the connecticut amateur

100 Pages·2015·12.51 MB·English

A review of the 2015 season and the Championships
conducted by the Connecticut State Golf Association
2 0 1 5
CHAMPIONSHIP ANNUAL
TABLE OF CONTENTS
6 30 Connecticut Public Links Championship
WELCOME LETTER
LOOK WHO’S BACK
After a multi-year hiatus from competitive golf and a host of close calls and near
misses, Chet Hrostek made a triumphant return to the winner’s circle.
8 Connecticut Open Championship
YOUTH CONQUERS ALL
32 Connecticut Women’s Open Championship
Cody Paladino completed a personal grand slam of Connecticut golf by winning the
ONE FOR THE BOOKS
Connecticut Open, Amateur, Public Links and Palmer Cup. And did we mention he’s only
twenty-six years old? Put this one in the books - the new 36-hole tournament scoring record belongs to a
seventeen year-old who has now won the Women’s Open three times.
14 Russell C. Palmer Cup
THE PERFECT DAY 34 Tournament of Champions
FIRST TO THE TOP
Trailing the leaders by eight strokes heading into the final day, Ben Day withstood the
pressure and charged up the leaderboard to capture his first CSGA championship. Josh Cameron and Mark Durand earned their first CSGA victories of their respective
careers by capturing the 10th Tournament of Champions at Bull’s Bridge Golf Club.
16 Senior Match Play Championship
FRIENDLY FINALE 36 Connecticut Senior Amateur Championship
MAKE IT THREE
Bill Hermanson met his friend of nearly forty years in the final match, who happened to
be a four-time champion and perennial favorite. Bill Hermanson capped off an amazing season by winning his first Senior Amateur title
and his third CSGA championship of the season.
18 Connecticut Amateur Championship
HE’S ALL GROWN UP 38 Connecticut Mid-Amateur Championship
HANGING TOUGH
Evan Grenus made the transition from junior golf to amateur golf look easy, winning the
Junior Amateur and Connecticut Amateur titles in consecutive years. After breaking through for his first win at the Public Links, Chet Hrostek battled fast
greens and windy conditions to capture his second CSGA major championship.
26 Connecticut Junior Amateur Championship
THE COMEBACK KID 40
2015 TOURNAMENT RESULTS
Trailing early in his each of his last three matches at the Junior Amateur, Andrew
Sciarretta turned up the heat when it mattered most.
60Dick Tettelbach Player of the Year 84 CSGA Volunteer of the Year
TOP OF THE CLASS FRED FAWCETT
John Flaherty might not have won a CSGA championship in 2015, but his consistent CSGA Volunteer and certified Rules Official Fred Fawcett has been actively involved with
play throughout the year earned him his first Player of the Year title. the CSGA for over fifteen years.
64 Dick Siderowf Senior Player of the Year
86 CSGA Club of the Year
WINNING BREEDS WINNING
H. SMITH RICHARDSON
Bill Hermanson needed one of the best seasons in Connecticut senior golf history to
H. Smith Richardson has a distinguished history of hosting tournaments, instructing
unseat six-time defending champion Dave Szewczul.
junior and adult golfers and encouraging league and tournament play.
68 2015 CSGA Club Champions
DEFYING THE ODDS 88
2015 Connecticut Golf Hall of Fame Inductees
In our annual compilation of club champions from across the state, the CSGA
salutes the men and women who achieved greatness by capturing their respective Club
Championships in the 2015 season.
92
State Legislature Updates
74
CSGA Scholarship Fund in honor of Widdy Neale
94
76 Necrology
Connecticut Section of the PGA of America
96
78
Next Year’s Championship Sites
The First Tee of Connecticut
82 98 Stats and Facts from the 2015 Season
2015 Scotland & Ireland Member Trips BY THE NUMBERS
Connecticut State Golf Association
WELCOME 35 Cold Spring Road, Suite 212
Rocky Hill, Connecticut 06067
[phone]
www.csgalinks.org
Dear CSGA Member, Executive Committee
President
Stan McFarland, Manchester CC
T
his third edition of the “CSGA Championship Annual”
Vice-Presidents
documents another exciting year of championships
Shelly Guyer, Oak Hills Park GC
and commemorates the many stories from the 2015 Peter Kaufmann, Woodway CC
Ben Briggs, Silvermine GC
competitive season.
