PRO SHOP CHATTER

Spanning the North Shore golf globe

The Rockport Golf Club family paid tribute to two of its most beloved players at a special ceremony held on the final day of the club championship on July 29. The late Peter Bruni and the late Vic Conigliari were honored at a mid-afternoon ceremony attended by family and friends of the two gentlemen, arguably the two finest players ever to come out of Rockport GC. 

Organized by Sanford “Skip” Munroe, the ceremony recognized the contributions the two men made to the club and the game. 

“Everyone involved with Rockport golf is mighty proud of Peter and Vic,” said Munroe, a 37-year member. “We lost them far too early in life, both to cancer, but we hope this ceremony and the remembrances we have displayed in the clubhouse will keep them both in our hearts as long as there is a Rockport Golf Club.”
 
Bruni, who passed away in the spring of 2006 at the age of 55, was one of the top amateurs to play from the left side in Massachusetts golf history. He won 11 club championships and was runner-up four times in a 20-year period. He starred on the Rockport High and Salem State golf teams and was always a player to contend with in regional and state events. Following his playing career, Bruni worked as a superintendent at Rockport GC and as an assistant super at Essex County Club.

Conigliari was also a Rockport High and Salem State product, as well as the first Rockport GC-bred player to return to his home club as the head professional. After leaving Rockport, he worked in the club scene for several years in Florida before passing away at the age of 43 in November of 2002. 

“We honor them as our greatest amateur (Bruni) and most noted professional,” Munroe said. “It’s hard to remember they died so young, but we are grateful for the years of good times we had with them at Rockport Golf Club.” 

George Jacobson, former Rockport educator-coach and nationally recognized Salem State golf coach, spoke at the ceremony about his two former Viking golfers. 

“It was quite unique and a distinct pleasure to have Peter as a student and athlete in the Rockport public schools and again at Salem State,” Jacobson said. “Peter was an outstanding student-athlete, warm, friendly, modest, loved by everybody. I was blessed to be one of his last visitors before he passed away.” 

Conigliari came to Salem State in 1977, Jacobson recalled. “Vic had one good season with us, in the fall,” he said. “He was attracted to Salem State because of the Peter Bruni connection. He had aspirations to turn pro, so we didn’t have him long, but he did well once he went into the business.” 

In the clubhouse now hangs the “Bullseye” putter that Bruni used for many years and a plaque saluting Conigliari.

Also at Rockport GC, Steve Clayton is enjoying his 18th year as the head pro. He reports that Don Charest recorded his second ace on the 135-yard seventh. In addition, the new fourth tee is now open on a full-time basis.

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The Kattar family is achieving the almost impossible at Merrimack Valley GC in Methuen. A full

Kevin Kattar

renovation/upgrading of the entire golf course continues under the direction of course architect George Sargent. “All the heavy lifting was done over the winter,” Kevin Kattar reports. “We excavated a couple fairways, added two ponds to give us a total of five. Now it’s all about loaming and shaping so we can finish what is a complete tee-to-green renovation.” It’s a $5 million project that was required to bring the 99-year-old Donald Ross layout up to modern standards and the playability expected of its clientele. “We’re bringing the old place back to life,” Kattar said. “We think we’ll make the course fairer, more beautiful and more fun for our golfers.” The new layout will feature two new holes and measure about the same as the old one (6,220) and have the same par 70.

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The Colonial GC will be open with its 18-hole championship layout for a final season in 2008, Director of Golf Rich Nagle reports. National Develop-ment of Newton, which has purchased the property, is apparently holding off plans, at least temporarily, to convert the Colonial acreage into a combination retail/residential/9-hole complex. “The course is in fine shape and we’ve had great revenue reports for May

John Theo

and June,” Nagle said. “The new owners are taking good care of the property and the staff.” …Best area finisher at the rain-shortened New England Amateur in Quechee, Vt., was Andover CC’s Evan Harmeling, who shot a 142, which was six off the pace…Paul Parajeckas, formerly of Woburn, won the Massachusetts Senior Open at Holden Hills with 70-70-140. Next best local finisher: Peabody’s John Theo at 147.

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Congrats to Trull Brook GC’s Head Pro Allen Santos on a unique two-under-par 70 that won low-pro honors at a NEPGA Pro-Member at Needham. Santos needed only 22 putts during the rock-solid round. “I’d had the yips for two, three years, then using this belly putter seems to have shaken them off,” said Santos. “I made a bunch of 10-15 footers, and that’s when you can shoot a good score. Funny, I didn’t hit the ball good, but the putting saved the round.” Santos reports it has been a terrific year at the Tewksbury layout by the Merrimack River. “Had to be after the washout we had in May and June of 2006,” he said. “We’re still waiting for our second alligator sighting.”

