Clubhouse at the Country Club of Greenfield
Things are moving along with our playing group in Massachusetts. We have 15 members now. There’s no formal organization just yet, but golfers who sign up for the SoHG become automatic members.
We’re working on putting together an event, perhaps this fall on our Hickory Golfers of Massachusetts home Course – The Country Club of Greenfield. The Old Course at Greenfield is on the east side of the railroad tracks and comprises six of the original holes built by Alexander Findlay in 1901, a very true links style layout, maintained as it was in the day. (See www.alexanderfindlay.com for information on this extraordinary golfer.)
The New Course is on the west side of the railroad tracks and was built by Ralph Martin Barton in 1914. Barton was mentored by C.B. MacDonald along with Seth Raynor. His New Course is a combined links and parkland layout. All 18 holes blend together beautifully and were designed to be played with hickories at about 6,200 yards.
Our pro, Kevin Piecuch, and his assistant, PGA apprentice Patrick Maddock, are both members of the SoHG. Both take a keen interest in hickory golf. Given all this, we have come to consider our course the gateway course to hickory golf in New England. Anyone traveling to Vermont, New Hampshire, or Maine and coming by car, will most likely be passing nearby.
Thus, our board of directors would like all SoHG members to know that they are always welcome to play golf at CCoG with hickory clubs and can do so at a special courtesy rate. It just happens, too, that the club restaurant, Terrazza, is one of the finest restaurants in the area. What could be better?
I would be more than willing to join whomever comes along as their hickory golf guide to our beautiful, historic, antique course, which is still maintained in its traditional layout and playability.
Best to all of our hickory golf friends,
Bill Conant
(interested SoHG members can find Bill’s contact info in the Member Search database.)