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Jay Howroyd
Jan 2, 08 - 8:15 AM |
Winter Golf Thread
What to do when Tallwood is not open for play and you are restless to play some golf?
There are several winter golf options available, especially when the shoreline receives rain as inland is getting snowed upon. Perhaps this thread would be a good place for Men’s Club members to share knowledge of some of these options.
Among the courses that are sometimes clear of snow when the ground remains covered in Hebron include -
In Connecticut:
Shennecosset GC (Groton: 860-445-0262)
Banner Lodge (Moodus: 860-873-9075)
Lyman Orchards GC (Middlefield: 860-349-8055)
{last winter only the Jones stayed open}
In Rhode Island:
Winnapaug CC (Westerly: 401-596-1237)
Weekapaug GC (Westerly: 401-322-7870)
{9-holer: $25/18 holes, walking only,
temp tees, a couple temp greens}
If you want to travel a bit further, try Cape Cod:
Here is a website that tracks some courses that are open & playing regulation greens (list includes Brookside, Cape Cod CC, Dennis Highlands, Hyannis & others and has info about each)
http://www.golfcapecod.com/wintergolf.htm
Some other Cape courses not mentioned, but often open for winter play:
Olde Barnstable Fairgrounds
(Marston Mills: 508-420-1141)
{$40 walk/$58 ride: first come/first served,
regular tees and greens}
Cranberry Valley (Harwich: 508-430-7560)
{temporary tees & greens – special rates?}
I will add an entry to this thread about my experiences this week at Winnapaug Country Club. If you have been able to get out and play somewhere since Tallwood had to shut down, why not share it with others? Maybe it will help them get out and do the same or at the very least this could serve as a repository for winter golf information (courses that are open, phone numbers, etc.).
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Jay Howroyd
Jan 2nd, 2008 - 8:19 AM |
Winnapaug CC: Westery, RI - (401) 596-1237
I played Winnapaug Country Club twice within the past week (Friday: 12/28 and Monday: 12/31). This is a Donald Ross designed course located less than a mile from Misquamicut State Beach in Westerly Rhode Island on Shore Road (Route 1A). Their rates throughout the winter including weekends are $25 to walk and $40 to ride.
Winnapaug plays temporary tees in the winter and some of the greens may be temporary as well depending on the conditions. On Friday, there were four temp flags (#1, #9, #16 & #18), while on Monday there were only two (#1 & #18). The course was not frozen at all and you could hit the ball right at the flag – the only exception to this was on Friday there was one spot (the right-hand side of the fifth fairway) covered with ice, but the green was open and soft – by Monday almost all of the ice on #5 was gone as they had some rain.
The course is first come/first served. This is very helpful during the week, but can lead to some lengthy waits on the weekends if you do not get there nice and early. On the positive side, the course can be played quickly. On Friday, I went down with my buddy, Paul (Russillo), and we joined another twosome. We walked, they rode. The four of us got right out and played in about 3 hours 45 minutes. On Monday, I went down by myself (loser that I am) and joined up with another golfer. I walked and he had a cart. The pair of us played through one foursome and then had smooth sailing – we started at 11:50 and ended by 2:30. What would Tallwood Management and the Pace of Play Committee think about 2 hour and 40 minute rounds?
If you are interested in an enjoyable winter golf day and have the will power to drive directly past the Foxwoods Casino, try a round at Winnapaug Country Club. If you question whether or not they are open, give them a call: (401) 596-1237.
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kenny comerford
Jan 3rd, 2008 - 7:35 AM |
Re: Winter Golf Thread
For winter golf threads, tweeds are a must for stylish golfers everywhere. And of course cashmere is always de riguer when those nasty North Winds blow. (And I don't mean that in a good way!) Many of those in the fashion "know" choose to finish off their look with a pair of sequined golf mukluks from Nanook of Greenwich Village (available at rhinestone cowboy.com).
BTW, it's about time someone in this forum wanted to talk about something other than golf, golf, golf. BOOORING!
