely laid out to allow players to enjoy a round of 4 holes…which we call the “shorty”, a solid 9-hole test or, with a truly flexible tee marker system, 18 holes that provide enough variety to challenge all abilities. The greens are softly moving and fair, while the bunkering
on the course bring a classic style to the eye. Another characteristic of Kings Crossing is playability.
Pinecrest Golf Club (www.PinecrestRI.com) in Carolina is a sweet nine-hole course. The layout is kept in splendid condition, and the routing is fun and challenging at the same time. While not overly long, Pinecrest is fairly tight and has several doglegs and uphill shots that complicate navigation.
Rose Hill Golf Club (401-798-1088) in South Kingstown is a par-three layout in that has holes ranging from 118 to 218 yards. You can play nine in an hour and 18 in perhaps less than two hours. The course is well maintained. Three holes, the second, fourth and fifth, play across water and test your nerves.
The owners and management at Coventry Pines Golf Course (www.CoventryPines.com) in Coventry have invested dollars and labor into refurbishing their nine-hole course. Coventry Pines is a little tester, measuring 3,170 yards. Two of the toughest holes are back to back, the 408-yard par-four fifth and the 520-yard par-five sixth. The latter is listed as the course’s number one handicap hole.
Midville Golf Club
(www.MidvilleGolfClub.com) in West Warwick is a sweet nine-hole course. Ownership and the superintendent place a premium on superb playing conditions. The layout measures just under 3,000 yards from the tips, and there are several par-fours that are almost reachable off the tee by big hitters. The number one handicap hole is the 6th, a par-five that measures 535 yards.
www.FreeGolf.net
By George Connor
There are multiple ways to move the putter to create a stroke. I like to get my golfers to create a stroke that is as simple as possible. Of all the motions in golf, full swing, pitching, chipping, bunker shots etc. the putting stroke should be the most simple motion from a mechanical basis. Like every aspect of golf, you can find great golfers that have their way swinging a golf club. So this piece and the video are a preference of mine and I have had a lot of success with folks having them use this as the engine of their stroke.
• You can use your wrists to flick the putter back and through.
• Your arms can move the putter back and through.
• You can rotate the middle third of your body to create a motion.
In my opinion, the above options are choices to move the putter however each of them will introduce a lot of variety from one putt to the next. Moving your hands/wrists, or arms independent of your body will be quite different from one swing to the next because your hands, wrist and arms are very versatile. Versatility in some parts of life is great, “It’s the Spice of Life” However, versatility is also the opposite of consistent.
In my opinion and based on the success that I have had the shoulder blades are the optimal way to move the putter both back and through. Watch the video and try it out yourself. If you give it a little practice, I think you will both simplify the stroke and improve your putting stroke.
You’ve seen it on a number of players. Their golf swings seem to have a momentary PAUSE as they transition from their backswing to the downswing. Go search their swings on YouTube… Hideki Matsuyama, Cameron Young, Collin Morikawa to name a few. Why does it seem that at the top of their swings, the club seems to stop, momentarily? Is something else moving? (YES!) Consider adding this pause to your swing motion. Here’s why and how.
Sue Kaffenburgh, PGA/LPGA Bayberry Hills Golf Course, Yarmouth, MA.
508-364-GOLF (4653)
By Sue Kaffenburg
Most likely, instinct takes over after you make your backswing, and you heave the club to the ball while your lower body sits back and does nothing! One could categorize this move as casting the club. But the truth is your lower body has received NO message to do anything first. It’s time to send your hips and lower body a specific message. The pause gives you time to do that. Think of any throwing sport like Football or Baseball. Before the throwing arm moves forward, there is movement of the lower body in the direction of the throw…FIRST! You WOULD NOT see the arm thrusting forward releasing the ball and then see the athlete move their weight towards the target.
The old school of golf instruction asked you to turn your hips as the first move of the downswing.
