Robert Samek

Robert Samek | Inside CT Golf

Robert Samek is publisher of CTGolfer.com & CTGolfer.com Course Guide

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Time for PGA pros to step up

By Robert Samek on April 19, 2012 8:27 AM

Do you ever notice that it's usually the same people who tackle the things that no one else wants to do? Think about it. There's probably someone at home, at school or in your office who everyone expects to do the difficult tasks that either aren't priorities to completing the day's work or something everyone else just feels uncomfortable doing.

Frank Selva is that kind of person. Yet, to Frank, the kinds of things he tackles that too many of his colleagues won't are as rewarding and satisfying as anything else he does in golf -- and in life, for that matter.

Selva is president of the CT Section PGA Golf Foundation. That's the fundraising arm of the association that represents CT's golf professionals in the PGA of America. On Wednesday, Selva summoned his colleagues to Indian Hill CC in Newington to present grants to 16 organizations, groups and programs that grow the game of golf or focus on special needs.

It was a heart-warming presentation, as the award recipients thanked Selva and the Foundation for their generous gifts. As Foundation president, Selva presented checks to each recipient and then posed proudly for a photo. That's when I realized how alone Selva is.

Since the Foundation was established in 1995, guess how many members have served as president? The answer is two. The first was Gary Reynolds, the former longtime head professional at Hartford GC in West Hartford. He was the primary organizer of the Foundation and led it until ... Selva became president.

Don't get me wrong. Reynolds and Selva are not the only Section members to have volunteered their time for the Foundation. There is a board of directors, and many of them were at Wednesday's presentations or stopped by earlier but had to leave. I won't list their names because I'm afraid I might leave someone out. But they're the same names I've been hearing for the 16 years I've been attending Section meetings.

Each spring at the Section's annual meeting in downtown Hartford, a shirt-and-tie event that is combination business session and season-opening pep rally, the Section recognizes dozens of its members for their fundraising efforts the previous season. And what strikes me each year is how many of the members at the meeting aren't recognized. But it's not about recognition, as Selva will tell you. It's about doing what needs to be done. By everyone.

I really don't know why all golf professionals don't do even half as much as Selva, Reynolds and the small group of professionals who are always at the forefront of fundraising activities. I can only speculate. Let's face it, golf as an industry is struggling financially. Professionals are under a lot of pressure by course owners to generate revenue. Charitable efforts don't directly benefit their bottom lines. And the professionals themselves have the personal pressure that comes from their status as independent contractors. Most of them are business owners themselves, working hard to generate shop sales or lessons that benefit their own bottom lines. That doesn't leave a lot of time for charity work.

Fundraising in the Section is now a numbers game in more ways than one. The goal is to raise $100,000 each year, but tried-and-true events no longer raise the money they once did. Now, the Section needs more events to simply meet the status quo. That's why it's so important for more PGA professionals to step up.

If they don't, who will? Selva is nearing retirement. Reynolds is retired. Many of the others who regularly raise money for the Foundation are well into their 50s. It's time for the younger professionals to step up.

If they don't, we won't see many more presentations like the one at Indian Hill on Wednesday. We won't see beaming smiles from the two brothers representing Special Olympics, or the emotion from the brother of Charlie Ormsby, so grateful for the donation that allows him to host a junior golf clinic in his late brother's name. And we won't see the gratitude of the Mount Saini Rehabilitation Hospital's Golfers in Motion program that allows those seriously ill or injured to keep playing the game they love.

Here's what you can do to make sure these dreams remain alive. Ask your course professional what he or she does to raise money for the CT Section PGA Golf Foundation. If they offer programs, support them. If they don't, ask them why not?

Show of strength for CT golf

By Robert Samek on March 28, 2012 1:55 PM

Today, I headed over to our State Capitol in Hartford, which, given the issues of the day, is a rather unlikely venue for an official proceeding about the game of golf. But that's what took place in Hearing Room 1B, where no doubt heated debates about taxation without representation formerly filled the paneled room.

It was "Golf Legislative Day at the Capitol," and the hearing room was the location of a press conference featuring the leaders of our state's major golf organizations, a trio of legislators and a media herd consisting of skeptical legislative reporters on one side of the oval and agreeable sports writers on the other, divided like Democrats and Republicans on different sides of the aisle. For the record, I herded among the sheep.

And that division was apparent judging by the nature of the interrogation from the news side, which asked difficult, probing questions like "Why are you here? What do you want?" while the sports media sat quietly, perhaps pondering equally important questions in their mind, such as the location of the lunch buffet (there was none).

But, as Michael Moraghan, the new executive director of the CT State Golf Association (CSGA), noted to the doubting Thomases, they were there because they want people "playing more golf."

Yes, indeed, golf needs more bodies on the tees. Exactly what our all-powerful legislators can do about that remains to be seen. Or, as the skeptical side of the media contingent asked, what should the General Assembly be doing about that? Should they be doing anything at all?

Which leads to the real reason for Wednesday's Capitol appearance. It was about our state's golf industry flexing its muscle as an economic force on par with other major industries, such as accounting, gardening and fast food. Yes, golf generates as much revenue as double cheeseburgers, powdery milk shakes and greasy french fries.

How much revenue? How about $1.1 billion? That's the number cited in a report commissioned last year by the CSGA, the CT Section PGA and the other organizations that make up the CT Golf Alliance, a loosely knit group formed by Moraghan's predecessor at the CSGA, Ron Drapeau. The study, which examined the year 2008, also pointed out the industry supported 11,570 jobs and $336.6 million in wages.

For further emphasis, Nathan Grube of the Travelers Championship took to the podium to explain how the PGA Tour event "sends a message" about CT's vitality to audiences around the world, generates a yearly economic impact of $27 million and has produced $30 million for charities during its 60-year existence. And Suzy Whaley, who made golf history by qualifying to play in that event, talked about her efforts to "grow the game" and introduce more girls to golf.

All very positive, for sure. But grizzled news veterans don't like positive news all that much, and it was no wonder they asked questions like, "What do you want?"

Last year, the Golf Alliance wanted a lot. They rallied to defeat a complicated legislative bill proposed by the Department of Environmental Regulation called "Stream Flow Regulation." Without getting into all the arcane details, the bill would have created new restrictions on groundwater flow and would have resulted in a big impact on golf courses.