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The Massachusetts Amateur at Concord CC was an especially proud time for the Country Club of Billerica. In what is believed to be a first for the century-old championship, Billerica had not one, but two sets of brothers competing in the main event after passing local qualifying tests in June.

Topping the list was Kevin Velardo, who shared medalist honors with Adam Rainaud of The Ledges in the 36-hole stroke play qualifying to determine the 32 players advancing to match play. Velardo’s 70-67-137 total gave the Wilmington resident the headlines as

Kevin Velardo

match play got under way, but he lost in the second round, after beating Bass Rocks’ Jon Lawler in the first round. His brother, David, just missed match play, shooting 78-71 for 149. Just one shot lower would have gotten him into an 8-for-5 playoff. David is a senior at Wesleyan, Kevin a junior at St. John’s.

“We play with or against each other once in a while, but not nearly as often as we used to,” says David Velardo. “Barrie Bruce (of the CC of Billerica-based Barrie Bruce Golf School) has worked with us a little and he’s set us up so we could play at Marshfield with Geoff Sisk (who just won a record-tying sixth Mass. Open at Kernwood).”

The Ungvarskys, Zack and Aaron, missed the cut as well, Zack with a 79-71-150, Aaron with a 79-75-154. All four are Wilmington High grads and played various roles as WHS won one state team golf title and finished as runner-up twice. The Ungvarskys are nephews of PGA Tour winner Joey Sindelar. Their mom, Julie, is Sindelar’s sister. They play a few times each season with their uncle out in his hometown area, Horseheads, N.Y.

Zack is a sophomore on the University of Hartford golf team. Aaron just graduated from Binghamton University.

“It’s great to have the club name and their names out there in such a prestigious tournament,” Billerica’s 10th-year staffer Ed O’Connell observed. “The Ferren family that built Billerica is particularly happy for them.” The Ferrens recently completed a 36-unit home project on their property and all units have been sold.

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July was quite a month for 16-year-old Josh Salah of Bass Rocks GC. He started off by winning the CYO Match Play at Ponkapoag. A week later, the junior-to-be at Gloucester High became the youngest men's club champion in Bass Rocks history by shooting rounds of 72-72-75-74 for a cumulative 293, one shot better than Don Woodbury. Then, the week after that he nearly won the Massachusetts Junior Championship at Crumpin-Fox Club in Bernardston. Salah entered the final round of the tournament in a dead heat for the lead with Antonio Grillo of Martha’s Vineyard. Salah trailed by

Josh Salah

a shot heading into the 17th, but recorded a par that put the pair even as it stood on the 18th tee. But Grillo, the defending champ in the event that he won by 10 strokes the year before, carded a dramatic birdie on the final hole to nip Salah by one stroke with a cumulative score of 216. In addition to being one of the area’s top high school golfers, Salah will also be a captain of the Fisherman hockey team, which is a perennial Division 2 North power.

Also, at Bass Rocks, the membership is tearing down its century-old clubhouse and erecting a new, larger edifice on the same site by the Atlantic Ocean. Controller/business manager Bob Shea reports that construction should begin by the fall, pending the successful completion of permitting. The new clubhouse, which will be similar in architecture to the old one, which was a New England colonial style, will hopefully be ready for membership use by next June. The new space will cover 14,000 square feet; nearly double the space of the old house. The new building will rise three to five feet higher than the original roof. “After 100-plus years, it was time for a new building,” Shea said. “We’ll be able to make more efficient use of the increased space, all for the members’ benefit.” The club will not become a wedding reception capital of New England, Shea promised. “We’ll have dining for 200, but we will not be hosting weddings, except for members,” he said. The club is purchasing a new fleet of electric golf carts and will build a new storage facility for them. Head pro Peter Hood will get a larger pro shop, too. The price tag will be in the $3 to $4 million range.

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The membership picture is on the upswing at Turner Hill GC since the members purchased the property earlier this season. According to Bob Talbot, president of Turner Hill, 40 new members have joined the club this year.

“We have a ways to go, but the activity the last couple months has been very encouraging,” says Talbot, “We would like to clarify some misinformation that continues to circulate out there about the sale of the club. We encourage people to come in to speak with us if they are interested in being part of a premier club on the North Shore.”