Evidence today is that the HIPS SLIDE FIRST, LATERALLY towards your target before they turn! It’s challenging to try to
remember to do this in the whirlwind of your motion lasting less than 2 seconds. SO…build in a PAUSE. Build in that moment of time where your club and hands seem stationary at the end of your backswing. Direct your thoughts to have only 1 intention: INITIATE THE LATERAL SLIDE of your HIPS to START your downswing.
To get to experience the “feel” of this, take two irons like your 7 and 8 iron. Hold them together with any grip you can so that the heads are even and make full swings (no ball). The clubs will respond awkwardly if you pull on them.
Notice in the first video the clubs get thrown to the ball first while the body seems still and then actually moves away from the target! STOP doing this! In the second video, notice the hips slide first and the clubs follow that move. The heaviness of the double clubs creates time and opportunity to slide those hips toward the target, FIRST.
On the range, work on this as a drill. Then you can decide if you want to keep this pause in your “real” swing. On the first tee, take practice swings with two clubs. Take that feeling as your new approach to the sense of proper sequencing. Backswing…Pause… THINK and INITIATE hip slide movement. Right handers will feel your left hip move laterally toward the target. Make it happen and you will feel that HIP engine creates faster clubhead speed.
Bigger muscles = better engine = longer golf shots. That would be refreshing!!!
Making great contact starts with your head and hip position. Using OptiMotion, we show in the image on the left Hannah’s head remains in the same position when she takes the club back. In addition, her trail leg should say inside the red line. When both of these things line up she is on her way to great contact.
In contrast, look at the image of Hannah on the right side of the screen. Her head has moved back and out of the circle, and her trail leg has moved back and past the line. From this position it is tough to recover and make a solid strike on the ball.
The OptiMotion numbers continue to tell the story. On the right, the numbers in red indicate that Hannah’s shoulder sway has moved back 5.1 inches and her hip sway has moved back 1.5 inches. On the left, the green numbers indicate that Hannah is moving toward the target 3 inches with her shoulder sway and 2.1 inches with her hip sway.
This drill is as simple as using a prop to ensure you aren’t moving the wrong way when you take the club back.
1. Have a coach or friend hold an alignment stick or pool noodle just off your trail ear about an inch, as demonstrated in the image to the right.
2. When you take the club back make sure you don’t hit the alignment stick with your head. This will ensure you’re not swaying back off the ball.
3. On the downswing, not only should your head not touch the alignment stick, it actually should be moving even further from the stick and towards the target. Using a physical object like an alignment stick is the best way to train yourself not to move away from the target.
Getting good at this drill will help your impact, as it ensures your body position stays over the ball instead of swaying back off of it. To see your shoulder sway and hip sway numbers on OptiMotion come in to your local GOLFTEC today.
Visit www.GolfTec.com/Golfing-Magazine for a $75 Swing Evaluation and $75 Club Fitting with GOLFTEC Certified Coach ($125 Value Each)
A pattern we often see with our Students involves the handle of the club as it travels back on the take away and what the clubface is doing during this time.
As you can see in the example with the help of our new overlay feature, Bryan has taken the club back twice, but they are vastly different in position.
Someone who slices will have their club in the position that is out and to the right. Also notice his hands are away from his body. To correct this Bryan brings back the handle of the club closer to his body, and notice how the clubhead is now left of his body at the same point in the backswing.
Bringing your hands back closer to your body promotes an in-to-out swing path and helps close the face at impact so you can start hitting draws.
After taking your normal address position, extend your trail wrist as much as you can and make sure the club face is pointing down towards the ground.
As you continue your backswing, make sure you keep the handle of the club close to your body as you rotate back. At this point make sure the club face is pointing away from your target.
Take a couple practice swings before introducing a ball. When you do start hitting balls, expect your initial shots to hook (curve left for right handed golfers) until you get the feel for this new swing motion.