So when the news veterans got bored with golf and turned their attention to whether the Hartford Whalers might return to CT someday (don't ask how that line of questioning evolved), I decided I'd break the silence of the sports lambs and see if there was something else that the golf industry was worried about. As it turns out, there was.

Moraghan explained that a bill is snaking its way through the legislature regarding phosphates and fertilizers, which are high on the shopping lists of course superintendents. He said the bill "could have some impact" on courses and that a few superintendents were present today as well. But other than that, there didn't seem to be anything else to sweat -- like a possible tax on greens fees or carts, which elicited a chuckle in the room when I suggested the idea.

Yet, you realize that anything is fair game in the halls of the legislature. Yesterday's victory could easily be tomorrow's defeat. Just like every hole of golf is different, so, too, is each year in the legislature.

That's why CT's golf industry has mobilized for courtesy calls like today's visit. Like the game itself, the golf business right now is difficult enough. It doesn't need more hazards getting in its way. And as any good player will tell you, staving off trouble is half the battle.

Season starts. Did it ever end?

By Robert Samek on March 16, 2012 9:12 AM

What an incredible start to the 2012 golf season. But really, can we actually define when the start truly began?

That’s because last season never ended. We’ve been playing golf here in CT throughout the winter months because of the unusually warm temperatures and lack of snow cover. I can’t remember a winter quite like this one.

Some courses never closed. Others closed only for a short time. At last weekend’s CT Golf Show in Hartford, some golfers told me they played every week through December, January and February. One player said he’s been out 45 times this winter. That’s unbelievable.

What does this mean for 2012? It can only mean good things. For one, people have been thinking about golf more than usual during the winter, and that will carry over to spring. While last year at this time we were patiently waiting for the record snows to melt, this year we are already playing. And early season play can set the tone for the rest of the year. It’s easier to continue once you begin.

If our weather cooperates, this could be the kind of year that will help course operators recover in a big way from last season’s storms and rain, which, in some cases, caused rounds to drop by as much as 40 percent. There is still a lot to overcome — unemployment remains high and gas prices right now continue to rise. But Mother Nature has given golf a gift.

So get out the clubs and head to the golf course. If you’ve been thinking about playing more golf or reconnecting with the game, there’s no better time that now.

Still waiting for the FrontNine

By Robert Samek on February 23, 2012 8:37 AM

If you’re a golfer whose thumbs are blistered because you’re on Twitter way too much, then you’ve probably heard of the BackNine Network. In the past few weeks, the Twitter pipeline has been clogged with tweets about an upstart golf programming network that’s ready to take on the world of blazer crests and other pretensions of the game that threaten its relevancy in today’s hip-hop culture.

Or, at least that’s what the BackNine Network would like you to believe about them. Because for the moment, the BackNine Network has been nothing more than a lot of hype about being hip.

And much of it is emanating from the unlikeliest of places — downtown Hartford.

So far, the BackNine has succeeded in creating a lot of bluster and little substance. It started last year with a few press releases promising to make history and peaked last month in Orlando at the PGA Merchandise Show, when they apparently threw one hell of a launch party. I wasn’t there, but judging by the tweets and re-tweets, you’d think LMFAO sang the anthem.

So I went on YouTube to see what all the fuss was about. I dubstepped my way through the pounding kick drums, screeching turntables and a cameo by Flavor Flav and discovered, yes, indeed, it looked like I missed something here.

“For a very, very, very long time, golf has been about a bunch of stuffed shirts trying to keep people out,” founder and CEO James Bosworth, who apparently has his office in Hartford, announces in the video. “The BackNine Network is about inclusion, about including women, kids and people that may have felt disenfranchised from a bunch of rich guys who try to keep them out forever.”

If those sound like fighting words, they are. The BackNine Network is challenging the very institutions that not only created and built the game but also caused it to decline by not recognizing the profound changes in how we live and failing to adapt the game to those changes.

But the question is, can they succeed as the anti-Golf Channel? For all the glitz of their opening launch party, the BackNine Network still smelled a lot like the past. The video featured hellos by the suits and ties from the PGA of America, TaylorMade and FootJoy — which don’t exactly portray the edgy and cool attitude the BackNine Network claims to be about. Even Bosworth looked somewhat contradictory dressed in country club casual — a blue blazer and open-collar button-down.

I’d love to see the BackNine Network remake the image of golf. Tradition is nice. So is integrity of the game. But neither pay the bills these days in golf. That’s why it will be interesting to see how the BackNine Network toes the line of being cutting edge while trying to attract institutional advertisers without pissing them off.

But first, we need a FrontNine before we get to the BackNine. Last time I checked I saw no BackNine Network listed on my cable lineup. And their Web site still says “coming soon.” It’s been that way for months. The “launch” at the PGA Show was like liftoff of Apollo 11 at nearby Cape Canaveral, but without a moon landing.

That was a month ago, and I get the sense the BackNine Network is no closer to actually appearing on our television screens. Yet the hype machine continues to generate…well, hype. And nothing more.

“We will together bring our relationships, bring our experiences, and bring a hell of a lot of fun to the game of golf,” Bosworth said.

Sounds great. The question is when?

Continue reading Still waiting for the FrontNine.

The fight will go on

By Robert Samek on February 9, 2012 12:35 PM

I can't say the news was unexpected. But today I heard that the organizers of the LPGA Futures Tour event held in CT for the past 13 years had reached the end of the road in their search for a title sponsor to keep the worthy event alive.

It's too bad, because the event did so much to raise money for breast cancer awareness programs, particularly those at Hartford Hospital and St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center. What started as a simple fundraising competition called Chip In For A Cure more than a decade ago grew into an international event featuring rising stars of women's golf. Indeed, some of today's top players on the LPGA Tour cut their professional teeth on the Futures Tour, including many who passed through our state to play in the event.

But the reality of a tenuous economy spelled doom for the event's organizers, and when it became apparent that no one would step forward with the necessary sponsorship dollars, it was decided to call it a day. Sort of.

The fight will go on, because organizers are planning a tournament Oct. 1 at Tunxis Plantation GC in Farmington that will continue to raise money for breast cancer research. Anyone can participate, and organizers say they hope to convince some local touring pros to play as well.

I'm sure the event will be a rousing success because the same people who worked so tirelessly to bring women's professional golf to CT are continuing their hard work, just in a different way. Let's all do what we can to make the event a success. And, who knows, maybe someday it will be Back to the Futures Tour for CT.