The membership, Talbot reports, bought the golf club, including amenities that would cost upwards of $44 million if built today from the development phase upward. The members bought the club at a fraction of the $44 million replacement cost and has a very manageable operational loan with attractive terms. The purchase included 288 acres comprising the golf course, mansion, clubhouse, pro shop, junior Olympic-sized pool, paddle courts, equipment building, cart barn, and the historic gardens. A Turner Hill equity member bought the separate residential portion of the Turner Hill project in late July.

Talbot added, “Because of the quality of the facility and the recognition the golf course has received; there is a perception that we have upwards of a six figure initiation fee. Not true.” In fact, one of Turner Hill’s current membership options, which includes family playing privileges, would require the successful applicant to pay an initiation fee as low as $45,000. Also, congrats go out to Turner Hill pro George Goich and his wife, Jana, on the birth of their first child, George IV.

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The dramatic makeover and upgrading at Ferncroft CC continues in impressive fashion (see NSG, issue 2, 2007). Membership Director Craig Berkel reports the new 40,000-square foot practice range is fully operational, featuring a short game practice area as well as grass tees. The new ownership is equally proud of the Ferncroft Junior Scholarship Fund program that will be kicked off with a celebrity pro-am on Sept. 10 and will be hosted by former Boston Bruin and North Shore resident Don Sweeney. “This is a big deal to us,” said Damon DeVito, Managing Director of the club’s new owner, Affinity Management. “We’ve made a lot of renovations in one year including the clubhouse, the range, short game area and the new fitness area that Don helped design and we’ve been fortunate to attract over 400 members in that short time. We want to give back to the community, and with our executive course and top notch instructors it is a natural for us to nurture some young golfers because we have the best facilities for someone to learn the game on the North Shore. This program goes way beyond an introductory clinic - the kids will get equipment, membership, tons of instruction and even rides to the course. We’re basically going to adopt them.” Added Sweeney, “I’m very excited about the opportunity to host the inaugural Ferncroft Junior Golf Celebrity Classic,” he said. “The new owners of the course have done a great job with the renovations and improvements and have made Ferncroft a place to want to be a part of...The Ferncroft Junior Classic will provide everyone a chance to play a remarkable course, mingle with some well known Boston celebrities and most importantly, introduce kids to the great game of golf.”

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History has been made in the ladies golf division at Salem CC, where Maureen Ramini tied Edie O’Connor for most club championships when she notched No. 16. Ramini, 54, defeated Sandi Kelfer in the final. Her toughest match was a 19-hole decision over Lauren McCarthy. Ramini won her first club title in 1987. She won nine straight, missed in 1996, won five more in a row, and now has won the last two. O’Connor, 89, was in attendance when Ramini tied her amazing record. The club is also more than doubling its east end hitting area on its practice range. …Peter Cronan, the director of golf at The Meadow at Peabody reports the inaugural George Hennessey Memorial Scholarship tournament sported a full field of 124 and raised more than $4,000, a wonderful tribute to the man and the cause. Also at The Meadow, Peter Cunningham captured the men’s club championship with a slim victory over Kevin Osborne and then went on to be crowned the Olde Salem Greens club champ a week later with a win over Rick Larrabee…Congrats to Brendan Monahan on winning his second Winchester CC championship in a row, overtaking his dad, Joe, who was the 36-hole leader. Brendan dedicated the victory to his late mom, Joanne. Veteran WCC pro Jim Lane is in his second and final year as president of the New England PGA.

Golf fans in the Merrimack Valley are still talking about Danvers resident and Bradford CC member Bill Drohen’s eight-stroke victory at the Eastern Massachusetts Amateur. He shot 72-68-70 for a four-under 210, far ahead of runner-up Colin Brennan, who was tied for the lead with Drohen only to sky to an 80 on the final day. “We all know how fine a player Bill (Drohen) and his brother (former Mass. Amateur champ Andy) are,” says fifth-year Indian Ridge CC head pro Mike Miller. “But Colin’s an up-and-comer. He’s a confident player, a good putter and seems to be improving as a competitor every time out.” Incidentally, Drohen set a new Bradford course record earlier this season with a 63. Also, the club has reconfigured its back nine, in which bunkers were worked on and landing areas were enlarged. Holes 10 and 18 were changed to par-3s and 13 was made into a par-five. In addition, No. 1 got a new tee box, cart paths were repaved, new carts were added to the fleet and a pavilion has been built to accommodate 250. Owner Al Curran has sunk more than $1 million into the place the last few years.