Stanley Golf Course has unveiled its brand new, state-of-the-art range that uses Toptracer technology to give golfers input as to their swings, ball flight and more.
New Britain, Ct. Mayor Erin Stewart officially opened the $350,000 facility in early spring, saying that Stanley GC is a “destination” that warranted further investment by the city in making the course one of the top municipal operations in the state.
The 19-bay enclosed, heated and lighted driving range opens at 7:30 a.m. weekdays and 6:30 a.m. on weekends. Staff plan on keeping it open from 6 to 10 p.m. on select nights.
Plans for the new Toptracer range began several years ago, said PGA Head Golf Professional, Howie Friday. “We discussed the role technology played in the game and how the younger generation really embraces it, and in many ways, demands it. It really came together last spring when we decided to move forward.”
Friday continued, “The last few years have been very good ones here at Stanley Golf Course and the city leaders have decided to reinvest in the course to make it the best it can be. We believe that the new range is the best in the state and offers golfers and non-golfers alike the opportunity to enjoy the game. We know that people want and need more things to do socially, especially outdoors. We also understand the demands on people’s time and we think we can provide golf in a different yet fun and competitive way.”
Friday said the new range exceeds expectations. “We have added seating in each bay and a service bar where you can get a drink and a quick bite while you play or practice. Moving forward we will have fans for the summer and heaters for the colder months so you can enjoy the facility all year round. And as an added bonus we are open four nights a week, for now, until 10 p.m. so you can play under the lights. Each bay is lit as well as the range itself.”
The feedback on the new range from the public as been “incredible” said Friday. “Young and old, good golfer and high handicapper alike are here enjoying our range. We have comfortable seating in each bay so golfers can relax in between shots and that has been very popular.”
The beauty for the golfer accessing the range is that Stanley doesn’t charge for use of the Toptracer
technology. Once they purchase the balls, golfers can use the bays however they would like. Friday explained, “Toptracer is so easy to use as each option on the screen has a description of how to use it. Toptracer allows you to practice and learn how far each club goes by tracking distance the ball travels, play closest to pin and long drive contests, do a short game challenge, play simulated golf on some the greatest courses in the world and much more.”
Said Friday, “We opened on March 16 and we have been very busy each and every day since. I would say our range usage is up well over 60 percent due in part to the technology but also because of the fun atmosphere we have created. It is a unique place where people can gather, hit balls and enjoy the great outdoors. We also offer chipping and putting areas, a perfect place to improve your short game.” The range will be a true year-round facility as long as the winter weather is not too severe.
www.StanleyGolfCourse.com
860-527-8570
The par-five 18th at Blackstone National Golf Club in Sutton. Ma, is a favorite for anyone who has played it. The hole measures just 485 yards from the tips, but it’s loaded with all kinds of trouble if you wander.
The tee shot must be true to find a landing area protected by wetlands and woods. Big hitters can reach the putting surface in two shots after a strong drive, but the approach is uphill and there are a number of deep bunkers guarding the putting surface. The smart play is to lay up in front of the green and knock the ball onto the putting surface with a wedge.
The 18th is a solid finisher and just one indication of the thoughtful approach Rees Jones put into the layout. The course is tucked into the wooded countryside of the Blackstone Valley area of southeastern part
of the Bay State.
One of the sweetest aspects of the track is that while it is challenging for the best players, Jones incorporated only a few forced carries, which makes it playable for mid- and even high-handicappers. Ample fairways allow a player to stay in the hole
even after a less than perfect tee shot. There is bunkering guarding the rather large greens, so it is important to choose the proper club to find the target.
Blackstone National, which can stretch to almost 7,000 yards from the tips and plays to a par of 72, has some superb short holes that are also visually enticing. One of the most stunning parthrees on the layout is the 173-yard 11th, which demands a tee shot over a small pond. It shouldn’t be difficult to find the green. But any pulled tee shot may find the wet stuff.
www.BNGC.net
We 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.
