New Hampshire Golf: Montcalm has more than just a flavor of Augusta National
Jul. 29—MOST New Hampshire golfers will never have the opportunity to play at Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters. In some ways, playing the course at Montcalm Golf Club might be as close as they'll get.
The late Andy Sigler, Montcalm's original owner, made sure the Montcalm course had some Augusta National flavor.
"The rocking chairs on the front porch are all from Augusta National — same, exact rockers," explained Montcalm golf pro Steve Rogers. "The rakes in the bunkers are from Augusta National. The gentleman who built this place (Sigler) was a member at Augusta National, so a lot of things carried over.
"The new ownership ... same thing. They've brought a lot of entities from Augusta National. The fifth hole on this golf course is an exact replica — an exact replica — of No. 12 at Augusta. The place is just gorgeous."
Montcalm, located in Enfield, will be the site for this week's New Hampshire Women's Amateur, a three-day, stroke-play event that begins Monday. Montcalm, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, also serves at the home course for the Dartmouth College men's and women's golf teams.
"The challenge at Montcalm is always hitting into the fairway," Rogers said. "Our rough is three-and-a-half inches deep, stipulated as our normal setup, and if you hit the ball into the rough, I'm here to tell you that advancing the golf ball too far is not going to be promising. That's what really protects the golf course. There's not a lot of water here.
"I wouldn't say there are any gimme holes, but for those who can hit the ball relatively long, there is a big advantage. Our par 3s are all challenging."
Pinkerton Academy graduate Julianna Megan won the Women's Am for the first time last summer, when she beat June Doerr in a playoff. Megan, a Hooksett resident, will play on the women's golf team at Holy Cross in the fall.
Megan has played two practice rounds at Montcalm.
'You're right in the mountains, so there's a bit of elevation change and you'll have to deal with that on tee shots and approach shots," she said. "The greens — I got the impression that they were bigger, and a lot of them were tiered, so if you're on the wrong tier, you might have to scramble to make a two-putt.
"They always tell you to stay out of the rough, but it is more true than ever at that course. It's really thick. That will be a big thing all week. Stay in the fairway and give yourself a good lie.
"I think the front nine is a little trickier than the back nine, because there's some shorter par 4s on the back nine that I think are gettable. People can get close and it will be a birdie hole. There's some longer uphills on the front where maybe you don't always just pull driver. You have to kind of play it smart and play target golf. That will be the big thing on the front nine."
Megan said she hasn't played a lot of competitive golf this summer, but she did win the New Hampshire Golf Association's Players Invitational at Baker Hill Golf Club in June, and the NHGA Girls Junior Championship at Beaver Meadow Golf Club earlier this month.
"It (the NHGA Junior Championship) helped get me back in the mindset of tournament play and feeling a little bit of pressure," she said. "It was good for me."
Around the links
Exeter resident Connor Allard shot a 7-over-par 150 (77-73) at the Daniel Island Club in Charleston, South Carolina, and missed the cut at the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, which concluded Saturday.
Allard, who graduated from Exeter High School in June, won the NHIAA Division I title at Beaver Meadow Golf Club last October. He qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship by shooting even par at The Club at River Oaks in Sherman, Connecticut. ...
Ryan Scollins, who was representing Bald Peak Colony Club in Moultonborough, was the top New Hampshire finisher in last week's New England Amateur, played at The Woodlands Club in Falmouth, Maine. Scollins shot a 2-under-par 214 (73-70-71) to finish tied for third.
Scollins attends Xaverian Brothers High School in Westwood, Mass., and has committed to play college golf at Holy Cross. He didn't know he would be playing in the New England Am until one day before the event began, and didn't get to play a practice round.
"I was striking it great," Scollins said. "Down the stretch, I was just trying to hang in there. These are all the best college players from New England. To be able to compete against them, to be hanging with them, is massive."
Joey Lenane, who golfs for North Carolina State, won the tournament by shooting a 7-under-par 209 (70-67-72). Lenane is a member at George Wright Golf Course in Boston.
Valley Seniors
Results from the Valley Seniors Golf event held at Crown Point Country Club in Springfield, Vermont:
Top 10 Gross: Jeff Richardson (71), Kevin Migliozzi (77), Rex Gray (78), Dave Johnson (79), Rick Marasa (80), Michael Martin (81), Jeff Miller (81), Hall Fogg (82), Bill Gallagher (82).
Ages 55-74 Gross: Richardson (71), Migliozzi (77), Marasa (80).
Ages 55-74 Net: Gallagher (66), Fogg (68), Larry Robbins (70).
Ages 75-92 Gross: Ray Martin (76), Johnson (77), Michael Martin (79).
Ages 75-92 Net: Gray (59), Kimball Temple (61), Gil Fuld (63)
Closest to the pin: Johnson.
Two-stroke adjustment because of different course rating from tees.
Rules question
Question: True or False? A player removes a broken tee touching their ball in the general area causing the ball to move. There is a penalty of one stroke and the ball must be replaced on its original spot.
Answer: False
Source: Rule 15.2a(1); Rule 9.4b
New Hampshire Golf Calendar
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 Gold)
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)