Mother Nature's Christmas gift

By Robert Samek on January 9, 2012 10:25 AM

You don't get many days in January when the temperature rises to 50 degrees, let alone 60. But that's what we enjoyed here in Connecticut on Saturday, and it appears a good number of golfers took advantage.

Golf courses throughout the state that have remained open due to our unseasonably warm winter and lack of snow cover saw incredible numbers of golfers come out to play this past weekend. At Stanley GC in New Britain, the line stretched out the door of the golf shop and into the parking lot for what turned out to be a shotgun start after a frost delay. In Stamford, at E. Gaynor Brennan GC, more than 150 golfers teed it up for a mid-winter round.

And at Shennecossett GC in Groton, which sits at the mouth of the Thames River where it empties into Long Island Sound, well over 200 golfers played even though the temperatures did not get as warm as they did inland. Head professional Todd Goodhue said there were so many players that they sold out the morning shotgun and added an afternoon start that nearly filled up as well.

Goodhue said the course typically stays open all winter because it's rare when snow blankets the shoreline for the entire off-season. But he told me the past three seasons have been snowier than usual, and that meant the typical diehards who play all year couldn't get out. This year, Goodhue said, he's seeing players that usually put the clubs away until March coming out.

All of this is tremendous news for golf courses, which really took it on the chin this past season. The late August tropical storm and the October snowstorm -- two highly unusual weather events -- closed golf courses for several days and resulted in significant lost revenue. That came on top of the wettest season on record, which hurt play the entire season. You don't need to be an accountant to figure out the financial hurt.

As Goodhue says, the unexpected play in December and now January is "found money."

While temperatures have come back down to Earth, as you might expect, this week will still be unseasonably mild and very playable for golf. I can't think of any better way to shorten the winter by getting out to play a round of golf.

So give a big thanks to Mother Nature for her Christmas gift to golf. It's a gift that can't be exchanged, that's for sure.

Why golfers don't play more

By Robert Samek on December 15, 2011 8:04 AM

Golf experts, or the so-called experts, have been grappling with the question of why there’s been a decline in the number of rounds played over the past decade. Everyone has their own theory it seems, but I’ve never seen any real definitive study that gets to the heart of the matter.

Until now.

This month, the National Golf Foundation sent out an email with the compelling title, “Why 18% of Core Golfers are Actually Playing More.” It’s a statement that seems to fly in the face of the downward trend, until you realize we’re only talking about 18% of what the industry refers to as Core Golfers — players who tee it up at least eight times per year. I’m not sure how they arrived at the number eight, but that’s the number they use.

Before I get to the reasons why this small group is playing more, let’s take look at the inverse side. The report also explains that 34% of this same group of Core Golfers is playing less golf. That’s not surprising, and, really, neither are the basic reasons — except for one.

Here in CT, we’ve had the rainiest season on record. While the NGF acknowledges that rain does impact play, weather wasn’t the first or even the second reason why the study group played less this past year compared to the season before. Twenty eight percent said they played less because of the weather.

That’s not an insignificant number, but it pales in comparison to money and time. More than half cited money (57%) and time (54%) as the primary reasons to stay home. And the lower the household income, the more likely money was the culprit. Half of the Core Golfers with incomes of $50,000 or less played fewer rounds this year than last.

On the other hand, the small group that played more did so for three reasons: 50% said they had more time for golf, 41% said their improved play made the game more enjoyable, and 37% said they found renewed interest in the game. The NGF summed it up this way:

“An improving golfer is a happy golfer. And a happy golfer is a valuable customer for everyone.”

The main thing to take from all this is that, although there are more golfers with reasons not to play than golfers with reasons to increase play, we know why both are happening. How we go about responding is the big question.

Interestingly, while improved play and enjoyment were big reasons for more rounds, playing bad golf and enjoying it less were not the top reasons for fewer rounds. This tells me that a lot of golfers, although they always want to play better, cannot devote either time or money to getting better. They may be just content with going out to play, knowing they’ll hit as many bad shots as good.

So really, it seems there are two paths to growing the game. One, as evidenced by the 18%, is helping golfers to play better and enjoy the game more. The other is addressing the issues of time and especially money.

There’s a spirited debate among courses owners and operators these days about discounting. Some courses regularly offer specials and discounts, figuring that it’s better to have some players at reduced rate than no players at full rate. On the other hand, some courses fear that frequent discounting trains players to wait for reduced fees and play only when specials are offered.

I don’t own a golf course, so I can’t tell you exactly what side I’d be on. But what I would do is take a close look at this new evidence of why one-third of the Core Golfers in this country are playing less and why just a scant 18% are playing more.

Golfers who play better. play more. Golfers concerned about time and money, play less. You don’t have to do the math. It’s been done for you.

The good news is that there are efforts underway to address these big three reasons for golf’s malaise.

For those concerned about money, courses continue to offer discounted rounds and programs to ease the financial sting. That’s why we’ve introduced the CTGolfer.com PlusPass for 2012, a discount program that offers free rounds and discounts at golf courses, driving ranges and golf shops across the state.

For those concerned about time, next year will see the introduction of the new Golf Center at Lyman Orchards in Middlefield, featuring a first-class nine-hole executive layout that you can play in a brisk 1:15.

And for those concerned about playing better, the PGA of America will launch a major initiative next year called Golf 2.0, a wide-ranging plan designed to improve the way beginning players learn the game.

We can argue whether these ideas are too late or too soon, but the important thing to understand is that there are ways to turn that 18% into 34%. The golf industry has had its head buried in the bunker for far too long, allowing profound changes in society to negatively impact the game. We’re long past the point of wakeup calls. We’re at the point of taking immediate action — action based on the needs and desires of the golfing consumer.

Continue reading Why golfers don't play more.

How to save money on golf

By Robert Samek on December 1, 2011 7:45 AM

Some people complain that golf is too difficult. Many argue that a round takes too long to play. And others moan that the game is too expensive.

Well, I can't do much about the first two, but we can definitely help you out on the third point.

Today, we're excited to introduce the 2012 CTGolfer.com PlusPass, our new golf discount program that can literally save you hundreds of dollars on golf throughout the season. The CTGolfer.com PlusPass offers free rounds, free carts and even free buckets of driving range balls. There are numerous discounts at courses across the state along with opportunities to save big on apparel, equipment, simulator golf and even Travelers Championship tickets. I'll pass along the link to complete details down below.

