Course superintendent extraordinaire, Carl Teschke, has given the thumbs up on the course being ready to play.  Amherst Golf Club is open for 2016!

After only 3 months of winter’s rest, the course looks spectacular.  You will find that the greens are in great shape, thanks to the mild winter and also the benefit of a late aeration that was conducted in December.

Reminder:  Take advantage of the annual clearance sale that Pro Dave Twohig has in the Pro Shop.  There are lots of bargains on the quality products to be had.   If you haven’t paid your dues, please get your payment in.  Thank you!

And yes, what a difference a year makes . . . Carl Vigeland snapped this photo about one year ago showing how much white stuff had accumulated during our historic winter last year.

• An annual reminder that “dues” should be paid by April 1st. Late payments may jeopardize your participation in course sponsored tournaments. We need your dues in a timely fashion to keep the course in good shape.

• Amherst Golf Club attended the Golf Western Mass Show to promote the club and build on our membership for 2016. The event was March 5th at Chez Josef in Agawam.   We provided a slide presentation that can be viewed on our website here.

• The Tournament Committee has completed the 2016 schedule and has posted the schedule on our website here.  Please check out the schedule so that you have plenty of time to plan the events you would like to participate in for 2016.

• As usual, we will continue sending out monthly e-mail blasts to keep everyone informed of upcoming events.

• League play – many of our members enjoy playing in our leagues, and we would like to encourage more members to join a league. It’s great fun! See below for more information on our leagues or here for more detail on all the leagues.

• Remembering Jamie – Long-time member Jamie Mullins will be remembered fondly on Sunday June 11th
• Pete Bleau’s Birthday Party will be a shotgun start at 2:00 pm on Saturday, July 23rd.
• Boys & Girls Club event held on August 6th
• St Brigid scramble held on August 10th
• Sam I am event held on August 13th

Amherst GC was at the WMass Golf Show yesterday and Mike Breed from The Golf Fix is the real deal – it was a great event, with over 2,000 attendees!!  Dave Twohig, Sam Lussier, Jack Jemsek, Jean Gowdey and Ann Gowdey manned the booth for Amherst.

The rolling slide presentation we had is presented below:

Whether you are a new member or a returning member, we welcome you to enjoy the best 9-hole experience in the Pioneer Valley . . . and in this hectic age, you can still make Time for Nine at Amherst!  Sign up for a membership and enjoy all the value that Amherst Golf Course provides.

Membership

The 2016 Rules of Golf took effect Jan. 1st. The new Rules book are the changes culminating from the normal four-year cycle of review by USGA. The most significant changes in the 2016 Rules are as follows:

• Withdrawal rule on ball moving after address: A one-stroke penalty under Rule 18-2 will be applied only when the facts show that the player has caused the ball to move.
• Limited exception to disqualification penalty for submission of incorrect score card: Instead of disqualification, a 2-stroke penalty for score card errors resulting from failing to include penalty strokes that were incurred without the player knowing before handing in the scorecard.
• Modification of penalty for a single impermissible use of artificial devices or equipment: The penalty for the first breach for Rule 14-3 has been reduced from disqualification to loss of hole in match play or two strokes in stroke play.
• Prohibition on anchoring the club while making a stroke: This was announced in May 2013, and results in loss of hole in match play or two strokes in stroke play.

Along with modifications to the Rules of Golf for 2016, USGA has made six significant changes to the USGA Handicap System for 2016:

• Definition of a tournament score: “Significant events” only are to be posted as “T” scores . . . league scores are no longer considered “T”.
• Adjusting hole scores: not sure – see Dave Twohig PGA on this one!
• Posting scores when a player is disqualified: Certain scores are acceptable even when a player is disqualified, depending on an advantage for the player was gained due to the breach.
• Anchoring and posting: Anchors Away! Don’t post the score if you anchor.
• Playing alone and necessary peer review: One can no longer post a score made while playing alone – this promotes golfing with others 🙂
• Committee responsibilities: An allowance is for a modified Handicap Index for players with disabilities.

More on the 2016 USGA Rules of Golf changes: http://www.usga.org/articles/2015/10/usga–r-a-release-2016-edition-of-the-rules-of-golf.html

More on the 2016 USGA Handicap System changes: http://www.usga.org/articles/2015/11/key-changes-to-handicap-system-for-2016.html

Sandy McNiven holed out on No. 4 during his 9-hole round on December 18, 2015.  He used an 8-iron to make the estimated 135 yard shot.  It was the first hole-in-one of Sandy’s career, which was witnessed by Ron Moyer and Chris VanLeeuwen.

Congratulations Sandy!

Sandy McNiven closes out the 2015 golf season with his first hole-in-one.

We thank our members in 2015 . . . your support has always been the lifeblood for the course.   We also thank all the participants in the Novemberfest and Decemberfest events that made the Fall season one of the most successful in recent memory.

We look forward to everyone’s continued participation in our events for 2016 . . . let’s hope for an earlier Spring opening in 2016 than we had in 2015!  As always, we encourage all members to renew their membership early for next season.  All the Open participants are invited with open arms to return and play, and perhaps consider membership at Amherst Golf Club!

THE COURSE WILL BE CLOSED FOR THE WINTER AS THE TEES, FAIRWAYS AND GREENS TAKE A NAP.  Due to the extended fall season we enjoyed, the course has decided to NOT install temporary greens for this winter.  Pending the conditions this winter, the temporary greens may be deployed in the early Spring . . .

The first ever December I subsequently spawned Decemberfest II, which was played December 12th and 13th, 2015.  Format:  a 2-person 18-hole format, featuring a bramble the front nine and a scramble the back nine.  Ed Garbacik & Chris Ferriter took first with a gross of 62.  The money winners are as follows:

GROSS
1st Ed Garbacik & Chris Ferriter – 62
2nd Mike Johnson & Dennis Booska  – 64
Jesse Morgan & Bill Armstrong – 66 (tie)
Dennis Yarrows & Mike Lentner

NET
1st Rich Fay & Gene Tansey – 56
2nd Pat Kelley & Brad Worthley – 61 (4-way tie)
Bill Dowd & Jeff Brown
Brian Wood & Craig Berry
Chris Kamansky & George Hassenfratz

The first ever Decemberfest I was played December 5th and 6th, 2015, with a 2-person 18-hole format, featuring a scramble the front nine and best-ball the back nine. Jay Morgan & Glenn Allan took honors with a gross of 65. The money winners are as follows:

GROSS
1st Jay Morgan & Glenn Allan – 65
2nd Jesse Morgan Jesse & Bill Armstrong – 68 (3-way tie)
Ed Garbacik & Chris Ferriter
Dennis Yarrows & Mike Lentner

NET
1st Bill Dowd & Pat Kelley 59
2nd Bryan & Steve 63 (3-way tie)
Dylan Rickles & Nate Mercer
Chris Kamansky& George Hassenfratz

Don Hodgkins and Gene Klos were in a 3-way tie for the Gross and a two-way tie for Net honors in the Novemberfest V tournament, which was a 18 hole Scramble/Alternate Shot event played on Sunday November 20th.  The money winners:

GROSS
Don Hodkins & Gene Klos – 72 (3-way tie)
Nate Mercer & Aaron Punska
Dennis Booska & Chris Austin

NET
Don Hodgkins & Gene Klos – 64 (2-way tie)
Pat Kelley & Larry DeLue