The mood is right for celebration as the holiday season gets into full swing. For us at Mass Golf, we’re celebrating the end of our second full year since Mass Golf was established by bringing together two historic golf associations. The golf community in our state is stronger than ever thanks to our membership of clubs and golfers, and we are especially grateful to those who volunteer their time. Our volunteers are the driving force behind what keeps our programs and services thriving in the Commonwealth.
As we look back at the past year, there’s lots to be proud of. From the beginning, we had a record number of entries across our Championship events, highlighted by our two marquee Amateur Championships. We’re delighted to see a surge of interest in our events, whether it’s from players, spectators or volunteers. There is still plenty of room for new participants in all of our events, so please join us in spreading the word in 2020.
We also saw fantastic achievements on the course, such as Michael Thorbjornsen, at 17 years, 8 months, becoming the youngest Bay State player to make the cut at a U.S. Open. Back home, standouts like Sophie DiPetrillo, Steven DiLisio, Don Foberg, Matt Organisak and Sascha Robinson all captured their first Mass Golf Championship victories. Meanwhile, 16 Bay State players competed in the Championship Proper of either the U.S. Mid-Amateur or U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur. Next year, we’ll even see high school sisters Molly and Morgan Smith play in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball, the first time in over a century where two Bay State sisters will compete together in a USGA Championship Proper.
At the grassroots level, Mass Golf began its partnership with the national non-profit Youth on Course, providing young people with access to rounds of golf for $5 or less at over 20 participating courses throughout the state (and more across the country!). We will continue to expand and hope to increase participation in the program in 2020 and beyond – we’ll need your help to make this happen. Speaking of youth golf, The First Tee of Massachusetts, which serves over 30,000 children statewide, experienced expansion. Cranberry Valley Golf Course in Harwich was welcomed into the fold as the program’s seventh green grass location. The youth program offers children ages 6-18 affordable access to golf instruction while also teaching life-long values for on and off the course.
Naturally, we can’t include all the memorable moments, such as the difficult putts made, the miraculous recovery shots executed, the shared laughter or the days when nothing could go wrong. At the same time, perhaps there’s room for improvement after the 2019 season. Maybe you weren’t able to play and post as many rounds as you had hoped for, or your goal for scoring in the 80s didn’t happen. Consider making that extra round or shooting a better score part of your 2020 goals.
As for us, we can’t wait to see the new wave of memorable moments that are ahead in the new year.
At Mass Golf, we’ll be rolling out the new World Handicap System on January 1, which will give our members a chance to measure their abilities with players from all around the world. We will also have brand-new GOLFZON Simulators coming to The Links at Mass Golf in Norton to keep your game fresh in the winter and to allow for our First Tee participants to engage with the game for 12-months of the year.
With some exciting changes to our event schedule in 2020, our women’s programs will have an even stronger foundation to foster inclusivity and enhance the competitive experience on the course. These updates won’t just elevate the level of play, they will also provide more options, fairer divisions and, most importantly, make these events more enjoyable. After all, the game is supposed to be fun.
And, even though we’re in the midst of “inactive season”, there will be no shortage of engaging content and promotions posted on our various platforms to keep you entertained throughout the winter. You can share your experiences and stay updated by following @PlayMassGolf on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
In my opinion, there has never been a better time to be a member of Mass Golf. Our organization continues to grow and thrive, and we welcome all newcomers, adults and junior golfers alike who want to experience what Mass Golf has to offer and make lifelong friends and memories along the way.
In closing, please keep in touch with Mass Golf and our dedicated staff over the winter months and be sure to let us know what we can do to improve the Mass Golf membership experience in the future. In the meantime, we wish you and yours a very happy holiday season and a safe and prosperous New Year!
Best Regards,
