The Oaks

October 7, 2016

A Tale of Two Nines

On October 6th, 2016, I played 18 holes split between two beautiful venues… life’s tough I know! I was hired for the first 9 holes for a playing lesson at The Oaks with two fabulous members of The Oaks (a couple).  The second 9 holes was spent with my wife, and two sons Jackson (5 years old) & Graham (3 years old) at Candia Woods. This day may very well have been the best weather we’ve had all year! 70 […]
September 27, 2016

Nine Holes Remembered From Long Ago

This past Sunday, September 25, a great golfer and a great American passed away.  Arnold Palmer was 87.  The BLOG post below is a reprint of a golf ezine story I wrote several years ago… I offer it now as a tribute to “Arnie”. NINE HOLES REMEMBERED FROM LONG AGO As I get older my recollection of the astounding events of a long ago winter day seem to get more and more vague.  Each year, as the end of the […]
September 15, 2016

Two Types Of Golfer

This coming week my wife Dana will be competing in the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at Wellesley Country Club in Wellesley, MA. This event will mark more than 25 USGA tournaments that she has qualified as a participant. In addition Dana is 16 times NHWGA champion, a past winner of the New England Women’s Amateur and won the prestigious women’s Eastern Senior Amateur. Fantastic accomplishments that I suspect many might feel comes from her innate athletic talent, and a lot […]
August 30, 2016

New Hampshire’s Oldest Courses

Some time ago I received the following e-mail from Jon Godfrey: “My foursome got to talking after a round at the Exeter CC the other day about NH’s oldest golf courses, and decided it would be fun to play the dozen or so oldest courses in the state (which still retain some semblance of their original layout). The NHGA responded that they don’t know, and I wondered whether you might either know or be able to tell me where to […]
August 18, 2016

A Chef’s Favorite Dish

You might embrace my philosophy in your kitchen! What is your favorite dish to prepare? In my position as executive chef at The Oaks the above question is the one I most frequently hear from members and guests.  And, my answer is always the same:  “The next item that goes on our menu.” Growing up in a family of thirteen children I was amazed how my mother could create dishes that we all enjoyed.  And, at the same time, she […]
August 9, 2016

Pace-Of-Play Myths

This is the first part of a series in discussing pace-of-play   Have you ever asked a staff member at the course, “How’s the pace today?”  An answer to that question can set the tone for the round. You typically see golf courses’ pace-of-play policy being 4 hours to 4 hours and 30 minutes.  There are many factors that create pace-of-play issues, but I am here to debunk a few myths. Pace of Play Discrimination Slow play does not care […]
July 28, 2016

The Stymie

Last evening I watched the Golf Channel’s live presentation: “This Week at the PGA Championship”. During the telecast I heard one of the commentators remark that the PGA was once played as a head to head match play completion and, for many of the past championships, played at match play, the stymie rule was in effect. I, as an older and life-long golfer, immediately knew about the stymie rule. But, I immediately wondered if many of the other viewers had […]
July 13, 2016

What’s On Tap in the Nineteenth Hole?

Golf is a social game that seldom ends after the last putt is holed on the 18th green.  Virtually every round is replayed over a cold beer in the grillroom, or as we golfers refer to it… the Nineteenth-Hole. And, with the onslaught of the micro-breweries coupled with a more sophisticated golfer/consumer, the selection of drafts offered at a course’s Nineteenth-Hole can no longer be just a simple domestic light beer. Don’t misunderstand me, there remain those who prefer the […]
July 5, 2016

Bunker Sand

Bunker Sand A few years ago I was invited to play a golf course in Maine named Belgrade Lakes.  Located about 12 miles due north of Augusta, a bit off the beaten path, Belgrade Lakes is a lovely course. I found the layout, designed by Scotsman Clive Clark (he also did Lake Winnipesaukee Country Club), to be an enjoyable play through rolling terrain.  Beautifully conditioned greens, tees and fairways but, from the very first hole, the most striking feature of […]