We've been thinking about offering a golf discount program for many years, and now the timing seems just right. Like everyone in the golf industry, we want to see more people playing golf. Yet, we understand that folks are more vigilant about how they spend their money. So we've developed a program that requires just a small initial investment, yet returns huge dividends all season long. That sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

How does the program work? The CTGolfer.com PlusPass is a booklet of tear-off coupons that you present to the participating facility when you arrive. There's no need to sign or stamp a sheet of paper. It's that simple and easy to use.

Most of the facilities require advance reservations (which is understandable) and some have day and time restrictions when the discount can be used. Restrictions are printed clearly on each coupon, so there can be no confusion from either the user or the facility.

So check out the 2012 CTGolfer.com PlusPass and start saving money. Get one for yourself. Tell your partners about it. And if you're looking for a holiday gift for a special golfer, this is one they'll use all season long.

State continues to recover

By Robert Samek on November 8, 2011 8:07 AM

Living without power for six days makes you think hard about priorities, doesn't it? While six days is a long time, it pales in comparison to some of our friends in Farmington, Avon, Simsbury, Bloomfield and elsewhere, where they are well into their second week of living in the dark and cold.

It would be easy to say, life goes on. But I feel somewhat guilty that I have my power back while others are struggling beyond anything considered reasonable. Yet, we have to move forward, and most of us are doing just that.

Which brings me to the game of golf. It was hard to think of anything beyond basic needs during the blackout. But since this Web site is about golf, and golf is an important diversion for so many of us, I want to talk briefly about where we stand. Please don't misinterpret this as being insensitive to those still under duress. However, recovery is both physical and mental, and a round of golf during what appears to be a stretch of great fall weather may be just what is needed to soothe our damaged psyches.

If you do want to play, the good news is that even though we're nearing mid-November, the weather this week will be fantastic and courses are re-opening as fast as they can. And when you do play, you will find perhaps some of the best conditions of the season. The insulating blanket of snow followed by sun and relative warmth made fairways and greens lush and inviting.

Even the courses that were spared snowfall look tremendous. On the Monday after the storm, I got in the car and took a drive to several courses along the shoreline, and I couldn't believe what I saw. These courses were alive and brilliant in the autumn sunshine. And many golfers were out there taking advantage. I only wished I could join them.

But it made me wonder if the season north of the shoreline might be over. With all the damage, and a foot of snow in many places, how could courses possibly reopen?

Well, I'm happy to report that courses are, indeed, reopening. Just days after the storm, golfers again teed it up Lyman Orchards GC in Middlefield and Stanley GC in New Britain. A few days later, Richter Park GC in Danbury put the flag sticks back in the cup. And today, even Willow Brook GC in hard-hit South Windsor reopens, although half the course will remain closed while clean-up continues.

This season has been a frustrating struggle for golf courses, with frequent rains, tropical storms and October snowfalls sharply reducing the number of rounds and revenue. But they continue to battle back from adversity.

We should not forget those still in need during these tough days. But if you need a break for your mental health, a game of golf might be just what the doctor ordered.

Rule changes in the wind

By Robert Samek on October 24, 2011 7:51 AM

Sometimes the USGA can be full of hot air, especially when it defends some of the more archaic and ridiculous rules that date back to the beginning of golf time. But this morning, the USGA announced what I consider to be some “earth-shaking” rule changes, leaving real hope that golf’s governing body is, at last, realizing the game needs major resusitation.

The most important rule change is officially known as 18-2b, for those of you scoring at home, and it’s titled “Ball Moving After Address.” Golfers are now exonerated from penalty if their ball moves after it has been addressed and it’s certain they did not cause the ball to move. In other words, if you address your ball to make a putt and a wind gust causes it to move, you no longer have to call a penalty on yourself.

I can only say, it’s about time. Why was this a penalty in the first place? I agree that there has to be safeguards in place to prevent golfers from improving their lie, and as many of us know, a little rotation of the ball here and there — intended or not — can make a huge difference. The old rule basically took out the guesswork by making any movement at address a penalty.

Clearly, that made no sense, but it was a rule we lived with. That is, until this year’s British Open when Rory McIlroy was penalized during the championship’s final round because the wind caused his ball to move on the 7th green after he grounded his putter. Apparently, that was enough for the R&A, which got together with the USGA to push through the new rule.

The other big rule change announced this morning makes me recall the 2010 PGA Championship. You remember when Dustin Johnson grounded his club in what he thought was a waste area but turned out to be a bunker? That cost Johnson a two-stroke penalty and a shot at a playoff for his first major championship. After today, players can smooth sand or soil in a hazard at any time as long as it’s not intended to improve your lie, stance, swing or line of play.

Now the rule change doesn’t say anything about grounding your club, so I’m not sure this new rule would have helped Johnson at the PGA. The question is, does grounding your club in a bunker improve your lie or help your swing. I’m sure we’ll hear more interpretations, but clearly, the USGA recognizes that sometimes black-and-white rules aren’t appropriate.

A third rule change amends the penalty for starting your round late in a competition. Previoulsy, if you didn’t show up within five minutes of your starting time, you were disqualified. Now, under the rule change, in match play you’d lose the first hole and in stroke play you’d lose two strokes.

These rule changes are quite profound and quite necessary. But more importantly, I think the changes show that the USGA is finally starting to address some of the serious problems affecting the game of golf, and that bodes well for more needed improvements.

What rule changes would you like to see?

Continue reading Rule changes in the wind.

By George, quite an honor

By Robert Samek on October 18, 2011 8:07 AM

Here at CTGolfer.com, we try to bring you the best of golf in our state. And that’s what we’ve done with our golf instruction blog, authored by George Connor. We’re excited and proud to learn that George has been named the CT Section PGA Teacher of the Year for 2011 — the second time he’s won this honor.

George began blogging for us back in June, and has offered many tips on how to improve your game. His advice is typically short, concise and simple, so it won’t bog you down with complicated swing thoughts. It’s this kind of approach that helped George earn this year’s Teacher of the Year honor.

Many of you know George as the director of instruction at the Academy of Golf at Gillette Ridge GC in Bloomfield, where he has worked since 2008. I first met George at Hartford GC in West Hartford, where he worked under the tutelage of Gary Reynolds, one of the CT Section’s best golf professionals who retired recently. Many years ago, we produced a series of golf instruction tips with Fox 61, and George was one of our featured instructors.

