KINGSTON, Massachusetts – The Mass Golf season officially started on Monday, June 15th with the first Member Day of the year taking place at Indian Pond Country Club. Finished in 2001, Indian Pond provided a backdrop of lush, tree-lined fairways for the official start of Mass Golf’s 2020 season.
Mass Golf Members were greeted in Kingston with the smiling faces of staff members such as Mark Gagne, Mass Golf’s Director of Member Services, at the initial check-in table, Patrick Fannon, Manager of Member Events and Services, was at the first tee, and Naomi Nesenoff, Manager of Women’s Events and Player Development, was at the scoring table. USGA P.J. Boatwright Interns Hogan May and Joshua Lafond were also on-site to provide any participants for the day with support at both the driving range and putting green respectively.
Playable for all skill levels and golfers, Indian Pond for the day was tipped out at just over 6,000 yards, with the appropriate distance for each division in what was a fun, but pressure-free golf experience. Competitors could choose between the Member’s Division yardage of 6,012 yards, the Men’s division length of 5,425 yards, or the Women’s division length of 4,641 yards.
Adhering to the state guidelines for the golf industry, each playing competitor had access to their own golf cart, which they received upon check-in. Once checked in, golfers were able to follow a carefully laid out schedule, providing them their own times for both the range and putting green to warm up prior to checking in at the first tee.
“This newly formatted Member Day was a huge success,” Fannon said. “While it can be tricky to navigate the new guidelines for our industry, there was still plenty of fun competition on the day, and at a terrific golf course as well.”
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Matthew Hughes (Tour Greater Boston) was low gross for the Member’s Division. Playing from just over 6,000 yards, Hughes collected 33 Stableford points, en route to shooting a 3-over-par 75, with one birdie on his day. John Duarte (Tour Greater Boston) finished in solo second, collecting 31 points while shooting a 5-over 77. Ray LaChance (Rockport GC) rounded out the top three by getting 27 points and shooting a 9-over 81.
Bob Martin (Plymouth CC) and Steffen Hartwell-Jones (Rockport GC) finished in a tie for first place in the top net division, both taking 38 points and shooting a net score of 70. Gary Nichols (Reservation Golf Club) and Rick McNair (Reservation GC) both finished just behind them with 35 points, and a net total score of 73.
In the women’s division, Donna Diieso (Meadow at Peabody) controlled the field by shooting a gross score of 6 over 78, for a net 71. That was good enough for Diieso to grab a total of 37 points. Rounding out the top three was Gina Gallagher (Sagamore Spring GC) who finished solo second with 35 points en route to a net score of 1 over 73. Alone in third place was Sharon Woodward (Acushnet River) who totaled 34 points, and shot a net score of 3 over 75.
In the second net division, Ray Seekell (Poquoy Brook GC) and Richard Zirpolo (Bedfordshire GC) paced the field with 39 points, each shooting a net 3 under 69. Behind them, it was a three-way tie for third place. Buddy Regan (Wollaston GC), Mike Higgins (Brookmeadow CC), and Anthony Leconti (Tour Greater Boston) all tied for the second spot by grabbing 37 points and shooting a net 1 under 71.
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