Greetings from Waubeeka
OUR THURSDAY NEWSLETTER

FROM THE GM - Vicki Richardello

GOLF OUTINGS - Don’t let Covid-19 stop you from having an outing or tournament.  Waubeeka provides a safe environment for every guest that enters our premises!  A recent study revealed most golfers and even those people who only golf one or two times a year would like to take part in a golf event….. as long as it is safe.  Participants want to be certain that tee times are 12 minutes apart, the outside dining facility is sanitized after each use, social distancing is required, masks are worn by servers, one way traffic is mandatory,the bathrooms are sanitized at least every 4 hours and the staff knows how to organize a fun, safe and paperless event!!

Speaking of length of time for a round of golf, WITH THE NEW 12 MINUTE TEE TIMES, we are getting most rounds finished in less than 4 hours.  Sometimes that means 4 walkers, and sometimes that means 4 carts!! 

We have installed a Suggestion Box just outside the Pro Shop Office.  Please feel free to give us your suggestions - no topic is out of bounds.  Comment on the newsletter, the restaurant, the menu, the golf course or the pro shop.  We are all in this together and your suggestions will certainly help us do a better job serving you!  Thank you Robin Therrien for making this happen! 

Mats Vilhelmsson & Sawyer Smith installed new cameras and a WiFi repeater inside and outside the clubhouse.  Since we are doing outside dining the waitresses appreciate inputting menu orders from our ipads and having the order go directly to the kitchen.  

The Dick Nichols Memorial Bench dedication was carried in a procession up to the red tees on Hole #8.  His relatives and friends recalled many fine stories about this wonderful human being who loved golf and Waubeeka! 

REPORT FROM THE PGA Show last January - CBD Oil had no less than 11 booths.  Robbie Baldwin, golf professional at Winchester CC says CBD has helped increase pro shop income by 20%!!  What in simple terms is CBD?

It doesn’t get you high.  It does aid sleep and has other positive effects, like reducing pain.

Summer begins this Sat, June 20!!  First day of summer and the official beginning of a love affair with this wonderful and growing game!!

FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT - Brian Bartlett

With summer approaching, it is now very rewarding to ride the golf course to see the results of our winter work!  Our crew has entirely returned for this season.  We are back pack spraying around tees, greens and bunker surrounds for broadleaf weeds.  And, we’ve been spending time weeding and deadheading flower beds to beautify the golf course entrance.

FROM THE KITCHEN

Our outside dining facility has been a hit with golfers, friends and our public guests.  They are experiencing wonderful scenic views while enjoying some of the best tavern food in the area.

FROM THE PRO - Erik Tiele

I just made a deal with the owners of Pinned Golf, a couple of young kids who graduated from Assumption College and Saint Anselms in 2015 and invented “The Blackjack” the latest and greatest innovation in yardage finders on the market today.  These young entrepreneurs from Boston are into this!! They will be at the PGA show in January and the Empire Golf Expo in February, (if they happen?).  I have ordered 5 of these rangefinders which give the accurate distance to the pin and include the variation for up or down a hill!!  PinnedGolf's latest model is built with a USB rechargeable battery and is significantly more affordable than the competition.  These are legal for use in competition and will make a great Father’s Day gift!!  Call me now (458-8355) so you can deliver to dad on Father’s Day.  The retail price is $199 but there is $20 off this weekend.  Also, time is running out on my Father’s Day Special!!  You will receive a dozen golf balls free with the purchase of a new driver for FATHER’S DAY!!! 

There is only one opening left for our Golf School (Brian Gill and myself will be with you from 8:30 - 3 PM daily) which starts this coming Tuesday 9:00 AM - 3 PM for youngsters 7 - 15.  The Golf School for July 7,8 & 9 is sold out. There are 4 openings for July 21, 22 and 23.  By law we are only allowed 9 students per session.  Each session is priced at $225 with a $25 discount for more than 1 in the same family!   There is one full scholarship remaining for any interested family with a child who may want to attend.  To apply for the scholarship, call me directly at 413-458-8355. What will summer camp be like?

We will be bringing back the popular Ladies Chip & Sip starting on July 13th!! Every Monday night starting at 6 pm I will be hosting an hour long ladies clinic covering all the basics from putting, chipping Irons and woods along with some of the general rules and course management!! After the clinic we will get together for a cocktail and conversation which is included!! It was very well received last year!!!It will run for 5 consecutive weeks and then week 6 we will have an informal tournament to conclude!! Weekly sessions are $20 and you can come to as many as you like!! I hope to see you there!!  

We are beginning to look over the Survey Results and will still take them through this weekend so that we can get a feeling from you, our members in regards to having tournaments here this season. I have decided to go ahead with the President’s Cup and First Lady’s Trophy and I will have signups ready to go this weekend!!!

