What’s up, Big Dog? It’s Friday and looking like a good weekend for golf. Also, apparently it’s National Golf Day, so you might as well play today, too.

Let’s get it.

Everywhere you look, junior golf is taking the game by storm. This isn’t necessarily an uncommon occurrence. It just seems like lately, junior golfers and the broader junior golf universe are having success.

There’s Miles Russell, the 15-year-old high school freshman who tore it up at the Kornferry Tour’s Suncoast Classic a few weeks back.

There’s 16-year-old Kris Kim, who shot a 68 in his PGA Tour debut last week and became the youngest player in 11 years to make the cut at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson.

Hell, even Scottie Scheffler’s #babywatch2024 is making waves and impacting the game already. After all, someone other than Scheffler will actually win an important event this week on the PGA Tour.

Closer to home, Longmeadow’s Ryan Downes is storming through his spring schedule — most recently advancing in U.S. Open qualifying — while many others — Ryley Regan, Cecily Henshon, and so many more — are placing well in their competitions.

Closer to my home — well, technically occupying one of my home’s three bedrooms — my 7-year-old is enjoying the start of what hopes to be an amazing year of junior golf clinics and competition. In truth, that’s what started me on the idea of this lead-in to the newsletter this week.

I’ve been so impressed by the first few dates of the PGA Junior League at Springfield Country Club, where my daughter is among dozens of juniors learning the game, tinkering, getting reps, and (soon) competing. She’s also doing the LPGA/USGA Girls Golf clinics throughout the year at The Ranch.

Tomorrow, in fact, she has a 90-minute clinic at The Ranch followed by her first match at Springfield Country Club! How’s that for a nice little Saturday on the course?

As I’ve started this journey covering golf again here in Western Massachusetts, I’ve been so energized by the many events and outings so many of us adults can participate in. I’ve been equally-energized seeing the amount of opportunity available for junior golfers. Whether it’s the PGA Junior League at Springfield Country Club, East Mountain, or GreatHorse, the LPGA/USGA Girls Golf program at The Ranch, Drive Chip & Putt local qualifier (also at The Ranch), or one of the many club-hosted junior camps, it’s quite clear that junior golf is alive and well in the 413!

***

Before we dive into the rest of this week’s newsletter, please do me one favor. Reply back to this email and let me know how I’m doing. I love creating this newsletter but I want to make sure you’re enjoying it, too. If there are courses, topics, people, or ideas I’m missing, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Also, I’d love to get more people receiving this email weekly. Please consider sharing this with your playing buddies and passing along to your head pro or general manager to share with the club’s email list! Thank you!

Lastly, did you know you can also share information about the events or outings you run or play in? Submit via this simple form.

Thank you for helping grow the 413 Golf community. I appreciate you!

***

OK, on to this week’s primer! Today, we’ve got:

• An update on the tournaments and outings you should get on your calendar ASAP

• A spotlight on GreatHorse member Nick Maccario

• A deep dive into Tekoa Country Club

• News and notes from the 413 Golf community

• And more!

Hit ‘em long. Hit ‘em straight.

Tournaments & Outings

A look at the tournaments and outings important to the 413 Golf community this week.

Recently Completed

• GreatHorse member Nick Maccario teamed up with Andrew DiRamio to win the Mass. Four-Ball at New Seabury. The pair won in a sudden-death playoff. Learn more about Maccario below in our Featured Member section! Other local competitors included: Austin Rupp (Longmeadow Country Club) who paired with Michael Souliotis to finish T-20 alongside Crumpin-Fox duo Mark Waskiewicz and Troy Miller. See the full results here.

• Longmeadow Country Club professional Brian Keiser shot 2-over 72 at Kernwood CC to qualify for the Mass. Open. Country Club of Pittsfield will host the next qualifying round on May 16.

• Want to get your league or outing results featured? Send them to me here!

Upcoming

• The Country Club of Greenfield has a 2-man scramble championship tomorrow. Call 413-773-7530 to get one of the remaining tee times.

• The Mass. Senior Four-Ball is the next state championship on the schedule. Representing Western Mass. will be: Greg Fisk (Longmeadow CC) and Jack Dombek (Twin Hills), Doug Riel and Steve Terpak (Wyckoff), Andy Drohen (The Ranch), Jim Patterson (Orchards), Al Alminas (Franconia/Veterans) and Tom McNulty (Springfield CC), Bruce White and Michael Mertes (Wyckoff), Ed Garbacki (Westover) and Dean Godek (Agawam Municipal), Jim Kennedy (Longmeadow CC) and Brian Foley (Springfield CC), Joe Brosseau (GreatHorse) and Shane Hassett (Crumpin-Fox), Todd Ezold (Springfield CC), George Candelet (Wahconah) and Matt Orgtega (CC of Pittsfield), Paul Buttafuoco (Franconia/Veterans) and Duncan Parsons (Twin Hills), Michael Petrick (GreatHorse) and Mark Pandolfi (Ludlow CC), Jack Kearney (Westover), Jim Hosey (Westover) and Richard Barber (Orchards), Jack Arena (Amherst Golf Club), Andrew Budz and George Garivaltis (Taconic), Ed Sennett (Taconic), David Laravee (Westover), Steve Elkins and Jeff Edwards (Amherst Golf Club), Steve Giard (Ludlow CC), and David O’Brien (CC of Wilbraham)