There are probably as many approaches to teaching golf as there are golf teachers, but George’s philosophy is one I think really works well. He offers advice that focuses on causes rather than symptoms in the golf swing, and he believes that the hands and arms do more to disrupt a good swing than anything else.

George will be honored next month at the Section’s annual fall banquet at Foxwoods.

So kudos to George Connor on winning such a well-deserved honor. I just hope he it doesn’t mean he’ll be looking for a raise.

Continue reading By George, quite an honor.

A big honor for Suzy Whaley

By Robert Samek on October 12, 2011 8:14 AM

Got an email from Bill Whaley yesterday with some great news about his wife, Suzy. She made the list of Golf Digest's 50 Best Teachers in America, which will be featured in the magazine's November issue. That's quite an honor, but hardly surprising.

Suzy became a national sensation in 2003 when she qualified for the Greater Hartford Open as winner of the CT Section PGA Championship, only the second woman to ever play in a PGA Tour event. Since then, Suzy has carved out a niche as an instructor and activist in the PGA of America, currently serving as the PGA Junior Golf chairwoman and as a member of the organization's national board.

Suzy typically works the range at the TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, site of her famous appearance and where Bill is general manager and national director of golf operations for the TPC network. And the Farmington couple has two teenaged daughters, Jennifer and Kelly, who are terrific golfers themselves. Don't have to think too hard to figure out why. Kelly, 14, just won the CT Women's Amateur and Jennifer, 17, plans to play Division 1 golf at Quinnipiac.

In his email, which he titled "A proud husband sharing Suzy's latest accomplishment," Bill explained that Suzy's coaching mentor is Jim Flick, the 1988 PGA Teacher of the Year. Her other teaching accomplishments include a top-5 national female teacher designation by Golf Digest, a top-50 US Kids Golf teacher, a two-time LPGA Northeast Teacher of the Year and a two-time PGA Teacher of the Year honoree in the CT Section PGA.

She's also appeared on the Golf Channel and has taped numerous instruction segments for ESPN, Golfweek, Golf for Women, among others. Suzy also played the the LPGA Tour for two years.

That's all fine, but the big question is whether Suzy would be able to help me. My game is quite hopeless and getting worse by the shot.

Nonetheless, getting tagged by Golf Digest is a big-time honor for Suzy. Our state is fortunate to have someone like her making contributions to the game of golf, from top to bottom.

Survival: Black Hall Club

By Robert Samek on September 15, 2011 8:27 AM

Driving down Route 9 toward the shoreline is one of life’s great pleasures. And when one of the stops includes Black Hall Club in Old Lyme, well, there’s nothing better.

That’s where I headed Wednesday on a steamy late summer afternoon for the 80th CT Section PGA Championship, the biggest tournament of the year for our state’s head professionals — at least those confident enough about their game to pay $300 for a chance to win $5,000.

I caught up with the final threesome as they headed to the final nine holes of the three-day competition, and what a marquee threesome it was: Fran Marrello of Canaan CC, Tony Kelley of Wyckoff CC and Kevin Giancola of Golf Quest in Southington, your leader after both the first and second rounds. This high-octane grouping had combined for nine Section championships and 14 Player of the Year titles. Big-time stuff.

So I was expecting to see something of a shootout on Black Hall’s back nine, which looked magnificent other than the numerous trees felled by storm Irene, fortunately, most of them along the perimeter. Surely, this group would be knocking down pins like Irene knocked down timber.

It didn’t quite happen that way, as all three players took turns making crucial mistakes at the wrong time. In fact, Giancola gave up the lead on the front, got it back, and gave it up once again with an untimely duck hook into the pond on the par-3 17th hole. Meanwhile, Kelley and Marrello each squandered opportunities that would have locked up the title.

To get an idea of how the day unfolded, Kelley made a par-5 on the dogleg 14th hole by hitting driver into the trees, chipping out with a wedge and then striking a magnificent 3 wood to 15 feet. Not exactly how you’d order it up.

But it was Giancola who provided most of the drama due to problems with his poor iron play down the stretch. He bogeyed the 15th and 16th holes and made a double bogey with the tee shot into the pond on the 17th. The wheels were flying off. Oil leaking everywhere.

When the threesome drove their carts to the 18th tee for the final hole, Marrello was in the driver’s seat. He led Giancola and Kelley by the slimmest of margins, a single stroke. That’s when Marrello took his cue from Giancola and drew his fairway iron shot into the left green-side bunker. Meanwhile, Giancola, desperate to make up that single stroke, chunked his fairway iron about three-fourths of the way to the green. Ouch.

Giancola managed to get up and down and make par, as did Kelley, and when Marrello two-putted after exiting the bunker, regulation play ended with perhaps the three best players in the CT Section PGA tied atop the leader board.

Now these tournaments don’t operate exactly like the PGA Tour. As host, Black Hall blocks out a good part of the day for the Section, but it doesn’t shut down completely to members. With such a splendid day to play golf, members flocked to the 1st tee after the Section tournament moved along. That caused a little issue about where and how the playoff would take place. Heading back to the 18th would hold up members who jumped out behind the tournament. And starting immediately from the 1st tee might cause the playoff contenders to plow into the members. Pace of play was already a sore subject among the pros.

Finally, it was decided to wait about 10 minutes for the members to move along sufficiently so the playoff could start on the great par-4 1st hole at Black Hall. This sweeping hole offers generous room for less-than-perfect tee shots but then turns devious on your approach. That’s where a stately oak tree stands guard just short of the green as the fairway bends to the left.

And fittingly, it was the tree left standing from the recent chaotic weather that would decide the championship.

Although Giancola, Kelley and Marrello all landed safely in the fairway, each player had to contend with the oak tree in some way. Hitting first, Marrello sent a shot skyward that at first appeared to be plenty long. But the tree reached out and clipped the ball, and it landed in a bunker short of the green. Next came Giancola, and he hit a moon ball that easily cleared the tree and landed securely on the green. Kelley had perhaps the clearest route to the green, but his approach clipped a branch and fell short.