Fantasy Golf Pool starts Thursday, June 24th, with The Travelers Championship.  We will run the pool for 19  weeks this year due to the revised schedule from the PGA Tour.  This will take the schedule all the way to the World Golf Championships - HSBC Champions on Oct 29-Nov1. Choose your players just like last year!  Your picks must be in by Wednesday, June 23rd .  $20 Entry Fee. PRINT THE FORM HERE.  Who will you be rooting for this year???? 

This week’s Sunday Sweeps format was throw out every 4th hole (4,8,12,16). On the gross side of the course Jamie Gaffey took home 1st place honors with his 55. He was followed by Todd Shafer’s 58, and tying for third was Chris Bourdon and Jim Crews with 59. The net side saw Jake Jowett claim first place firing a blistering 49.8; he was closely followed by Al Field’s 51.9, third place was taken by Joe Vanuni and his 52.8 and rounding out the money positions was Tom Degray with a fine 54.2!!!

Our FREE weekly Sunday Junior Clinics will continue this Sunday, June 21th @ 1pm. Great crop of newcomers and happy to see our veteran students return.  Thank you parents for not only bringing your youngster, but for encouraging them with every drive, chip and putt!!!

The Pro Shop hours are now daily 8 to 7 on weekdays; we started  opening weekends at 7AM this past Saturday.  As things continue to progress, we will continue to look at an earlier opening on the weekdays.

Dick Syriac (laryoflenox) writes:

Berkshire County golfers have enjoyed some great golfing days recently. Course Superintendents would certainly welcome some rain, preferably after dark. 

In this week's rant let me encourage all golfers to try something that may be foreign to them.  That would be to play some rounds of golf with people that you have never before played with. You will, in most cases, enjoy the experience. If you have the same group each week you are missing out on making new friends . I have seen members at Cranwell never break ranks year after year after year.

When I first joined Oak Ridge in 1980 there was a signup sheet on the wall every week. Member- member, ABCD events, blind draw partners etc, etc. After a month,  I knew the entire membership and have remained friends with many of them.  Ditto at Crumpin- Fox where I spent 15 great years.

I always enjoyed playing the Mid Ams in the eastern part of the state, my playing partners didn't know me and I did not know them. Very often these encounters could prove to  be very beneficial down the road. One year I was paired with a cop and a fireman from Brookline. I invited them up as guests to Crumpin-Fox . Later that year I received an invite to join them at an event at the Country Club of Brookline. The club would designate one day a year when the Brookline PD and FD were welcomed to spend the day. They got me a badge and a hat and I was in.

I have also been fortunate to play with some professional athletes and various celebrities in my time. Boston Bruins fans will recognize the names like Johnny McKinzie and Gerry Cheevers. I also hooked up with "Cheezie" at Suffolk Downs on more than one occasion.

When I played with K.C. Jones of Celtic fame I asked him how long he had been playing golf. "Since I was black" was his reply. No more questions.

I played many rounds with Jim Roberts who played and coached in the NHL forever.

Last year Pittsfield's Tom Grieve was in town and we got in a round at Cranwell. He was the 1st round draft pick of the Washington Senators and had a great career in MLB.

I once played behind a group that included Bob Lanier of NBA fame. He wore a size 26 golf shoe and we could follow every step he took.

I once joined a threesome of folks and had a great time. I later found out that  the lady in the sunglasses was Joan Jett. (without the Blackhearts) Her traveling manager was often a customer at The Fox.

Tip O'Neil once hit my ball instead of his at Eastward Ho at the Cape.

Since Mr. Deep does not  not compensate by the word, I will sign off.

My sincere sympathy goes out to  Chris Wondolowski and family on the passing of his wife. Chris played some solid hoops at St. Joe, NA. We taught together at the Middle School in the Tunnel City along with Vicki, Bob Montagna, Ed Lamarre, Ed Noel, Gary Pause and others.

PGA Tour

Great Comeback!!!  The PGA Tour came back wonderfully after an absence of 3 months at historic Colonial in the Charles Schwabb!!  No spectators, but a crowded leaderboard on the final day: no virus among the players, they tried to social distance, but they did not in the final hour as there were at least 9 players within 2 shots of winning!!  It was the largest TV audience for a Pro Golf event at Colonial in nearly 20 years!!  A lot of us were rooting for the intellectual Harold Varner III to go wire to wire, but Collin Morikawa and Daniel Berger had other ideas.  Berger settled the issue on the first playoff hole for a virtual celebration with his TV audience!!  The talk of the Tour was weightlifting scientist Bryson DeChambeau, who finished third; he certainly looks a lot different than 12 months ago.

This morning, the disease free Tour will tee it up at Hilton Head Island for the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town.  The World’s Top 5 will be there along with Berger, Morikawa, and DeChambeau.  Tiger will take one more week off, he won’t be there!!

DEEP Thoughts 

It seems like more and more people are playing golf these days, a safe alternative to other sports that require close contact.  It is great to see families out on the course.  Golf is on the UPSWING!