JUNE 2020 VOLUME 10 NO 1 CORONAVIRUS SAFETY ON THE GREEN contents : 5 COVER STORY Coronavirus Alters The World by Bruce Vittner In March when everyone was panicked about the coronavirus pandemic, governor’s in Southern New England were faced with a decision about golf. Cover Photo By: Those decisions were very divided. Paul Daly of Pro Golf Weekly 13 6 Commentary Tiger Woods Scott Cordischi talks about the many Having Tiger Woods as part uncertainties lying ahead for the golf of televised golf event secured industry success 15 Junior Golf Joey Lenane earns title of Northeast TEE TO GREEN Junior Ryder Cup Champion Page 5. Cover Story Page 6. TV Match was Great 18 Page 9. RI Supt. Awards Merchandise Page 11. RI Notebook Page 15. Junior Golf The PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando Page 18. PGA Merchandise Show is a true potpourri of everything golf Page 19. CVS Health Donation Page 20. CT Notebook Page 23. Women’s Golf 38 Page 25. E. Mass Golf Arnold Palmer Page 26. Central Mass Golf There will never be another Arnie—read Page 30. W. Mass Golf some unique tidbits 3 3 snegolfer magazine | jun-jul 2020 Editor/Publisher BRUCE VITTNER editorial : [email protected] Design ROB AREL STEPHANIE MARTINEAU elcome to our first issue of 2020. We apologize for not doing the May issue. With all the things that were going on with the Coronavirus pandemic, W Contributing Writers courses not being open and having no money for advertising, it just didn’t make DAVE ADAMONIS, JR. sense. The May issue is the first one that was planned that wasn’t done since 1994. BRUCE BERLET TODD CAMPBELL Back to the positive. We think you will really enjoy this issue. It is crammed full SCOTT CORDISCHI with good stories, albeit not many golf tournament results. Who could ever images KATHARINE DYSON something like this happening in the United States and yes, around the entire globe? JAY GEARAN We have been hard on some of our politicians, but honestly they are just trying to do TIM GEARY the best they can to keep everyone healthy and alive. TOM GORMAN JIM HAMMOND Missing golf tournament's on television and in person is something that is really BRUCE HUTCHINSON affecting this reporter. Guess it has been my life for too long. But, the story on the MIKE KIRBY next page is honestly the truth. I don’t think I’ve ever had more fun watching a golf CHRIS MIRACLE match. It is the first time in 21 years that we won’t see a CVS Health event. Staff Photographers We welcome some new folks to the staff at snegolfer.com. Rob Arel, owner of JIM CALORIO Blackdoor Creative who has been handling our website since 2010 with the BOB LAVALLEE assistance of Stephanie Martineau are doing the layout. Jason Moroney did a fine job for five years, but he has become too busy. He will be missed. Sales Manager JIM HAMMOND Enjoy the publication. Keep your head down and swing easy. Also, stay safe and subscribe! Account Executives JIM GRAY Bruce Vittner is the publisher/editor of snegolfer.com and a member of the Golf Writers BUCKY SHEEHAN of America and the Golf Travel Writers of America and can be reached at bruce@ JAY WHITE snegolfer.com. Web Design TRIVIA blackdoorcreative.com Which state is each course located? Southern New England Golfer is published 1. Pine Valley 4 times per year: Spring, June/July, August/ 2. Winged Foot September, and fall. Occasional emails will go 3. Chambers Bay out to subscribers throughout the year. 2020 4. Seminole 5. Bandon Dunes Mail all articles, releases and other items to: 6. Medalist Editor, Southern New England Golfer 7. Oakland Hills P.O. Box 10038, Cranston, RI 02910 8. Whistling Straights Materials will not be returned unless 9. Olympic accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed 10. Colonial envelope. All rights reserved. 10. Texas 10. Southern New England Golfer is not responsible 9. California 9. for advertising copy. Corrected advertising 8. Wisconsin 8. 7. Michigan 7. will be placed in future issues. 6. Florida 6. 5. Oregon 5. For advertising information 4. Florida 4. call 401-464-8445 3. Washington 3. 