New Hampshire Golf: These days, Conklin's saves come from bunkers
Jul. 1—"Doesn't look like it's going to happen," Ty Conklin said to himself Wednesday afternoon as he studied the scores at Breakfast Hill Golf Club in Greenland.
Sports fans probably know Conklin best as a former National Hockey League goaltender — he played for six NHL teams from 2001 to 2012 — but ardent New Hampshire sports fans may remember Conklin from his days as a goalie at the University of New Hampshire.
Conklin was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award (best male player in U.S. college hockey) in 2000 and 2001, had the lowest goals-against average among Hockey East goalies in 2001, and shared the Hockey East Player of the Year Award with Boston College's Mike Mottau in 2000.
Golf is Conklin's sport of choice these days. He's no stranger to New Hampshire Golf Association events, and qualified for the State Am in 2014. He entered a State Am qualifier at Breakfast Hill on Wednesday, but despite playing the final 10 holes at 1-over-par, Conklin shot a 78 and failed to advance. The 17 golfers who qualified shot 76 or better.
Conklin, 47, lives in Rye with his wife and three children, all of whom will attend Portsmouth High School during the 2023-24 school year.
He went to Shattuck-St. Mary's School, a prep school in Faribault, Minnesota, known for its hockey, but Conklin also competed on the golf team.
"I was there for hockey, but we had the most fun during golf season," Conklin said. "I was horrible compared to some of the other guys, but we would do laps around the course on weekends. Golf's the perfect off-season sport for hockey guys."
After his playing days ended, Conklin worked in the St. Louis Blues front office in a variety of roles for five years. After that, he took a job selling medical device equipment — a job he still holds today.
"I wanted to get out of hockey," he said. "I had enough.
"I was just gone more than I wanted to be gone. Kids were looking at me funky. 'You're leaving again?' I enjoyed it, but I didn't want to be a head goalie coach (in the NHL), which was the obvious next step."
Conklin was working as UNH's volunteer goaltending coach — he and UNH head coach Mike Souza played together in college — but gave up that position midway through the 2022-23 season after he found that work was preventing him from getting to the rink as much as necessary.
Although many don't realize it, Conklin wasn't considered a prize recruit for UNH. He was a late bloomer who originally walked on at the University of Alaska-Anchorage before he returned to junior hockey. That's where he was discovered by former UNH assistant coach Brian McCloskey.
"I was on my visit right after Umile (former UNH coach Dick Umile) had his heart attack,"
Conklin said. "I don't even know if I met him. I was a guy who could come in maybe a little cheaper than some of the other guys. Top guys aren't getting recruited in April. They had Matile (goalie Sean Matile) and I came in the same year as (goalie) Matt Carney."
Conklin recently became a member at Breakfast Hill.
"Not a lot to talk about with my golf game," he said. "I'd like to play more. Game needs work."
Gillis tunes up with Lowell victory
Nashua's Brandon Gillis tuned up for this month's New Hampshire Golf Association Amateur Championship by winning last week's Lowell City Tournament.
Gillis, who was representing Nabnasset Lake Country Club in Westford, Mass., shot a 3-under-par 69 at Vesper Country Club in the 54-hole tournament's final round to post a 208 total that was good enough for a one-stroke victory.
Gillis, who won last year's State Am at Abenaqui Country Club, made three birdies in his last four holes. He also won the Lowell City Tournament in 2021.
Sullivan notches ace at Londonderry CC
Litchfield's Tom Sullivan made a hole-in-one June 8 at Londonderry Country Club. Sullivan aced the 120-yard, par-3 eighth hole with an 8-iron while he was playing in the Londonderry's Men's Twilight League. The hole-in-one was witnessed by Barry Johnson and Dan Hirtle. ...
Pease Golf Course's Ryan Zetterholm and Abenaqui CC's Steven Rohde each shot a 1-under-par 70 to post the low score at Wednesday's State Am qualifier at Breakfast Hill. ...
Rochester CC's Jamie Ferullo won last weekend's Seacoast Amateur Golf Championship. Portsmouth CC member Craig Steckowych made the third hole-in-one of his career during the event. ...
First-place finishers at the last three Live Free Golf Tour events: Tom Gibson II (Stonebridge), Jon Levenson (Breakfast Hill) and Andy Lee (Brentwood). The next two Live Free Golf events are July 9 at Loudon Country Club and July 16 at Candia Woods.
Rules question
Question: Which is incorrect regarding a player telling an opponent about the number of strokes taken in match play?
A) When asked by the opponent for the number of strokes taken, the player must give the right number of strokes taken.
B) A player who fails to respond to the opponent's request is treated as giving the wrong number of strokes taken.
C) The player gets a penalty if they give the wrong number of strokes taken after a hole is completed, even if it does not affect the opponent's understanding of whether the hole was won or lost.
Answer: (C) The player gets a penalty if they give the wrong number of strokes taken after a hole is completed, even if it does not affect the opponent's understanding of whether the hole was won or lost.
Source: Rule 3.2d(1)
NH Golf Calendar
July 6-7: Junior Stroke Play Championship (Stonebridge CC)
July 6-7: Women's Team Championship (Canterbury Woods)
July 9: Live Free Golf Event (Loudon)
July 10-15: 120th NH Amateur Championship (Manchester)
July 16: Mixed (Loudon)
July 16: Live Free Golf Event (Candia Woods)
July 17: Parent-Child Championship (Stonebridge)
July 18-20: NEGA Amateur (The Woodlands, Falmouth, Maine)
July 19-21: Junior Championship (Beaver Meadow)
July 19: Senior Legend Classic (Lochmere)
July 21: Women's Weekly Combined (Newport)
July 23-24: Senior Team (Mount Washington)
July 30: Live Free Golf Event (Nippo Lake)
July 31-Aug. 2: Women's Amateur Championship (Montcalm)
Aug. 7-9: NEGA Junior Amateur (Mt. Washington Resort)
Aug. 8: Women's Weekly Combined (Pease)
Aug. 8-10: Stroke Play Championship (Ridgewood/Atkinson Resort)
Aug. 12: Live Free Golf Event (Souhegan Woods)
Aug. 15-16: Women's Mid-Amateur (Ridgewood)
Aug. 20-21: Mid-Amateur Team (Mount Washington)
Aug. 20: Mixed (Mount Washington)
Aug. 22: Women's Weekly "B' (Bretwood)
Aug. 24: Stoke Play Series (Hoodkroft)
Aug. 27: Live Free Golf Event (CC of NH)
Aug. 29: Women's Weekly "A" (Derryfield)
Sept. 5: Women's Weekly Combined (Den Brae)
Sept. 6-7: Senior Championship (Canterbury Woods)
Sept. 11-12: NEGA Senior Amateur (Fox Hopyard/East Haddam, Connecticut)
Sept. 21: Stoke Play Series (Kingswood Golf)
Sept. 26: Fall Classic (Keene)
Oct. 2-4: Mid-Amateur Championship (Rochester)
Oct. 8: Mixed (Kingswood Golf)
Oct. 16: Tournament Series (Cochecho)
Oct. 18: Stroke Play Series (Newport)
Oct. 23: Corporate Challenge (Concord)
Oct. 30: Tournament Series (Laconia)