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The Vitale family marked its 16th year owning/operating Evergreen Valley GC in Newburyport. Its nine-hole course has improved its bridges, bunkers and drainage the last couple years under the guidance of course super Jeff Koen. The family, from Beverly, also built 16 homes on the adjacent property. Not bad when you consider they began with a gravel pit …Bernie Melanson, the 14th-year manager at Rolling Green GC,

Phil Miceli

reports the two-year-old driving range has been well received…The $70,000 renovation of the Ould Newbury GC clubhouse is complete, reports 25th-year head pro Jim Hilton. The club boasts 40 new members and a growing group of 60 junior players…Rowley CC’s fate should be determined by October, when owner Windover Development decides either to start its real estate project on the property or allow the nine-hole layout to operate through 2008. “It all depends on the real estate environment,” Rowley GM Scott MacDonald, in his 16th year on board, said as we went to press. “(Superintendent) Paul Lever and I stayed on after Windover bought the place from The O’Neills and it’s been a good year to date.”…Phil Miceli was shooting for a ninth club championship at Sagamore Spring GC after winning a record eighth last year, one more than former member and current Georgetown head pro Tony Martinho.

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Bear Hill CC head pro Eric Stevenson has more than a passing interest in the upcoming Walker Cup Match being played in Northern Ireland in September. The U.S. captain, Buddy Marucci, was Stevenson’s roommate and teammate at the University of Maryland. Marucci and Stevenson alternated playing the Nos. 1 and 2 slots on the Terrapin’s squad. Marucci also succeeded Stevenson as team captain. “The Americans should win,” says Stevenson, “because Buddy is such a fierce competitor. He’ll put the fire in their bellies, believe me.” Marucci lost a U.S. Amateur final to Tiger Woods at Newport and is a three-time Walker Cup player himself... North Shore Golf affiliate, The Links at Outlook in Southern Maine, a frequent destination for local golfers, will unveil its new Red Barn facility this fall. The new barn will be open year-round, offering a casually elegant setting for functions that will handle anywhere between 70 and 500 guests. Club officials say that the reconstruction of the barn is the first project in “a phased approach to restore and renovate the Outlook Farm property to its original grandeur of 100 years ago.” Some of the interior additions include authentic, barn style post and beam construction, a grand entrance, working fireplaces, chandeliers, an outdoor veranda and a wet bar. Outside, there is a Wedding Garden and fountain area that surrounds the golf course.

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A remarkable achievement by Charlie Pappas at Mount Hood GC. The 87-year-old, who works as a starter at Ipswich CC, beat his age by four, shooting an 83. Pappas is the father-in-law of Mount Hood Head Pro Mike Farrell. Jim Smith recorded his first ace on the 159-yard 10th hole with a 9 iron. All 41 Mt. Hood bunkers have been reconditioned, reported Farrell, who is in his fifth year at the Melrose club. Farrell also had 100 kids in his Junior League and 50 youths take part in the summer golf school…Congrats to Phil Smith for winning his fourth Vesper CC championship

Charlie Pappas

with a one-shot margin over Danny White. Rhonda Regan won her third ladies title at the club. Accolades are coming from all directions to new Vesper course superintendent Chris Morris. Many are calling Vesper’s playing condition the best in 25 years, which would not come as a surprise since Morris weaned his credentials at Winged Foot and Shinnecock Hills. And that’s even though Vesper suffered spring flooding from the Merrimack River for the second year in a row.
At Tedesco CC, Charlie Smith and Gary Conn won the Tedesco Cup. Mike Zmetrovich and Andy Drohen took low gross honors. Polly Bleasdale McCarthy notched an ace on the 121-yard 13th. Head pro Bob Green is one of five national finalists for the PGA of America’s Bill Strausbaugh Award, which is awarded to the PGA pro who “by their day-to-day efforts has distinguished themselves by mentoring their fellow PGA Professionals in improving their employment situations and through service to the community.”