Shortly thereafter, the match was over. Giancola two-putted for par while Kelley and Marrello missed their par putts. The golf carts turned around and hightailed it back to the clubhouse, where Giancola kept muttering how he thought he had lost the tournament while Kelly and Marrello kept their thoughts to themselves, immersed in an opportunity lost.

What struck me, though, was the golfing survival test I had just witnessed on a course that had literally weathered a storm. As one member told me, some 60 trees were lost from Irene, although just one of those lost trees was important to the playability of a hole.

And I thought about that one lonely oak tree on the 1st hole that survived Irene’s wrath, to live for another day and to impose its own wrath on Kelley, Marrello and countless other golfers. They will curse its existence but appreciate what it represents about golf — about overcoming adversity and the will to survive.

Continue reading Survival: Black Hall Club.

Keeping the appointed rounds

By Robert Samek on August 26, 2011 9:35 AM

How wackier can this golf season get? We've had tornados, earthquakes and now an approaching hurricane. The weather gods certainly have not been kind to the little white ball here in CT.

Yet, we persevere. As the song says, we get knocked down but get right back up again. And isn't that the nature of golf itself? You can't wallow in adversity because the next shot beckons. How many of you have stormed off a golf course after hitting a bad shot? Instead, you tee it up again and hope for the best.

Even with the mounting concerns over Hurricane Irene, many of you still plan to play this weekend. To me, that's a testament to the devotion of those who play the game. We've all heard the naysayers question the future of golf. But as long as the devotion remains unbreakable, our game will live forever.

It reminds me the phrase engraved on the New York City post office:

"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."

Congratulations and a big pat on the back to those of you who plan to keep your tee times as long as conditions allow. You are the backbone of our game and what makes golf truly a sport of devotion and dedication.

The times, they are a-changin'

By Robert Samek on August 18, 2011 10:03 AM

When I first got the, ahem, bright idea to publish golf information for our state way back in 1995, the original plan was to produce a simple and traditional monthly golf newspaper that would be delivered to all the golf locations around CT. It’s what I knew best — the newspaper business, that is — since I worked as a reporter and editor for various papers up and down the east coast for almost 20 years. Little did I know where this would all lead.

Just a short time into my due diligence for the prospects of a golf newspaper, I was introduced to the Internet and the World Wide Web, and everything changed. I mean everything. The cost of entry into the publishing world was mere pennies compared to the investment for ink and paper. Hence, the Web site www.ctgolfer.com was born.

We were digital pioneers, far ahead of our time, and it took a while for the audience to catch up to the site. At times, it felt like we were publishing for no one, as we awaited the critical mass to emerge. It finally happened around the turn of the century (wow, that sounds ancient, doesn’t it?) when broadband Internet connections began replacing dial-up accounts. The number of visitors took off like a hit from an R11 driver.

Today, everything is changing again. Yes, the Internet is here to stay, but the proliferation of smart phones, e-readers and tablets are redefining how publishers distribute their content. And that includes us.

This week, we unveil the CTGolfer.com Course Guide 2011 App for the iPad on the iTunes Store. It’s a digital version of our highly popular print guide that seems to get more popular every year. I would say the print guide sells out fast, but we don’t charge for it. More on that in a second.

I’m really excited about the iPad version. It offers photo slide shows for our featured courses and easy touch access to our advertisers’ Web sites so you can learn more about over 40 CT courses and even book tee times right from your iPad. For a first attempt, I think it’s pretty good, and I’m already coming up with enhancements for 2012.

We did make one major change from our print guide that we thought long and hard about. We decided to charge $2.99 to for the iPad download. Charging for content is one of the most debated issues in the age of digital publication, especially in light of huge declines in ad spending. We’ve managed to keep our Web site and print publication free for readers, but it’s becoming increasingly harder to do so.

I think the iPad is the prototype e-reader or tablet on the market and sets the standard for everyone else. I’ve had one for about six months and use it far more than I ever imagined I would. That’s why we’ve made the investment in an iPad edition, because we believe more and more golfers will be buying the iPad and — most importantly — will rely on it as their primary platform for information retrieval. Apple has sold nearly 30 million iPads in just over 16 months since being introduced. That’s a great start, but it’s only a fraction of the potential customer base.

Is the iPad ahead of its time? Perhaps, but it so clearly reminds me of a time not so long ago when a golf newspaper for the state seemed like a great idea. And you now know how that all turned out.

So, if you have an iPad, show us a little love and buy our App. Take it for a test drive, rate it on the App Store and let us know what you think. And thanks for your loyal support over so many years!

Continue reading The times, they are a-changin'.

Best course in CT? Says who?

By Robert Samek on August 4, 2011 8:24 PM

I usually don't like lists or polls that rank golf courses. One person's Augusta National could be another's dog track. And exactly what makes a golf course one of the best? You may think it's one thing, I may think it's another. Get the picture?

And that's exactly what's wrong with Golf Magazine's new list of the Top 100 Golf Courses in the U.S.

Our state has many wonderful golf courses. But can you tell me which is the best course of all? The answer is, you can't, because there is no such thing as the best golf course in CT. At least best to everyone.

Yet, weighing in as the 71st best course in America and the only course in CT to make the list is Yale GC in New Haven, which would also mean that Yale is the best course in CT. Raise your hand if you agree.

My guess is that a few hands flew up, but I'm willing to bet that a lot more of you said something like, "Says who? And again, that's the reason why I don't like lists and polls of the so-called best courses. Says who?

I have absolutely nothing against Yale GC. In fact, everything I've heard is what a terrific golf course C.B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor created way back in 1926. But I've never played Yale, so I can't tell you if it's worthy of all that praise.

However, I have played a lot of other CT courses that I would consider very good, and if there was a so-called king of the hill, they would certainly qualify as solid candidates. And that's another point: How can you say a course is the best unless you've played every single course?

Even then, personal biases would come into play. Are you a long hitter? Then you probably love courses that reward distance. Are you a shotmaker? Then you most likely adore courses that require accuracy and placement.

I'd like to hear what you think about the ranking of golf courses. Is there such a thing as the best course in CT? Here's your chance to answer the question, "Says who?"

Golf slows to a crawl

By Robert Samek on July 22, 2011 7:47 AM

Anyone who plays golf knows that slow play is a problem. Even slow players know this. Yet, it seems we've gotten nowhere in solving this curse when everything tells you it should be priority one in making golf more enjoyable.