2. New York New 2. email [email protected] 1. New Jersey New 1. visit website www.snegolfer.com © 2020 Reproduction without permission is 4 4 snegolfer magazine | jun-jul 2020 strictly prohibited. ON THE COVER by Bruce Vittner Coronavirus Alters The World here were you when to travel home, except a skeleton their distance between players? time, then reopened again with Wyou first heard the term crew to bring the boat back to New What about touching golf carts, the approval of Governor Gina coronavirus? We were reading the Orleans. We scrambled to change pins, ball washers, rakes in traps, Raimondo. She has not allowed paper in St. Augustine, Fla. while our flight and got home on March bathrooms and port-a-potties? out-of-staters to play golf in looking at the Atlantic Ocean in 16. Connecticut courses were closed Rhode Island, however, and that early February. This virus had The middle of March was when for only two days. They closed on has caused several courses to see started in China and there was everyone was panicked about the March 25 and reopened on March a huge drop in play. talk that it could spread around coronavirus pandemic. Governors 27 and remained open through Massachusetts was the last the world. With today’s modern in Southern New England were the whole process, except for state to reopen its golf courses, medicines there was little to worry faced with tons of decisions, even Fairfield County that is close to much to the chagrin of golfers about, right? WRONG! about golf. Was it safe to keep golf the major problems in New York and club owners, many of whom We went on with our lives, courses open? Could golfers keep and remained closed. Connecticut had suggested mutiny. There played golf in the warm sun their distance between players? also allowed out-of staters to was a larger-than-most-state of Florida and were looking Connecticut courses were closed come and play which helped the proportion of coronavirus cases forward to a river cruise up the for only two days, Rhode Island courses’ revenue tremendously. in Massachusetts, and Governor Mississippi in early March. We stayed opened, then closed, then Governor Ned Lamont has been Charlie Baker, a non-golfer, felt flew to New Orleans on March reopened again after a couple of praised by golfers and course that golf was not something that 8, spent two days in that bustling weeks. Massachusetts was the owners alike for his stance on should be exempt from closing. city, including the crowds on last state in the country to open, golfing in Connecticut. Courses were closed the last week Bourbon St., and then boarded causing much controversy. Rhode Island courses stayed of March and didn’t reopen until the river boat. Certainly golf isn’t the main open when the pandemic hit in May 7. There was a great deal of It was near the end of the concern when choosing what March, but severe limitations were controversy in Massachusetts. cruise when everything changed. is, and what isn’t an essential put on players. The groups had to Massachusetts does allow out-of- Opryland emailed us to tell that business. Maybe some of us be social distancing, the tee times staters to play in Mass., so that is our theater tickets were cancelled diehards think it is the most were fifteen minutes apart and the helping at the present time. for St. Patrick’s Day as they important activity, but it really is players had to walk. A short time were closing for the foreseeable far down the list when thinking of later carts were allowed, but only Bruce Vittner is the publisher/ future. The riverboat announced the safety of the population. with one rider unless the pair editor of snegolfer.com and can that it was their last trip, and all Was it safe to keep open golf were from the same household. be reached at: employees had to leave the boat courses? Could golfers keep They then closed for a short [email protected]. GET FIT BY OUR EXPERTS IN-STORE FOR FREE! EXPERTS + TECHNOLOGY = THE PERFECT FIT MAVRIK SIM SPEEDZONE UTILIZING THE BEST TECHNOLOGY IN THE RETAIL GOLF INDUSTRY! GET 2% BACK ON CRANSTON,RI HARTFORD, CT AUBURN,MA DANVERS, MA BRAINTREE, MA * ALL PURCHASES! 60 Freeway Dr. 75 Brainard Rd. 619 Southbridge St. 4 Newbury St. 2 Campeneli Dr. (401) 467-8740 (860) 522-6829 (508) 407-7692 (978)-777-4653 (781) 848-9777 PARTNERSHIP LOYALTY PROGRAM THE MORE YOU SPEND, THE MORE YOU EARN! START EARNING TODAY! Visit us online @ worldwidegolfshops.com *Excludes PING clubs and Scotty Cameron putters. See store for details. 5 5 snegolfer magazine | jun 2020 EVENTS by Bruce Vittner A Tale of Two Televised Golf Matches For those of us who were machine, managed only one match. It was strictly match play favorite target was Brady. “I dying for any live golf event during the 18-hole match. and the format changed for each want to challenge him even-up,” during the last three months The match went down to the of the nines. The front nine saw said Barkley, who is known for (the last live event was the first 18th, but neither team could everyone play their own ball as an unusual golf game that is not round of The Players on March win, as they were tied in skins.