Toot Sweet,
Mr. Kenneth
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Ray Embury
Jan 4th, 2008 - 12:19 PM |
Re: Re: Winter Golf Thread
Chairman,
Your golfing attire has always been right up there up there with the likes of Payne Steward and Don Sanders. Your use of the French language really does something for me toot (sweet). Bon swap brother, see you soon. It really is nice talking something other than golf and who better than a fashion statement like you to deliver the message.
Tempo
PS: You doing a lot of shopping at the Rinestone Cowboy? Can't wait to see your outfit at the Kick Off Dinner honey......
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Jay Howroyd
Jan 3rd, 2008 - 7:38 AM |
Lyman Orchards - Player Course: Middlefield, CT - 1-888-995-9626 and Ron Basile's Pink Balls
The Gary Player Course at Lyman Orchards in Middlefield will be open for play this weekend (Jan 5th & 6th). The rates are $45 for 18 holes with a cart with a $10 reduction for walking ($35 to walk).
The Pro Shop is accepting Tee Time reservations for the weekend at: 1-888-99LYMAN (1-888-995-9626)
There had been ice on Holes #3 & #4, but the Orchards received rain this past weekend which dissipated it. They plan on playing the regular greens and tee boxes although the tees will be in the "forward" position. Past experience suggests that the course will be playing quite short and that when you trek up to the top of the hill the winds will be a-blowin'...
In the initial Winter Golf thread above, I wrote that the Jones Course had stayed open during the winter in 2007. Actually it was the Player Course that was open last year when Lyman Orchards was available for play. Again this winter, the Jones Course will remain closed as there is some renovation work going on mostly involving power lines.
When Googling: lyman orchards winter golf, I came upon a classic winter golf article from the New York Times that was over ten years old (03/02/1997). From this journalistic bastion, came a detailed discussion of Ron Basile's pink balls.
"In the winter, players use old golf balls, and while they say its usually harder to lose a ball, they don't bother to go after them. Some players, like Ron Basile, 54, of Glastonbury, keep orange or pink balls on hand in case they run into snow.
Mr. Basile, who once could brag of a handicap as low as 3 (it is now a 4) said in January of 1992 he and a few friends went down to Pond View Golf Course in Westerly, R. I., because most of Connecticut's courses were snow-covered.
There were just flurries when we started, but there were two inches of snow by the time we finished nine holes, he recalled. They pulled out the orange balls and played right through.
Mr. Basile, who considers golf his one serious avocation, is part of the Winter Tour at Tallwood Country Club in Hebron, where about 25 players golf year-round. He said he is a better player in the summer if he has kept his game going through the winter months."
To read the whole NYT enchalata, cut 'n paste the following:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C04E5D81731F931A35750C0A961958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all
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Dave Anderson
Jan 8th, 2008 - 5:02 AM |
Re: Winter Golf Thread
Fenwick is another option
580 Maple Ave
Old Saybrook, CT 06475-3034
United States
P: (860) 388-3499
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Jay Howroyd
Jan 12th, 2008 - 6:57 PM |
Fenwick: Old Saybrook, CT - (860) 388-3499
Fenwick is not the same since Kate passed away...
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Jay Howroyd
Jan 12th, 2008 - 6:54 PM |
Blackledge - Anderson's Glen Course: Hebron, CT - (860) 228-0250
Blackledge is open this weekend (January 12th & 13th). There were not any traces of snow anywhere on the course. In fact it was very playable. The Anderson's Glen Course (the original 18) was what was being played. No carts were allowed. Their winter rate is $20.00/18 holes.
The course was quite wet on Saturday after Friday's rain. They were sending people off the back nine first, although eventually they let groups off both sides. Teeing off about 8:40, the first couple greens were semi-frozen, but by 9:00 all of the greens were soft. The greens however were not very puttable. They must have aerified fairly late in the season as the aeration holes came into play on every hole.
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