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Hey Everyone,
This week, BeeHiiv, the host site of this newsletter, shared my “2025 Wrapped” with me. It broke down some stats about the newsletter.
Here are some notable bits:
118 posts
170k words written
115k impressions
130% subscriber growth
I’m also proud to say that I haven’t missed a Friday Newsletter this year.
So if this is your first newsletter or if you’re an OG from back in the Stay Home Husband days (I’ll explain that someday…), I am grateful you are here.
Next year is a big one (everyone says that, right?).
In April, I lost my role as writer and podcaster at Amateur Golf. Since then, I have made an effort to cover a little bit more of the competitive side of the game and put most of my attention into Bay State Golf content.
I hope to continue to grow in 2026, and that comes with some help from paid subscribers who receive my golf course reviews early, have access to all my writing (118 posts!), and get other bonus content and discounts. I’ve also heard they make more 5-foot putts in matches against their friends.
If you’d like to help support Bay State Golf and keep this little engine chugging along, I’d be grateful. Heck, buy a subscription as a gift for the golf sicko in your life.
If a membership is a bridge too far, you could purchase some BSG merch to keep you warm this winter.
News and Notes
Pro Golf
⛳️ Chris Francoeur is playing in the Final Stage of Q-School this weekend. The top five finishers will get PGA Tour cards. If there’s a tie, a playoff will be held. Francoeur is off to a great start. He shot 67 on Thursday and sits T6. Live Scoring.
Sadly, Francoeur lost his grandfather on Wednesday. He was big reason Francoeur started playing golf. He’s playing with a heavy heart this week—another reason to root for the kid from Amesbury.
I made this on Wednesday about Franoceur’s journey to this point. 👇️
🏌️♀️ Megan Khang and Keith Mitchell are playing together in the Grant Thornton Invitational. It kicks off on Friday. Live Scoring
Plugs
I mixed it up this week and used some footage from my round at Berlin CC in November.
The Blessing of a Bad Shot
While editing my YouTube video this week, I came across a clip I recorded during a round at Berlin CC this November.
The 6th hole at Berlin CC has a pretty severe green. It’s benched into a hill on the longest hole on the course: a 369-yard par 4.
I pulled my approach and ended up left of the green in the rough. The pin was in the back, and I hit what I thought was a pretty good pitch shot. The ball landed and bent toward the hole. Given my weakness with a wedge in my hand, I was rather happy with the shot up to that specific point.
However, the ball continued to roll and curled around the hole and then rolled…and rolled… and rolled.
The ball ended up on the fringe at the front of the green. I’d imagine I was maybe just a few yards closer to the hole than I was before hitting my third shot.
If I had hit my seven-iron approach to the front of the green, I would have walked off the green without any real impression of the hole.
After all, how many uphill putts do we hit from the front of a green in Massachusetts each season?
Hundreds? Thousands?
Looking down the 6th hole.
The fact that I had to hit one of the hardest shots on the golf course opened up my eyes to what a regular at Berlin CC has to deal with every time they tee it up at this nine-hole course.
The sixth hole is always looming.
Get off to a good start?
You still have to get through the sixth hole.
Get off to a slow start?
The sixth hole is waiting to make your day even worse.
Playing a course once gives me one perspective on it. A devilish shot might not present itself. A benign pin placement might not highlight the real challenge.
Now, for the most part, Berlin CC is a simple, nine-hole course. It’s not going to necessarily present layers upon layers of intrigue.
However, for the regular, demons begin to appear on certain shots.
The sixth hole feels like it’s full of demons.
Sometimes a bad shot highlights where some of those demons might live. I’m trying to see those bad shots as opportunities to understand how an everyday player might experience their course when I play it on my quest.
If you would like to support my work, you can upgrade your subscription.
When I’m not golfing…
I’m reading…
🎾 The Athletic details a French tennis player suspended for 20 years over anti-corruption breaches… the more I think about it, the more it feels like something is going to explode in golf over the next five years.
📖 Started The Secret History by Donna Tartt. It’s excellent so far.
⛳️ This Golf.com story about data centers being built on public golf courses is dispiriting.
I’m listening to…
🎼 I love Lord Huron. Spotify cobbled together a playlist.
I’m eating…
🍳 Made a great frittata this weekend. Super easy with eggs and whatever you have in the fridge.
🍽️ Crisp Gnocchi With Brussels Sprouts and Brown Butter - Very easy and delicious.
I’m watching…
⛰️ I enjoyed this No Laying Up video about Montana. A bit of a different pace to this one.
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