And given that the most recent study by the National Golf Foundation revealed the number of golfers nationwide dropped by one million players from 2009 to 2010, the issue of snails and turtles clogging the flow of play takes on even greater significance. I will repeat that, because the statistic is astounding. We lost one million golfers in the past year.

There are a lot of reasons why, but enjoyment of the game is a big factor why people play golf. And if it's not enjoyable, why do it? Waiting on tee boxes and in the middle of fairways, to me, not only is unenjoyable but a huge waste of my precious leisure time.

That's why I'm so amazed to see the lack of concern among many players about keeping the pace. And I'm clearly not alone. This month, Golf magazine published the results of a survey of more than 4,000 golfers on the issue of slow play. In the survey, 86 percent said that slow play is frequently or occasionally an issue on their home course. Friends, that's nearly everyone. And when asked how much slow play detracts from their enjoyment of golf, almost 94 percent said "a lot" or "somewhat." Hello.

Now here's the kicker: While almost everyone says slow play is a problem, fewer than 1 percent consider themselves a slow player.

Houston, we have a problem.

So how do we go about fixing this if everyone is pointing fingers at someone else? The Republicans among us would let it fix itself. In other words, players need to wake up and ask themselves these questions, as the Golf Magazine survey did:

Do you carry a ball retriever?
How many times per round do you check your email?
Have you hurt yourself trying to imitate Camilo Villegas?
How long do you spend chatting up the cart girl?

Get the picture? You may think you're an average or fast player, but in reality, you're among that perceived 1 percent mucking up the game.

It's also not surprising, then, that the majority of golfers abandon their rightist leanings and look toward an institutional fix. When asked if their home course could do more to keep play moving, more than three-fourths said yes.

I like to play my golf fast and furiously, mostly not to prolong the agony. Seriously, I like to chat it up like anyone, just not when it's time to hit. When another player is hitting, I'm standing over my ball ready to fire away. When my ball finally reaches the bottom of the cup, it's time to get out of Dodge and onto the next tee as quickly as I can. If I'm there first and the rest of my group is lagging behind, I'll go ahead and hit. That is, if the coast is clear, which it usually isn't.

If everyone played that way, case closed. But they don't and it's highly unlikely such an epiphany will strike the golfing population en mass anytime soon. That means the onus has to fall on golf courses to take control. And I don't mean more rangers or even longer intervals between tee times. As anyone who watches a lot of golf on TV, this is the age of taking action.

Courses can start by studying Bandon Dunes in Oregon, where, as Golf Magazine said, "everyone walks and sub-four-hour rounds are par for the course." How do they do it? Through accountability and an on-time culture. From bag boys to starters to waitresses, the course drops subtle reminders about tee times to keep things moving and to make sure everyone is on the same page. It's self-perpetuating.

Then there is Angel Park GC in Las Vegas. This course offers "Express Lane" tee times to start the day, requiring players to finish in 3:45 or less. If you fall behind, you're sent to the back of the line. But it happens rarely, if ever.

Like a lot of things in golf, innovative thinking is necessary to spark growth in our game. I'm not interested in discounted rounds, GPS, WiFi and happy hours. Speed up my round and I'll find time to play 18 hours more often. It's as simple as that.

Golf doesn't have to be Fairfield County at rush hour. Even government knows that clogged highways hurt growth. Courses need to understand this quickly before the problem goes away because no one shows up to play.

No more secrets in Bloomfield

By Robert Samek on July 14, 2011 9:14 AM

When we think of big golf tournaments here in CT, we think immediately of the Travelers Championship, and rightfully so. The PGA Tour is as big as it gets, and the event is our state's biggest sports gathering.

But if I asked you to name the next biggest tournament, you'd probably have to stop and think. And you might have trouble coming up with an answer. I'll give you a hint. It's happening this week.

Again, you may still be stumped. But I'll forgive you, because despite the best efforts of organizers, the ING New England Golf Classic is still somewhat of a golfing secret. Which is a shame, because after the Travelers Championship, the next best group of world-class golfers to play in our state is in Bloomfield right now.

I'm talking about the LPGA Futures Tour, the official training ground for aspiring LPGA players. I don't need to name-drop here, but graduates of the Futures Tour have won literally hundreds of LPGA events over the years. You may not know this, but Laura Ochoa, the world's top-ranked player who retired recently, actually played on the Futures Tour when the ING New England Classic came to Avon under a different name.

So starting Friday, a field of 133 players (and and an unborn female named Elizabeth -- more on that in a bit) representing 37 states and 27 countries, including 19 who played in last week's US Women's Open, will tee it up at Wintonbury Hills GC in Bloomfield for the Tour's 13th consecutive visit to CT. And I'm hoping that with a spectacular weather weekend in the forecast that they will do it before more than just family and friends.

In actuality, the CT event is one of the better-attended tournaments on the LPGA Futures schedule. Tournament Director Maura Majeski and her group of tireless volunteers have done a tremendous job not only drumming up support and interest but also keeping the tournament alive.

It began as a small charity event to raise awareness of breast cancer, and over the years has

contributed about $400,000 to various medical research programs, including Hartford Hospital and Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, the current beneficiaries. Like any event that relies on corporate coffers for its existence, this tournament has seen title sponsors come and go, but for the past three years it was fortunate enough to land CT-based ING insurance. Like the Travelers, ING took ownership of the event and now has the tournament in its best shape ever.

And that's the rub, so to speak. This is ING's final year of sponsorship. At a media luncheon last week, I talked to ING officials and they were quite non-commital on whether they planned to renew. But if you read between the lines, you'd believe that the company is going to take a long, hard look at its investment, particularly at what kind of response the community shows this weekend.

That's why I'm hoping CT turns out in a big way this weekend. If you like the Travelers Championship, you'll love the LPGA Futures. The players are very approachable and a majority of them enjoy interacting with fans. All of them have interesting stories to tell, but none more than Juli Erekson.

Erekson grew up in nearby Chicopee, MA, where she learned the game from her father, Via Wightman, a CT Section PGA member and now head professional at Holyoke CC. She played golf at Brigham Young University, where she majored in early childhood education. That degree will come in handy on Oct. 22. That's the due date for her first child.

This weekend will be Erekson's 10th and last event this year on the LPGA Futures Tour as she and her husband prepare for the arrival of their daughter, who they've named Elizabeth. I played a couple of holes with Juli at the media outing last week, and was amazed she could still compete six months into her pregnancy.