• The Berkshire Hills’ 67th Singles Championship will be July 29-30. This is a great event with a number of flights and games. Learn more here.

• Northampton Country Club will host a Cinco de Mayo Scramble on Sunday.

• Also at Berkshire Hills:

  • Registration is underway for the 42nd Annual Pewter Cup Classic! This 54 hole event is GROSS ONLY by divisions and preference is given to last years field followed by member apps. Don't wait, grab a partner, and sign up today! The event is set for June 21-22-23. Register here.

  • The popular 9-hole match play event is open for registration. Sign up here using the login code: berkshire2024

• Ludlow Country Club has a Senior Open Two-Ball on May 13. Inquire with the pro shop.

• The June 7-9 Mac Sennett Two Ball at Country Club of Greenfield is accepting applications. It’ll have men’s and women’s divisions, skins game, and a closest to the pin. Email [email protected] or call the pro shop at 413.773.7530 to inquire.

• Northampton will host a Memorial Day Weekend Open 2-Ball event. Pick your own team for the chance at gross and net prizes. Inquire with the pro shop to register

• Register now for the May 17 Stockbridge Classic — a one-day event with Championship and Senior divisions.

• Looking for a good fundraising tournament? The Springfield Junior Thunderbirds 2011 National-Bound team is hosting a fundraising scramble at East Mountain CC June 1. $100 per player, $400 per team, and $30 dinner only. Venmo @Paul-Braccialarghe with payment and player details.

• Also, a reminder that the Mass Golf Association has a number of events open for registration. See them here.

Got an event or outing you want to see here? Let me know by simply replying to this email!

413 Golf Community Member Spotlight

In each edition of the 413 Golf Newsletter, we’ll feature a member of the 413 Golf community making news or waves in the game. Today, get to know:

Nick Maccario

A member at GreatHorse, Nick Maccario has been on a tear in top-tier amateur and mid-amateur events the last few years. That tear continued this week with an impressive win alongside partner Andrew DiRamio at the Mass. Golf Four-Ball Championship.

A former collegiate player at St. Anslem, Maccario has played very well in 2024. He’s moved on in U.S. Open Local Qualifying, tied for fourth at the Gasparilla Invitational, and competed in the Terra Cotta Invitational and Jones Cup — all featuring many of the amateur game’s biggest names.

playmassgolf

View more on Instagram

In the last few years alone, he’s carded a number of impressive finishes, including: solo-second at the Birmingham National Invitational and Gasparilla in 2023, semifinal appearance at the U.S. Mid-Am in 2021, and second-place finishes at the New England Amateur and Mass. Amateur events in 2020.

Featured 413 Golf Course

Western Massachusetts is home to so many highly-rated private clubs, popular public courses, and countless hidden gems. Each week, we’ll feature one of the many courses across the region. This week, get to know:

Tekoa Country Club

As I wrote last week, I love a good walk. The 413 is home to many of them, but if you’re looking for a flat and gettable stroll, look no further than Tekoa Country Club.

With five original holes built by the great Donald Ross, Tekoa was completed by the also great Geoffrey Cornish and what’s left there now is a super fun, well-maintained, and scoreable course. Originally designed and incorporated in 1890 (as the first club in the region with four holes), Tekoa was redesigned by Ross in 1923, who added five of his very own. In 1961, Cornish added nine, redesigned the original four and left Ross' as is.

Visit tekoacc.com to book a tee time.

News & Notes

• Registration is open for the June 20 Drive, Chip, and Putt qualifier at The Ranch. Learn more here.

• Springfield College is heading to the NCAA Division 3 National Championship, which begins next week at Boulder Creek Golf Club in Nevada.

• Country Club of Greenfield will host its annual Youth Camp June 24-27. Capped at 25 children, the program is taught by Kevin Piecuch, who’s a U.S. Kids Golf Top 50 Teacher honorable mention. Call the pro shop at 413.733.7530 to register.

• Chicopee Country Club will hold a Ladies Clinic May 13 and 20.

Thanks so much for reading. If you like what you see, please consider giving this a share. Send it to all your golfing buddies and help grow the 413 Golf community!