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Hey Everyone,
Happy Fourth of July!
I hope this newsletter helps you pass some time in line at the grocery store, waiting for fireworks to start, or anywhere else you find yourself this weekend!
I spent Tuesday afternoon at Charles River CC for the Willett Cup Invitational. It’s a US Challenge Cup event honoring Rick Willett, who tragically passed away in 2022 just days before Conner Willett played in the Mass. Amateur. Conner won the event, an incredible achievement given the grief that he carried with him that week.
It felt like a week that was meant to be. Willett drained a wild putt on the 13th hole that made its way into the ESPN Top 10. Golf Digest put together an incredible and heartbreaking timeline of Willett’s week. It’s worth reading.
Three years later, Rick Willett was remembered through this event and the fundraising at the RWHorizon Fund. The fund aims to advance brain science and enhance recovery from brain injuries. Rick suffered a brain injury while skiing in 2005. From the sounds of it, he was an adventurous, free spirit.
The goal of the day of golf was fun and fundraising, but when you put people like Ricky Stimets, Alexa Pano, Joey Lenane, John Broderick, Rebecca Skoler, Ryan Downes and others on a golf course playing best ball, the scores will be low and the competition will be high.
If you would like to learn more, you can head to the website and there is also an auction going on currently with some great items including golf at some sweet courses like Dedham Country and Polo Club, Shelter Harbors (RI), Oyster Harbors, and GreatHorse.
The “Chilkats” with Ricky Stimets, Ethan Whitney, Eli Spaulding, Xavier Marcoux shot 59 best ball, finishing birdie, birdie, eagle, birdie to win by a shot.
News and Notes
Pro Golf
🔨 Michael Thorbjornsen finished T4 at the Rocket Classic, one shot outside the three-way playoff. This week, he is playing in the John Deere Classic. Last year, he notched a T2 finish in this event. Live Scoring
🏌️♀️ Megan Khang and Lexi Thompson lost in a playoff in the Dow Championship, a team event. Results
⛳️ Jimmy Hervol won the Providence Open at Triggs Memorial. He shot 66-64 (-14) to win by two shots over Fletcher Babcock. Ethan Whitney, who just turned professional, had an impressive T3 finish with rounds of 68-67. Fran Quinn shot 69-67 to finish T5. Josiah Hakala and Aidan O’Donovan finished tied for low amateur. Results
🇨🇦 The PGA Tour Americas are back from a little time off. They are up in Canada playing Mactaquac Golf Course in New Brunswick. Chris Francoeur shot 64 and is T3. Live Scoring
Amateur Golf
🏆️ Shannon Johnson and Megan Buck won their sixth straight Mass Women’s Four Ball at Walpole CC. The duo shot a 70 (-2) and beat Jillian Johnson + Mya Murphy by three shots. Results and MassGolf recap
🇺🇸 Rebecca Skoler earned a spot at Bandon Dunes, a tough place to get a tee time these days, for this year’s U.S. Women’s Amateur. She shot a 71 (+1) at Pine Brook CC and was the medalist. Grace Wang of Michigan earned the other spot. Results and MassGolf recap
🐴 The Mass. Amateur kicks off at GreatHorse on Monday, July 7. I put together a course preview and a player preview this week.
⛳️ The AJGA is hosting the FM Junior Championship at Chicopee CC this week. Jack Carew is the leader after 36 holes with rounds of 65-71 (-6). The tournament will wrap up on July 4. Live scoring
Plugs
📆 I recapped my month of June on YouTube. Nine courses in two states. I checked off four new courses, returned to three others, and played two championship courses in New Jersey. Oh, and I played a Mass. Publinks Qualifier.
Between now and July 7, when the Mass. Amateur starts, I am offering a few discounts.
🥂 Get $15 off the Supporter Tier ($35) for a year. Link here.
🥳 Use code BSG20 for 20% off in the Bay State Shop.
I plan to head to GreatHorse for the quarterfinals and semi-finals on Thursday, July 10. Your support makes these trips possible and allows me to provide coverage that you can’t find anywhere else.