Inside, you will see a superb collection of vivid photos Secretary
Bill Cremins, CC of Waterbury
and interesting stories from all of our championships and
competitions, as we celebrate the accomplishments of our many Treasurer
Jim Healey, Jr., Hartford GC
tournament players both on and off the course. In addition, you
Special Advisers
will find stories on our 2015 special award recipients, Hall of
Jack Bracken, Hartford GC
Fame inductees, and comprehensive results from tournaments
Judy Smith, Orange Hills CC
conducted around Connecticut.
Staff
2015 was a great year for golf in our state, and we
Executive Director
thank every individual who helped make this possible. To our Mike Moraghan
member clubs, individual members, tournament entrants, our
Director, Operations, Rules & Competitions
CSGA staff, volunteers, officials, high school golf coaches, and Ryan Hoffman
professional colleagues in affiliated organizations, we thank
Director, Competitions & Communications
you for your shared commitment to the game we love and Brent Paladino
serve in Connecticut. Director, Club Relations
Bill Bigler
Best Regards, Manager, Competitions Administration
Christopher Austin
Controller
Stan McFarland
David Seaman

Administrative Associate
Stan McFarland
Lynn Robsky
President, Connecticut State Golf Association
USGA P.J. Boatwright, Jr. Interns
Katie Vrabel
Daniela Lendl
Publication
Managing Editor
Brent Paladino
Written and Edited By
Brent Paladino, Mike Moraghan, Ryan Hoffman,
Bill Bigler
Contributors
Christopher Austin, Katie Vrabel, Becky Blaeser,
Joe Morelli
Photos
Mike Moraghan, Brent Paladino, Katie Vrabel,
Elizabeth Gentile, Rick Odermatt, David Newman,
David Colt, Steven Mack, Joe Morelli, Bill
Quinnell, and the USGA (Steve Gibbons, Chris
Keane & Joel Kowsky)
6 Connecticut State Golf Association 2015 www.csgalinks.org
A TEAM EFFORT
Message from CSGA Executive Director, Mike Moraghan
W
ithin our staff at the CSGA your hands right now,
we work under the motto the third edition of our
“Best Idea Wins.” It doesn’t Championship Annual.
matter who comes up with an idea, as Ryan produced a
long as it’s a good idea. Something that comprehensive Officials
can make us better as an organization Manual in 2014 that was
and in all the things we do on behalf far more explanatory and
of our member clubs and golfers detailed than anything
throughout Connecticut. we’d previously provided
Conversations that start in to our volunteers, and with
somebody’s office, or in our conference assistance from Brent,
room or in the kitchen next to the conducted our first ever
microwave and the big printer often on-line Rules seminar (we
evolve into projects that make us better. were the only state golf
We’re open-minded to incorporating best association in the country
practices we observe in other states and to offer such a program
around the world, as well as ideas that this year). Moving forward
come from our Executive Committee we’ll now conduct in-
and our dedicated volunteers. depth Rules education
Ryan Hoffman regularly combs every year alternating
through other golf association’s websites between the traditional
Mixed Team Championship with the
to see what they are doing and how they classroom Rules Workshop and virtual
CWGA’s Mixed Championship for a
are organized. A couple of years ago education via computer.
successful event at Tumble Brook, and
Ryan and Bill Bigler brought forth the Bill continues to monitor
in 2016 for the first time ever, the CSGA
idea of creating the “CT Golf PlayBook” GHIN/USGA developments while also
will work in concert with the Women’s
an idea gleaned from other associations, contributing to their evolution through
Amateur Committee to conduct
Oregon in particular. 2016 will be the direct contact and committee work. He
the Connecticut Women’s Amateur
4th year the CSGA has produced the also created an updated and improved
Championship.
PlayBook, which has been successful in version of our Club Representative
With trips to Scotland and
driving business to CSGA member clubs Manual, and through his contacts
Ireland this year (see pages 82-83) and
and creating a new revenue stream for with Arizona and other associations,
a trip to Cape Town for the Southern
those clubs and the CSGA. has expanded our eRevision partner
Africa Golf Hall of Fame induction and
We recognize that there relationships.
Museum opening, we came home with
is no need to reinvent a successful Some of the success we’ve
a number of ideas we may eventually
organization that has been around since had in lobbying the State Legislature
apply to both recreational golf in
the end of the 19th century. But we can in Hartford (see page 92) comes from
Connecticut, and our own CSGA Annual
always improve our operation, and find ideas we acquired during the annual
Meeting and Hall of Fame ceremony.
ways to adapt and progress in what is International Association of Golf
So add up all the little things
clearly the fastest moving and most Administrators (IAGA) conference. A
and it would seem we actually are
rapidly changing time period in world recent IAGA legislative presentation
doing quite a bit to make our 116 year-
history. offered jointly by California and Texas
old organization into the best state
Toward that end Chris Austin (two states that couldn’t be further apart
golf association we possibly can make
has invested a great deal of time politically) provided useful strategies
it. Having an outstanding group of
investigating ways we can improve the that we’ve since incorporated into our
volunteers and fulltime staff who are
registration system for our One-Day own practice.
