Playing golf against Bob Cousy

+ Spring Golf and weekly favorites

Author

Sean Melia
March 14, 2025

Sandy Burr in Wayland, Mass. on March 12

Hey Everyone,

It appears Spring, or“Fake Spring,” has arrived. I’m going to try to soak it up as much as possible.

On Tuesday, I hit a small bucket at Sun ‘N Air in Danvers after grabbing lunch with a friend (more on that in the “I’m Eating” section). 35 golf balls was about all I needed. It might be the equivalent of nine holes, a little easier on the body, and it takes less time.

Then I played Sandy Burr in Wayland on Wednesday afternoon. A little chillier than Tuesday. The course was packed. It’s funny how many people sent me messages on IG asking about the greens. It’s freaking March! March golf is bonus golf. I wasn’t worried about anything. There were patches of snow, and the seventh hole was basically underwater. Although, I’m not sure it’s ever not underwater. Just a bad golf hole…

Nonetheless, walking 18 holes in mid-March is a gift.

Speaking of great, unseasonable weather, this week’s YouTube video is a little different. I played Hillview GC in October and recorded my back nine.

Northeast Golf Show - March 14-16

If you played this week, maybe you realized you need to get ready for the upcoming season. The Northeast Golf Show might be the place to pick up balls, clubs, apparel, swing tips, or plan a trip.

Join thousands of golfers on March 14-16 at the Gillette Stadium Field House to kick off the season.

The folks at Northeast Golf gave me a promo code to share with you for a discount on your ticket. I’ll be there all weekend, so make sure to say hello! Here’s the link to the site.

BSG = $3 OFF General Admission (Enter the code in the “Additional Information” section and hit “enter/return”)

BSGVIP = $10 OFF the VIP Experience

Hilton Head with The Golf Trips Guys

These guys are putting the finishing touches on a trip to Hilton Head from April 10-13. It’s a two-man format that includes 54 holes of golf, 3-nights lodging, airport transportation, and swag.

You and your partner can sign up with promo code BSGHH and get 10% off the trip for both you and your partner. That’s a $430 promo code! I’m kicking in a year subscription to Bay State Golf for you and your partner. That’s a $100 value. Here’s the link with details. Deal expires on March 14, 2025.

Playing golf against Bob Cousy

Bob Cousy was 79 when he beat my partner and me in a Fourth of July tournament at Worcester CC.

It was 44 years after his retirement from the Boston Celtics in 1963 and 57 years before the Boston Celtics had picked him as a 22-year-old from Holy Cross.

The round is blurry, but I remember feeling anxious in the days leading up to the match. I was a recent Holy Cross graduate who spent many hours watching the Holy Cross hoops team as one of the radio guys on the student radio station. So playing against Cousy was kind of a big deal.

There are two banners hanging in Holy Cross’ Hart Center that mark national championships. In 1947, Cousy was part of the NCAA Championship team.

I had seen and spoken to Cousy prior to us playing against each other. My family joined Worcester CC in 2002, and my purple Holy Cross golf bag was a siren song to about half the membership who also had ties to the college just a few exits down Interstate 290.

But competing against Cousy in a four-ball match was a different animal. He was a basketball legend, a winner, and a six-time NBA Champion—a guy who played with Bill Russell.

The “Houdini of the Hardwood” was getting plenty of strokes in the net competition. I was fresh off a below-average college career, and he was 79 years old.

As expected, Cousy knew exactly how to use each and every one of his strokes around a course he knew very well. It seemed like par was always in play and bogey was an absolute lock.

He was a grinder, which is nothing like the flashy point guard who was overlooked by many NBA scouts.

One scout wrote in his report: "The first time he tries that fancy Dan stuff in this league, they'll cram the ball down his throat."

Incredibly, Cousy was skipped over by Red Auberbach when he had the first pick in the draft. Cousy had started a driving instruction company in Worcester the year after he left Holy Cross and refused to leave the area. He drove a hard bargain with the Tri-Cities Hawks who drafted him. He wanted $10,000; they offered him $6,000. So he spent the year teaching housewives to drive instead of playing hoops. The next year, the team that owned his right folded and the Celtics ended up getting him.

The first episode of Celtics City highlighted a lot of Cousy’s career and his fame. Bob Ryan said that in the 1950s, if you asked someone in any part of the country to name one basketball player, Cousy would have been the most popular answer.

My match with the older version of Cousy, went back and forth, and while I don’t remember any specific shots, I remember wanting to win really badly. Beating “Cooz” would have been a thrill. Alas, he collected bogeys and pars and held us off. I do remember shaking his hand on 17 as he and his partner closed us out.

Cousy was a staple at Worcester CC while I was a member. He’d hit balls on the range and chat with folks as they made their way to their spot.

Cousy is 96 years old and his stories in Celtic City are incredible. He quipped that he’s one of the only players from that era who is still alive. He was picked by the Celtics four years after the team was founded, his institutional knowledge is worth saving and I’m grateful that I got to brush shoulders with one of the game’s pioneers.

If you would like to support my work, you can upgrade your subscription.

When I’m not golfing…

I’m reading…

📖 I finished the 1,100 pages 1Q84 this week!

👁️ I started 1984 this week. Never read it before!

I’m listening to…

🎼 Forgot how much I love Lord Huron’s Strange Trails.

I’m eating…

🌮 La Vitoria in Beverly (and Arlington) dishes out incredible food. Had their fish tacos and a steak taco. Suburb taco prices are far friendlier than city prices.

I’m watching…

☘️ Celtics City is off to a great start. The first episode was superb.

New here? Reached the bottom?

Hell Yeah.

You should subscribe.

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