July 31, 2022
Jared Paletti reports:
“Proving that old dogs still know how to hunt, two of the Founding Fathers of the Metropolitan Hickory Society took honors at our 11th annual Nickel and Dime in mid-July at Ridgewood Country Club in northern New Jersey. Out of the field of 16 competitors, Brian Schuman, a co-founder of the Metropolitan Hickory Society, took low gross followed by “Old” Tom Morris. The Reserve division was captured by Tim Alpaugh and the stylish Jared Paletti as runner up.
Ridgewood Country Club, an A.W. Tillinghast masterpiece, is being prepped for the 2022 U.S. Amateur Championship. Our Ridgewood Country Club host, and another co-founder of the Metropolitan Hickory Society, Mike Policano, organized this year’s event. The course conditions were already tournament ready and will only get firmer as the date approaches for the Amateur. We would also like to thank Ridgewood member John Esposito who co-hosted and with whom I had the pleasure of playing.
We also welcomed hickory friends Tom Sullivan and Michael Guerrero from Fair Haven, N.J., who attended their first of many MHS events. Tom and Michael can attest to the conditions and green speeds. Kevin Mendik found his way down from Massachusetts and displayed some fine iron play during the competition. It was also great to see Jon Byron, Jeremy Barth, Michael O’Donnell, and Ron Perlman.
Until our next outing…play well!
Bill Martin finds emerging from bunkers as child’s play.
Jared Paletti sends a long iron to the ninth hole of the Center Course.
A Metropolitan foursome gets ready for a day at Ridgewood CC. From left: Bill Martin, Jared Paletti, John Esposito, and Kevin Mendik.
New Jersey’s Ridgewood CC is host to the 2022 USGA Amateur.