The Ledges Golf Club - South Hadley

For everyone interested in playing at a great course in the Western Mass area, please head to The Ledges Golf Club in South Hadley. I was able to play there on Sunday and the course was in great condition. The staff is very friendly and the pro shop has just the right amount of necessities to get you ready for your round! The people at the restaurant and bar were fantastic too.


What a great little place. I couldn't believe that more people weren't there. Let's do our part to support this place, it would be a shame to see such a nice course go away, it's good for our area. 


Chris

Chris Austin and Andy Lesenski take the Greenfield Four-Ball in dominating fashion...

It's a grueling weekend of golf. It's days of carefully plotting your way around the golf course and trying to drive the stake into your opponent. It's hard work, but if you play well, it can be four of the most rewarding days for an amateur golfer to win the Country Club of Greenfield's 4-ball.

Every year some of the best players come out to play in this great event. This year was no different.

The big story is always in the Champion Division. Lately, golf in our area has been dominated by the older, more experienced guys. Names like Bergeron, Ruschioni, and Varner. This year it was the young guns turn.

Chris Austin and Andy Lesenski dominated the field over that last four days to win on Sunday 5&3 over Mike Johnson and Max Wolanske. They used their incredible distance and accuracy to bring the golf course and their opponents to their knees. When you can hit your driver and then a short iron into even the longest par 5's, it really plays to your advantage.

I have been able to witness the practice and dedication that has gone in to preparing their games first hand. Both Austin and Lesenski are members at our course, The Crumpin-Fox Club. Lesenski has spent countless hours on the range in the last few weeks, really dedicating his time to improving his already solid golf game. Austin prefers to play side matches and 36-hole rounds in order to prepare his game for competition.

It's really exciting as a golf professional to see these guys playing so well. They are the future of our club, and they are the future of great golf in our area. It also ignites the already fierce rivalry between our club and The Country Club of Greenfield. It should make for some exciting golf come October and the Franklin Cup, an annual match between the best players at both clubs.

Congrats guys, your hard work paid off, enjoy it!

Chris

Dealing with confrontation on the golf course..and using it to your advantage!

A friend of mine showed me a video yesterday of an incident involving Bubba Watson and Steve Elkington from a few years ago at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Watson was complaining about how Elkington and his caddie were walking in his line and talking loudly while he was trying to swing. The two ended up confronting each other and then settling things in the scorers tent afterwards.

I was thinking about all of the people I have been paired with that have made it very difficult to focus and play solid golf.

I used to get very upset and let the people get to me, then I realized that this was their plan all along. It was a form of gamesmanship you could say. Then I figured that I could turn this into an opportunity.

Every time I get paired with someone who is rude, loud, or says things to try to get in your head, it enhances my focus. I have to be able to shut them out completely, and often times it helps my game. It allows me to be even more competitive than normal. Plus, when they hit their ball into the woods, I don't help them look for it.

So next time when someone is being obnoxious in your group, don't let it bother you and use it to your advantage!

Hope everyone has had a great weekend so far!

Chris

Can Phil Mickelson pull it off?

Phil is currently in second place at the Open Championship, with the back 9 still to be played. He is five under par after 9 holes. Darren Clarke is holding on nicely, but one can't help but root for Phil to comeback. Should be exciting. Tune to ESPN for coverage.

Chris

Hometown boy Tom Lewis, tied for the lead at the Open Championship...as an amateur!

There were some wonderful shots played today at The Open Championship at Royal St. George's. There was a hole in one by Dustin Johnson, two monster breaking putts made by John Daly and Rickie Fowler, and some great up-and-downs by some of the best players in the world! There is a story that tops all of that though...

Amateur Tom Lewis, from England, is tied for the lead after Round 1. Lewis shot a five-under round of 65. He made it look effortless. He looked relaxed and confident, and his swing looked in top form. It also helped that he was paired with the man he was named after, Tom Watson. We heard Watson compliment Lewis from time to time throughout the round, and it must have been very special for the young man to hear that come from his mentor.

I hope that Lewis can get past all the media hype he is going to get this evening and come back tomorrow and put together a solid round. What a great thing that would be for an amateur to come in and claim victory over the top talent in the world.

Day one was a great one, and it is only going to get better! Enjoy!