A reminder at Leo J. Martin
I almost didn’t play golf on Wednesday. Construction had pushed me out of the apartment, and I was happily camped out at Tatte—A/C, iced coffee, pastry, and some Mass. Amateur research.
I didn’t have a tee time, and I had to be back in the city by 5:00 pm to pick up our dog.
Living in Charlestown, there aren’t many golf options that would have suited my deadline when the urge to play golf washed over me at 9:45.
By 11:00, I was meeting Russ and Graham on the first tee of Leo J. Martin.
Sometimes, a weekday tee time means I’m playing alone. It’s how I played Far Corner last week on a wickedly hot day. Those solo rounds let me take in the course. I can spend a bit more time looking around, taking it in, and filming. I can venture off the beaten path, too.
When I play with other people, the vibe of the round shifts. It’s not better or worse. It’s different.
If I had played Leo J. Martin by myself, I think I would have been absolutely miserable because the golf is horrible. It’s like looking at a masterpiece left out in the rain.
The Donald Ross design, which has been chopped up over the years because of highway construction and mismanagement, still has some features that suggest that this course could be saved.
Walking it alone wouldn’t have opened my eyes to the value of Leo J. Martin for a subset of golfers: Connection and exercise.
Russ is a retired newspaper and comms guy. He forks over a nominal fee for a five-day season pass to play Leo J. Martin and Ponkapoag.
Some would say that Russ is insane.
Russ does it for the walk. He enjoys the golf, but it’s secondary. He’s there for a little socializing, a little golf, and a lot of walking.
That’s his recipe.
Graham is 89 years old. He joined us for nine holes. He paid $22 and rode a cart.
The man could still hit it 150 yards off the tee. He started playing golf in his early 40s when his wife convinced him to join her on the course. He reached an 18 handicap in his heyday. He has played golf longer than I’ve been alive.
Now, I understand that Leo J. Martin’s greens are an abomination to golf and my guy Donald Ross. I understand that the state of Massachusetts runs the course and should be held accountable for letting Ponkapoag and Leo J. Martin fall into such disrepair when they have incredible potential. Especially when golf is booming and city golfers can access both courses in 20-30 minutes.
I believe that every course serves a purpose. Walking around Leo J. Martin, I saw kids and retired folks playing golf. I’d imagine on some days, those demographics tee it up together.
Russ and Graham didn’t know each other. We were three complete strangers who spent a couple of hours together chasing a ball around and watching it bounce along some of the worst greens you’ll find in the state.
I don’t meet golfers like Russ or Graham at a place like Far Corner or Crosswinds or Shining Rock or Butter Brook.
I meet different people at those courses, and they are seeking something else from this game we all love.
But watching an 89-year-old hit a golf shot and manage nine holes of golf was inspiring.
We got to talking about my quest, and he said to me, “I used to have goals; now I just have history.”
Sheesh.
As Russ and I walked back to the parking lot from the 18th green, we said our goodbyes; he smiled and said, “I’ll probably never see you back here.”
He’s probably right.
But I’m glad I hopped in the car and teed it up on a hot summer afternoon for a little perspective, because golf, even at its ugliest, still has its moments. Sometimes they show up on perfect greens. Sometimes they show up in a stranger’s swing, or a line about our mortality.
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When I’m not golfing…
I’m reading…
👓️ James is a very good, fast read. Worth picking up this summer.
🌊 The Maclean Brothers are insane… they are currently rowing across the Pacific Ocean. Here’s a BBC article and here is a great interview on the Ryen Russilo Podcast with them from their boat in the middle of the Pacific.
I’m listening to…
👂️ Derek Thompson went on the Bulwark Podcast. It’s a good, interesting listen. Thompson always is… listen here.
I’m drinking…
🍺 Brooklyn Summer Ale
I’m eating…
🇬🇷 Zo Greek’s falafel pita was a great dinner choice this week.
🍌 Banana with peanut butter was a mini-staple this week.
I’m watching…
🛳️ Trainwreck: Poop Cruise was an incredible 55 minute viewing experience. I’m not a cruise person, and this didn’t help.
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