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-in-one challenge is a game within the game and money we receive helps out charitable causes. We are trying to do things to make golf even more fun and keep people coming back.”
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, tree-lined fairways, large, receptive greens, ponds and lakes protecting holes, and 60 strategicallyplaced 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.
WentworthHillsCountryClub.com
With 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 478-yard 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 backto-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 500yard par-five.
The club has a restaurant and bar for after-round enjoyment.
Gillette Ridge Golf Club in Bloomfield, Ct. stands as a tribute to the traditions and challenges of golf, and is considered one of Palmer Course Design Company’s best creations.
As you journey through Gillette Ridge, you’ll appreciate its natural beauty and a dynamic layout. The course will challenge and excite you as you maneuver through a variety of terrain; treelined fairways, spectacular carries, and several natural obstacles.
Gillette Ridge was named to honor Francis Gillette, a local 19th century reformer, politician and business leader, whose house still stands on the site. The course features elevation changes and mature trees.
Gillette Ridge closed briefly and fell into a state of disrepair several years ago due to management problems.
Century Golf has addressed many issues and refurbished much of the golf course, as well as the clubhouse. A main issue was with course’s the bunkers. A design team fixed bunkers, coring them out, fixing drainage issues
and filling them in with all new sand. All 21 greens (including practice greens) on the property were redone. In addition new forward tee boxes were added. The clubhouse got a new carpet, new paint, new televisions, and new tables for the restaurant.
Gillette Ridge has had a bit of a reputation as being a very difficult golf course that caters to the better player. But the owners’ new goal has been to keep the course challenging, while adjusting it to accommodate all levels of player without compromising the
original intent of the design.
There are four sets of tees at Gillette Ridge, making the course play anywhere from 7,191 yards at the tips to 5,582 from the forward markers. The course has been given a slope of 135 and a rating of slightly over 74 from the back markers. Play up if it’s your first time, you’ll enjoy your round to a far greater degree.
The eleventh hole is the course’s signature. The tee box affords a view of the Heublein Tower in the distance, and the 505-yard, par-five winds down to a peninsula green. This is a true risk-reward hole as a long drive will leave the player with an opportunity to go for the green in two. But a pond guards the right side of the putting surface all the way to the green, and long is bad.
www.GilletteRidgeGolf.com
The Ranch Golf Club in Southwick, Ma. has gained a reputation as one of the elite daily fee clubs in the region for good reason. Management takes great efforts in making a visit an extremely pleasurable, stress-free experience offers some of the most sublime views of fall foliage in all of southern New England.
The golf course layout climbs up and down steeps hills as you amble your way along fairways lined by mature woodlands. And there are valley holes, where the fescue grows high in the warm weather months and foliage around wetlands turns various gorgeous hues during the fall.
.The Ranch is a thoroughly enjoyable routing, challenging yet playable for all golfers because of several sets of tees. The layout is a mix of open and woodland holes, plays 7,175 yards from the tips, and has a rating of 75.4 and a slope of 143 from the back markers.
While difficult, you can score at The Ranch, as long as you hit the ball straight off the tee and don’t get too greedy on approach shots to the undulating greens, which are usually well protected by sand, water or rough.
The 441-yard par-four fourth is one of the prettiest holes on the course. It starts with
a carry across a small ravine to a fairway that flows up toward the green. The hole is framed by tall pines and guarded by fairway and greenside bunkers.
The 540-yard par-five ninth and 618-yard par-five 16th play dramatically downhill and afford those great views of the surrounding
countryside. A well struck tee shot on the ninth will tumble down a hill and leave the player with a choice of either laying up for a short third shot or going for the green in two by challenging a wetlands area in front of the putting surface.
www.TheRanchGolfClub.com
The Captains Golf Course in Brewster, Ma. features two very distinct 18-hole layouts. The Captains’ Port Course plays to a yardage of 6,724 yards from the tips and has a slope of 131 and a rating above its posted par of 72. So, it’s no pushover. One of the best holes on the Port Course is the beefy 573-yard, par-five eighth. There is a pond that guards the putting surface and several large fairway bunkers are placed along the hole to make precision on the drive and layup a prerequisite to making birdie or par.