Chris

Tiger Woods will make a special announcement on Monday morning....people are talking!

Tiger Woods said Sunday, that he will sit down with the Golf Channel's Kelly Tilghman on Monday morning and make a special announcement. People in the golf world are speculating what it might be. Most  people are saying that he will take the rest of 2011 off and let his knee and Achilles tendon heal completely. Others are saying he will defend or deny his use of steroids and his friendship with Anthony Galea. Galea is being indicted on transporting illegal drugs across the border for other athletes.

I personally think he is going to retire. Don't hold me to this. But who makes a special announcement to talk about steroids?  Why would he have to hold a press conference and talk more about his knee problems? He wouldn't. This could be his time to retire. I've said it before, he is the greatest player to ever play the game. Jack and Arnold were something special, but no one has brought more attention to our sport than Tiger, especially at a time when golf was fading. Through his work with The Tiger Woods Foundation, he has given children all around the world a chance to play this great game.

The fans should thank him, the other players on tour should thank him, and the media should definitely thank him for everything he has done. If he does choose to retire, I wish him well. I hope I'm completely wrong though.

Tune in and watch! Should be interesting to say the least....

Aronimink Golf Club....what a great place!

This week, the PGA Tour makes it's way to Aronimink Golf Club in the Philadelphia area of Pennsylvania. I have never been down to see the course, but from what I understand, it is one of the best courses on tour. The players love it, the media loves it, and I'm starting to fall in love with it. Adam Scott, after shooting an opening 66 in Round 1 of the AT&T, said that it was an incredible test and that the course was setup very well.

It is an old Donald Ross course. It is a challenging test of golf. It is said to be one of his favorite courses he designed. The amenities and the facilities at Aronimink are wonderful. They provide a great place for an entire family to spend the day!

For more information please visit Aronimink Golf Club

Hope everyone enjoys this great July 4th weekend. Get out and play some golf and enjoy time with the family!

Chris

Massachusetts Open! Shaping up to be a great one!

The Mass Open is, once again, shaping up to be a great and exciting tournament! It is being held at Oak Hill Country Club in Fitchburg, MA. The final round is scheduled for today.

In round one, the scoring was very low. George Zolotas, from Peobody, MA, led the field with a very solid 66. There were several others close to the lead including Michael Welch from Furnace Brook CC, and Adam Rainaud from South Hadley, with a 67.

Day two, proved to be the same. Scoring was fairly low again, as people tried to improve their position on the leader board in preparation for the final round. Welch, continued his solid play and shot a 69. He is now tied for the lead going into the last day with Kyle Gallo and amateur Brian Higgins.

Higgins is trying to become the first amateur since 1999 to win the Mass Open.

Some notable winners of the Open include Walter Hagan, Francis Ouimet, Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson and Bob Toski as well as famed course designer, Donald Ross.

It should be exciting to watch today. If you can't get out to see it, you can follow the tournament coverage here MGA Links

Hope everyone has a great day!

Chris

2011 Heath Open - A great family event for a great cause!

Every year in June, my good friend's family holds their annual golf tournament at Beaver Brook Golf Course in Haydenville, MA. The Heath Open, always has a great turn out, awesome raffle gifts and the money always benefits a wonderful cause. This year was no exception. 

Unfortunately, my friend Jonathan lost both his grandparents this past year due to Cancer. They were the heart and soul of the Heath crew. I only had the chance to meet them a few times, but I remember them being very special people who played all sorts of roles in the family from doctors and therapists, to teachers and protectors. This made this year's tournament that much more important. 

The tournament went off without a hitch and all the proceeds were donated to the American Cancer Society. Please do your part and make a donation or any contribution you can to the cause. There are almost 1.6 million cancer cases in the United States alone. With the technology we have now, it can be detected earlier and hopefully prevented. 

Get involved! Do your part to fight Cancer!

Chris

 

Travelers Championship - Course Caddy's Picks

Hey guys! Another week of great golf is upon us. This week the tour travels to Connecticut for the Travelers Championship. Here are my picks for the week...


1) Hunter Mahan. Hunter has consistently been in the top five at TPC River Highlands. He missed the cut last year and struggled at the US Open, but look for him to turn things around this week!