willing to entertain innovative thinking
tournaments. Chris also reorganized In our tournaments operations
and embrace new ideas is the foundation
our course rating operation this year. we’re also expanding our support of
of this process. As we close out another
Brent Paladino has brought us into the both the Connecticut Women’s Golf
successful year, stay tuned for more to
21st century with social media, photo Association (CWGA) and the Southern
come from the CSGA team in 2016.
galleries, our digital magazine The CSGA New England Women’s Golf Association
Links and the book you are holding in (SNEWGA). In 2015 we merged our
Above: CSGA Executive Director Mike Moraghan speaking at the 2015 Southern Africa Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Moraghan’s former student,
Lewis Chitengwa of Zimbabwe was inducted posthumously in June.
Cover Photograph: John Flaherty on the twelfth hole at The Patterson Club. Opening spread: The eighteenth green during the final round of the 81st
Connecticut Open Championship at The Patterson Club. Table of Contents: The practice putting green at Bull’s Bridge Golf Club provides a scenic view
before the final round of the 28th Connecticut Mid-Amateur Championship.
www.csgalinks.org Connecticut State Golf Association 2015 7
8 Connecticut State Golf Association 2015 www.csgalinks.org
81ST CONNECTICUT OPEN
The Patterson Club // Fairfield, Conn. // July 27 - 29
Youth
CONQUERS ALL
Cody Paladino of Wethersfield Country Club completed a personal grand slam of Connecticut golf
by becoming the first player in CSGA history to win the Connecticut Open, Amateur, Public Links and
Palmer Cup. And did we mention he’s only twenty-six years old?
www.csgalinks.org Connecticut State Golf Association 2015 9
C ODY PALADINO of made some great par saves on the fifth birdied #9, 11 and 14 to jump to six
Wethersfield Country Club and sixth holes, and when I saw the under-par for the championship, just
held a one stroke lead heading leaderboard on the sixth green, I saw two shots behind the lead.
into the final day and never looked that no one was really making a big “I hit the ball great today, and
back, posting a one under-par round of move. So I was totally fine starting out made a few good putts out there,” said
70 for a two stroke victory at the 81st with eight straight pars. The pins were Flaherty. “When I made the turn at three
Connecticut Open Championship at very difficult and it was hard to get the under-par, I was thinking I had a chance
The Patterson Club. ball close to the hole.” if I could get it going on the back nine. In
Paladino, the 2006 and 2013 After making the turn in one my opening round, I shot 30 on the back
CSGA Player of the Year, began the day under-par and -7 for the championship, nine, so I knew I could make birdies on
with a one stroke lead over Pete Ballo of he tacked on another birdie the par-5 that side.”
Woodway Country Club and amateur 11th to get to -8. Standing on the twelfth With a host of players chasing
Nick Harrington of The Windham Club. tee his lead was three, but he would not him, Paladino hit his tee shot on the
But with a total of thirteen players be without chasers. par-3 12th hole into the greenside
within five shots of the lead, he knew he “I had a feeling if someone bunker. Knowing he needed to keep
had to play well to have a chance at the was going to shoot four or five under, it the momentum going, he rolled in a
title. would have to be a really special round,” clutch par save to maintain his two shot
Paladino opened his round with said Paladino. “So I just kept focusing advantage.
eight straight pars, and standing in the on what I was doing and tried not get “The par save on #12 was
fairway at the par-5 ninth he held a two complacent out there.” really a key moment in the round,” said
stroke lead over four-time Connecticut Indeed, there would be a host of Paladino. “After making birdies on #9
Open Champion Kyle Gallo of Tallwood players who used the back nine to put and 11, I hit it in the bunker and after
Country Club. From there, Paladino hit together a special round and catapult making that save, I felt like I could focus
his approach to within a foot, good up the leaderboard. Among them was and play solid golf from there on out.”
enough for a birdie and a three shot lead amateur John ] ]
“I had a feeling if someone was going to shoot four
at the turn. Flaherty of TPC
or five under, it would have to be a really special
“The birdie on 9 was a huge River Highlands,
round. So I just kept focusing on what I was doing
kick-start and really got the day going the first round
and tried not get complacent out there.”
in the right direction,” said Paladino. “I co-leader who
10 Connecticut State Golf Association 2015 www.csgalinks.org