The Captains’ Starboard Course plays a tad longer than the Port Course, around 6,800 yards, and has a slope of 122. Most players who tackle both tracks say the Starboard Course it also a bit more player friendly than its sister layout, with wider fairways, large greens, and fewer bunkers than the Port Course, which makes it more suitable for mid- and higher handicap players. But we are here to tell you that it isn’t a pushover either. The course’s 18th is a great finishing hole, a challenging 534-yard par-five that can be reached in two by big hitters. But the smarter play is two strong shots followed by a wedge into the green.
The conditioning on both course, which have very affordable greens fees, is always excellent at all times of the year, the golf is challenging but
approachable for players of all abilities, there are two practice greens and a driving range, a restaurant, a friendly staff that is available for lessons, and a fully-stocked pro shop. Indeed, what more could locals and visitors to this special section of New England want in a daily fee golf club.
www.CaptainsGolfCourse.com.
Dennis Highlands Golf Course in Dennis, Ma. is a perfect start to a golf vacation on Cape Cod.
The Highlands tends to be forgiving off the tee, but don’t get too comfortable around the greens, as the rolling terrain requires focus and concentration on tee shots and approaches to the greens. Dennis Highlands is situated on 175 acres of pine and oak forest on the north side of Dennis.
Designed by Jack Kidwell and Mike Hardpan and opened for play in 1984, Dennis Highlands is considered by some to be one of the “crown jewels” in the traditional list of fine Cape Cod golf courses. It boasts a spectacular practice range and a visually enjoyable golf experience.
The Pines Course is a bit more dramatic and challenging than the Highlands, with pine groves squeezing the fairways, putting a premium on more accurate shot-making.
The Golf Committee for the Town of Dennis, Massachusetts approved a Comprehensive Enhancement Plan developed
with noted golf architect, Robert McNeil, for far-reaching improvements at Dennis Highlands Golf Course and its sister course, Dennis Pines. The improvements will include all new bunkering, new tees, cart path revisions, drainage, tree management, and fairway recontouring.
www.DennisGolf.com
Since 1960, Crystal Lake Golf Club in Haverhill, Ma. has been one of the premiere public golf courses in the Merrimack Valley, located only 35 minutes from downtown Boston.
The course offers some of the finest rolling bent grass greens in the area, lush wide fairways, light rough, manicured bunkers, rolling tree-lined terrain, and a well-thought out design by Geoffrey Cornish of Cornish Golf Designs.
Crystal Lake provides a fun, yet challenging round of golf that will be played under four and half hours on weekends. Every club in your bag will be used and a memorable golf experience is guaranteed.
The club is also known as one of the
best priced courses for the value in New England, with a caring staff, and a proactive membership program, including a “fun” tournament event calendar.
Acquired by Sterling Golf Management in 2018, Crystal Lake Golf Club continues to provide guests and members with
a unique and affordable golf experience.
Situated near Crystal Lake, the course features a multitude of challenging yet approachable holes for all types of players. Take the fifth for instance. The par-five plays around 500 yards from the tips and bends ever so softly to the right, which makes going for the green in two shots risky.
The 18th is a very reachable-in-two 448-yard par five where birdie, or perhaps even an eagle, can really bring your round to a delightful conclusion.
www.CrystalLake-Golf.com
Undoubtably, one of the Premier Golf Practice facilities in Connecticut, Blackledge Country Club’s new range boasts a driving area that stretches 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 features; 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.
www.BlackledgeCC.net
Blue Fox Run Golf Course in Avon, Ct. offers 27 holes of great daily fee golf, and there is never any hassle getting a tee time with three nines to choose from.