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Far Corner GC has officially named the three sets of nine holes that it features. The front nine of the original course is called “The Fox,” the back nine is “The Herron,” while the newest set of nine holes is now called “The Hawk.” “Not too many courses in the area have 27 holes so we wanted to give people a chance to play all three sets of nines,” said Bob Flynn, the Director of Golf at the club. “It’s worked out very well. People seem to enjoy being able to mix it up and play a different combination each time they come.” The club also hosted the annual North Shore Amateur on Aug. 21-22, after we went to press…The big news out of Kernwood CC was Tami Bane keeping a firm grip on the women’s club championship as she defeated Carol Adams, 5 and 4, to win her mind-boggling 16th straight title. Also, Joey Karas aced the 17th hole the final day of the Member-Member tournament to help he and teammate Phil Sloan win their flight…Tewksbury CC aces this year have been recorded by David Hopkins, Michael McCadden, Jim Enos, Ed Luckiewicz, Cate Fitzgerald and Bob Ashton.

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Reedy Meadow at Lynnfield Centre held its club championships in July, with Debbie Mallett (gross) and Amy Burns (Callaway) taking top honors in the women’s division and Mark Foley (gross) and Jeff Wood (Callaway) prevailing on the men’s side. Colin Day was the gross winner in the senior’s division while Brian Corcoran (gross) and Ian Freedman (Callaway) were the top juniors. Also, 16-year-old Ipswich resident Cory Amirault fired a 33 for nine holes at the course, highlighted by a hole-in-one on the par-4, 270-yard, 7th hole where he used a driver. The ace was witnessed by Amirault’s playing partner and fellow St. John’s Prep golf teammate Alex Markakis...Hillview CC has fully remodeled its banquet facility so that it now holds 400. As for the course, the stingy 191-yard, par-3 ninth hole was recently featured on New England Cable News as one of the most difficult holes in all of New England. Head Pro Chris Carter was featured in the piece...Cedar Glen GC is sporting significant improvements, including new tees and restructured greens. The course is managed by legendary North Shore golfer Burt Page, who is the club owner/manager, and Mary Pike, daughter of long-time owner, now deceased, George Pike...Winthrop GC turned 90 this season and has celebrated by completing a major drainage project, focusing on three major trouble areas that were treated with crushed stone, sand and loam, according to eighth-year pro Jim Bruce.

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Renaissance GC had its first women’s hole-in-one, thanks to Maria Yanagi’s 88-yard shot of perfection on No. 4. Clive Fazioli of Tucker Anthony aced the 155-yard 17th with a 5-iron…Wenham CC has given its 17th hole a new look with the removal of a bunker that used to guard the right side of the green. John Winskowicz, a former high jump champion at Danvers High, established a club record with an astounding 6-under-par 59 during a Member-Member event…Essex CC held a kickoff party inaugurating plans to host the 2010 Curtis Cup Match in which Roberta Bolduc and Carole Semple Thompson of the USGA took part...North Andover CC is reworking bunkers and hopes to complete all 24 over the course of the new few years.

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The Georgetown Club has installed a pond on the 17th hole, about 140 yards out from the green, making it an even sterner dogleg left. Two Salem State players are working in the pro shop: A.J. Mastrullo is first assistant, John Shaw second assistant…At Candlewood GC, best wishes go out to the venerable Dave Whipple, who at 71 years young is the 45-year proprietor of the classic North Shore 9-holer...At Meadow Brook CC, Dick Hahn is the president. The club also installed a new irrigation pond on the fourth hole...Myopia Hunt Club’s Peter Whitman won the Devens Tournament where Mike Ruane played host to CBS-TV golf analyst and former British Open champion Ian Baker-Finch, who shot a 70…Thomson CC officials are mulling a long range plan as its 50th anniversary in 2013 approaches. Also at the club, John Wiley is the new club manager and Jack Stevenson, a fourth-generation member, is the new president. Jack’s father, Tom, served as president in the early 1970s.…Ipswich CC’s $1.3 million renovation and irrigation work from 2006 is showing nicely in 2007, as is the new short game practice area. Jack Bichagian won the men’s club championship. Pete McAllister, Warren Appell and Homar Narath were the other divisional winners. Head Pro Steve Carter had 100 juniors take part in the summer program that featured junior layouts measuring 2,200 and 3,700 yards...The North Shore golf community has lost some good people this year. Steve Femino hailed from United Shoe and Ferncroft CC. Chet Sawtelle of Tedesco CC, who founded Sawtelle Brothers, the leading supplier of golf course equipment for more than a half decade, also passed away. And most recently, Thomson CC’s Art Sullivan, a five-time club champ and its very first in 1963, passed away at 80.

Pro Shop Chatter was compiled by Gary Larrabee and Gary Trask