So why not head to Bloomfield this weekend to show your support for Juli. Or for West Hartford's Natalie Sheary, now a professional looking for the brass ring. Or for New Britain's Sarah Sideranko, a young amateur hoping to learn from Juli, Natalie and the others. Or for any of the other rising stars of women's golf.

The ING New England Golf Classic is CT's best-kept golf secret. Let's make it a secret no longer.

Sheary's turn to roll the dice

By Robert Samek on July 8, 2011 7:52 AM

I can't calculate the odds of a town like West Hartford producing a native son or daughter who ends up as a world-class golfer playing on the PGA Tour or the LPGA. All I know is that lightning bolts and winning lottery tickets come to mind. You might have a better chance that either of those two will happen first.

So now take that calculation, whatever it is, and multiply it by two. And that will give you the odds of what has occurred, or is about to occur.

I'm talking, of course, about Elizabeth Caron -- Elizabeth Janangelo before her recent marriage -- and Natalie Sheary. Caron has already made it to the LPGA and Sheary will likely join her sooner or later.

On Thursday, Sheary stepped up to the lectern on the outdoor patio at Wintonbury Hills GC in Bloomfield, where next week she will play in the LPGA Futures ING New England Golf Classic. This is the minor league tour and training ground for future LPGA players, and organizers held a media gathering to promote the event and some of the local news angles, like Sheary's budding professional career.

I couldn't help but feel a flashback, when it seemed like yesterday that Caron stood behind a similar lectern, as she began her transition from collegiate star at Duke to the vagabond world of a touring professional. And I remembered how much we all expected of Liz, not that she would simply make the tour but that she would excel on it.

It didn't quite happen that way. Today, after injuries and marriage, Caron is teaching golf at a country club in Stamford and living in Greenwich. Whether she intends to return to competitive golf or even wants to is something only she can answer. For right now, though, Liz seems happy and content with her new life. And how many of us can say that?

So it seemed like a passing of the torch on this blazing summer afternoon as Sheary talked about the thousands of miles she and her dad, Mike, have driven the past few weeks. Iowa. Ohio. Illinois. Michigan. Indiana. Now it's Natalie's turn for the endless miles in her Honda CRV and spins through the revolving doors of faceless motels.

Liz and Natalie share so much that it's impossible not to think of them in the same breath. They were both golf phenoms, growing up a few years apart in the same stylish suburb. They worked with Rich Crowe at Rockledge GC and swing guru Dave Pianki. They both won the CT Women's Amateur as teenagers and went on to make names for themselves at big-time colleges. And when graduation rolled around, they turned professional.

And now you wonder how it will turn out for Sheary. Last year, she won the qualifying tournament for the LPGA Futures and jumped aboard right after graduation this past spring from Wake Forest. With only 12 events remaining in the season, that leaves precious little time to crack the tour's top 10 in earnings for a free pass to the LPGA. She has managed an eighth-place finish, in Iowa, but sits in 38th place with $7,517 in total earnings so far.

Sheary explains how the competition is so much better than college, how she's playing unfamiliar courses and that she still hasn't played her best golf, or the kind of golf she knows she can play on a regular basis. But in the back of your mind, you think about how much she thinks about Liz, the friend she considers a role model for her own career.

For most of us, golf is a game. We play it for fun, as recreation or leisure-time activity. For professionals, it is something much different. It is your life and livelihood. It is how you feed yourself and your family, pay your bills, build financial security. Can professional golf still be fun? I'll never know, but I suspect that for some, the answer is no. That's the point where you make decisions based on what's best for you, not on the expectation of others.

I'm sure that Sheary will experience the same ups and downs that Caron's experienced. For all the similarities, they are still two different people. And what's right for one may not be right for the other. All you can do is work hard, keep your goals in sight. learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others.

And even after all of that, it's still a roll of the dice, because you never know what's going to happen. That, you can bet on.

A showcase event in Danbury

By Robert Samek on June 30, 2011 10:53 AM

Our state is blessed to have a number of fantastic municipal courses where conditions can often challenge those you'll find at private courses. And one of the best of the best is Richter Park GC in Danbury. Year after year, Richter Park wins praise from national golf magazines, ranking it among the top public courses across the country.

And that's why it's great to see the folks in Danbury showcase their course every year with an event the kind of which I wish more municipal courses would present. On July 16-17, the 21st Annual Danbury Amateur will tee off at Richter Park, a tournament that not only gives top amateur golfers a chance to compete on a great public layout, but also to help those in need.

Until three years ago, the Danbury Amateur raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Hanahoe Children's Clinic in Danbury. But when the owners decided to retire after 35 years of operating the clinic, Family & Children's Aid became the primary beneficiary. A secondary beneficiary is named annually, and this year the Danbury Regional Child Advocacy Center was chosen.

Anyone who has ever volunteered to run a charity tournament of any size knows these events require a lot of hard work to organize and host. And they take time to grow and become established. It's not simply a matter of build it and they will come.

This is especially true in attracting a high-quality field. Most of the state's top amateurs are booked with events hosted by the Connecticut State Golf Association, which is the state's official amateur golf body. To get top players into your event, you need a top event. And that takes time.

I talked to Maria Sanyshyn, the general manager at Richter Park, and she said the competition has gotten better over the years and the event now attracts scratch golfers from all over the Tri-state area. She said the field is capped at 160 players, with a wide range of handicaps participating because the tournament is flighted. There are also flights for seniors and women, which has two flights.

The entry fee is $200, which has not changed in five years, and includes greens fee, cart, food voucher, prize pool, gift and trophies.

With the competition continuing to improve, the tournament will have a cut for the Championship flight. The 48 golfers with the lowest handicaps will compete in a championship flight qualifier, with the top 24 finishers plus ties playing for the overall championship on day two.

The defending champions are expected to play. In fact, the women's titleholder, Jen Holland of Branford, a former CT State Amateur champion, has won the women's championship flight six times. Four of the last five men's champions are scheduled to compete, including last year's winner, Mike Miller of Brewster, NY.

As I said before, these are the kinds of events that other municipalities with outstanding golf courses should try to establish. The CSGA presents a terrific series of amateur events, but not in the name of charity. For the city of Danbury, the Amateur is a great way to showcase a great course, and raise money for a great cause. Other towns should follow suit.