2) Padraig Harrington. He played pretty solid last year. His experience and his solid swing should help him go low in Connecticut. 


3) Nick Watney and/or Bill Haas. Haas is kind of a long shot it seems, but I feel like he is always lurking around the top of the leaderboard at events like this. Watney is just an all around great player who has been in pressure situations before and has no fear. If I wasn't going with Mahan to win this week, I would put my money on Watney. 


Let's not forget about Bubba Watson. He won this event last year is geared up and ready to defend his title. Hope he does. 


Enjoy the tournament!


Chris

Robert Garrigus, a great story from the US Open!

The big story in golf over the weekend was Rory McIlroy winning his first major championship. He made Congressional look a pitch-and-putt course. It was great for both the game of golf, and for his own personal game. Who knows what kind of fire this will spark inside Rory? It will be fun to watch that's for sure!

Not to take away from Rory's historic win, but watching Robert Garrigus make some clutch shots and some key putts was another great part of the 2011 US Open. For those of you who don't know, Garrigus has battled many personal demons in the past on his way to the PGA Tour including drug and alcohol abuse. When Robert made that birdie putt on the last hole on Sunday, the emotions that poured out of him were something special. If you watch, you can almost see the weight lifted off his shoulders. He fist pumped that putt and had a huge smile on his face. He thanked the crowd. He thanked his playing partners. He was genuinely happy to playing. This is what golf is all about. This is why the fans show up. This is why Robert Garrigus will soon be a household name, and grown men all around the world will be cutting their putters down to 28 inches. 

Hope everyone had a great Father's Day weekend! Love you dad!

Chris

The First Tee and Junior Golf....

Course Caddy is a big supporter of The First Tee program and Junior Golf in general. The kids are the future of our sport. They will soon be our new members, club champions, and even future golf professionals.

The First Tee program's mission is as follows - "To impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf"

The core of the program is Honesty, Integrity, and Sportsmanship. These are very important values to instill in our children.

Please do your part in supporting The First Tee. Participate, donate, and volunteer! It means the world to the kids and will make a difference in our own lives as well!

Enjoy the weekend watching the US Open!

Chris

Rory McIlroy deserves an apology....

I have to start by apologizing to Rory McIlroy. I made my picks, for fun of course, for my top five players to win the US Open this week. I studied the players, their stats, their Open history, and even their personal backgrounds. I did not however, include Rory McIlroy in my picks. I did not do it intentionally. I simply bypassed this great player. It may have been because of his historic collapse at The Masters, or his recent absence from the news, but for whatever reason, my brain completely skipped over Rory.

This is not fair to him. He deserves more than that. We have all been in a situation where we have been playing great and then the wheels fall off. It happens. It's part of the game. 

Rory McIlroy is a great player, and to see him bounce back from his Augusta performance and shoot an opening 65 at The US Open, was fantastic for both the game of golf, and for Rory's own personal game. 

I hope he continues his great play, and I wouldn't argue if he absolutely ran away with the golf tournament. It would be good for the game!

Enjoy the second round today!

Chris

Things are heating up at the US Open! Should be exciting!

All of the players are now on the grounds at Congressional. The pairing are all set. Mike Davis, the Executive Director of the USGA, is out on the course, making it as challenging as ever. How can it get any better?

Are there any predictions out there as to who will win? I think that Luke Donald will have a solid week. He always seems to be in the top ten, no matter what tournament he is playing in.

I'm curious to see how the big hitters will do this week. Distance is a key at Congressional, but accuracy is a key in any US Open. Do you guys think that any of the big bombers, like Bubba Watson or Dustin Johnson will win this week?

You guys know how much I love watching Bubba play, he makes the tournaments fun. I hope he does well. Dustin Johnson's former Coastal Carolina teammate Zack Byrd is in the field this week and having a good friend like that around him, may help to ease the nerves a bit and take Dustin to the top!

I can't wait for Thursday and the first round! Should be exciting!

Chris

Tiger's longtime friend and caddie, Steve Williams, will be on the bag for Adam Scott at the US OPEN

While Tiger is out with injuries, Steve Williams will caddie for Adam Scott at this year's US Open Championship. I can't blame him. He has to keep busy as well. Adam Scott and Tiger have a lot of similarities. This should be a very easy transition for Williams.