Blue Fox became a 27-hole layout several years ago. Five of the new holes are on the White Course and the other four on the Red Course. The unchanged former back nine is the Blue Course.
The new 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 500-yard 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 the large, oblong green in two.
Blue Fox is a course where you can air it out with driver on most holes, especially on the Red and White nines. The Blue Course, which has nine of the “old” holes, is a tad more stringent, especially over its last four or five holes, one of which is an island green, the 17th.
The 201-yard seventh hole on the Red Course is as good a par-three as you can get in the area. There’s a pond that guards the right side of the green and bunkers scattered around the putting surface.
The club had earlier given its Blue Course a facelift, as well as most holes that existed on the White and Red courses, in the form of new bunkering and a bit of tinkering with several greens and tee boxes.
www.BlueFoxEnt.com
The 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
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
The once private Elmcrest Country Club is now semiprivate, under new ownership of the well-respected Crest Family, owners of Crestview Country Club. Public tee-times will be available for the 2022 season as well as the option for dual membership with its “Double Eagle” membership program. The Crest Family is pleased to offer top quality golf and value to patrons on both sides of the river. The only dual membership available in Western Massachusetts.
Elmcrest Country Club is uniquely located in the quaint Town of East Longmeadow, Massachusetts on the border of Somers, Connecticut. Rock walls, rustic bridges, and floral accents are just some of the allures of this classic New England course that winds through beautifully wooded, rolling terrain past picturesque ponds and streams. The design of this well-conditioned course is an enjoy-
able round for any level of player. The course also hosted the Joe Pagos Western Massachusetts Amateur Championships and MIAA Division I Golf Championships. Elmcrest’s expansive facilities, situated on over 110 acres of private land, offer a sanctuary to all who become members. Our professional team of PGA professionals, event planners, culinary and service staff, as well as our GCSAA certified golf maintenance team have one goal in mind; making your every visit at Elmcrest a special one. Join us, and see why you will want Elmcrest Country Club will become your home away from home!
To book a tee time or speak to someone in the Pro Shop: (413)525-4653 For the Main Office: (413)525-6641
www.ElmcrestCC.com
Florida’s Sports Coast offers a more exciting kind of vacation. With four amazing cities to explore – and countless ways to get out and play – visitors will find there’s much more than just great golf in this area. Whether they’re exploring the Gulf of Mexico, tackling tandem skydiving over Zephyrhills, or enjoying a beer at one of our craft breweries, they’ll discover Florida’s Sports Coast is an unbeatable location for their next golf trip.
A place to rest and recharge with family and friends, a place to enjoy your athletic passions on the golf course or the tennis court, a place to meet and mingle … the legendary Saddlebrook Resort is Tampa Bay’s preeminent resort, where leisure time takes over, whether you’re getting away with your friends or vacationing with the family.
Spread out on our 480 lush acres of lagoons and cypress trees, teeing off on one of our two Arnold Palmer signature golf courses, volleying on one of 43 tennis courts, savoring a convivial meal with friends at Dempsey’s Too or spending a blissful afternoon in the expansive pool.
It’s our pleasure to host you for your golf getaway, whether you’re hoping to improve your game or are simply seeking a fairway-filled weekend with favorite golfing buddies. Our Tampa golf packages are designed to give you access to Saddlebrook’s complete resort experience. Want to add something? Just give us a shout and we’ll make it happen.
Getaway Package includes a stay in a Deluxe Guest Room, One-Bedroom Suite or Two-Bedroom Suite; full breakfast per adult per paid night of stay; lunch per adult per paid night of stay; total of 4 rounds of golf (18 holes on arrival day, 36 holes on middle day, 18 holes on departure day, with cart and greens fees); a $20 resort credit per adult for the golf pro shop; a welcome golf gift; unlimited use of the practice facility; nightly club cleaning and storage; fitness center access; and additional Saddlebrook amenities.
Starting at $129 per night per person!