Already, the critics are starting to talk about how "Tiger and Stevie are splitting up" or that they are getting a "divorce." I don't think this is fair to either one of them.  I'm almost sure the two of them have discussed this in full, and have both come to the conclusion that this is a good thing for Steve. It will keep him sharp and focused on the game of golf, while at the same time helping out another top ranked golfer.

Adam Scott has always had the talent to win a US Open and maybe this year with Williams on the bag, he will do just that. How can you not cheer the two of them on?

Should be an exciting championship!

Chris

GOLF TIP: "In the bucket drill" By Justin Bush, PGA

Here is a great drill to practice your lag or long putting. Too often, people leave their long putts too far out of range, making it very difficult to two-putt. Try this tip, it will improve your lag putting almost instantly!


"In The Bucket Drill"
By Justin Bush, PGA


Are you three putting greens because of poor lag putts? If so, I have the perfect drill to improve your pace on long putts and get a better understanding of the speed of the greens. To begin, set up a semi-circle of tees one club length behind a hole. This forms the "bucket." Place ten golf balls twenty feet away so you will be putting into the bucket of tees. Try to get each putt past the hole but not past the tees. Reset and redo the drill when it is completed. Be sure to practice this drill on uphill and downhill putts. With some practice, you will be well on your way to reducing your three-putt greens. 


Hope everyone gets a chance to get out and play this weekend!


Chris

Tiger Woods announces he will NOT play in the US Open Championship!

Tiger Woods has announced that he will not participate in this year's US Open Championship at Congressional. He has cited injuries as the reason. This will be the first year since the 1995 Open that he has not played. 


In 2008, he ruptured his Achilles Tendon and endured a stress fracture to his tibia. He continued to play in that year's tournament, being told that the injuries would not make his leg worse. One has to believe that the damage he did over those five days in June, have taken a toll on his body permanently.


He still claims that this is a "short term frustration for long-term gain," according to his Twitter post today. 


We will have to wait and see what plays out for the former number one player in the world. For now, we will just have to watch it without him. People can say what they want about Tiger, but he makes our sport more exciting to watch and he attracts people to the game who may not have been attracted to it in the past. He will be missed by this writer, but this will only fuel the fire for the anti-tiger people out there!


The US Open is still on tap to be one of the best golf events of the season. Spend Father's Day weekend watching some great golf action!


Chris

US Open Sectionals - Follow up on who is advancing!

Here is a link to Golf Week's update on the US Open Sectional qualifying. Follow your favorite players or keep up on who is making it into the Open! 

US Open Sectionals - Live Updates And Results

Chris

Steve Stricker...Can he hold off the field at The Memorial!?

Steve Stricker holds a three shot lead going into the final round of The Memorial. Can he hold the rest of the field off? I think he can. Unlike some of the younger guys, Stricker has much more experience being in this situation and his game really favors the extreme pressure. 


I feel like Rory McIlroy could make a charge, but he is five shots off the lead. This may be too much of a gap, unless Stricker were to drop a few shots from the start. 


We can not forget about Jonathan Byrd, who is one of the most consistent players on tour. He is only three shots back. He could sneak up to the top rather quickly.


The Memorial is being held again at Muirfield Village Golf Club, in Dublin, Ohio. Murifield is a Nicklaus design that constantly ranks among the nation's top courses. 


It should be an exciting final round. Enjoy!


Chris

Good time this past Wednesday with Glenn Wong and his son....

On Wednesday of this past week, I was presented with the opportunity to play with one of the most influential people in sports education, Glenn Wong and his son, Glenn Jr. A close friend of mine, Al Wolejko had mentioned that they were interested in geting together, and I jumped at the chance. They are two of the nicest people I have ever played with. We talked a little about the business of sports, but for the most part, I think they were able to forget about work and their busy schedules and focus on playing our great golf course.

I have only met Glenn a few other times, but I am confident that I could run any business ideas or questions by him and recieve an honest answer in return.

I have an appreciation for people like Glenn and his son, and they inspire me to work hard and stay focused and never let people tell me I can't do something!

Thank you guys! Better work on those golf games before New Seabury, because we're coming for you again!

Chris