With nine golf courses, Plymouth, Massachusetts making a play as a New England golfing destination

Published on WorldGolf.com | June, 2008

Plymouth, Mass., is known worldwide for a number of reasons.

It was the site of the Mayflower’s landing and the first ever Thanksgiving. It’s nicknamed “America’s Hometown” and with good reason. With the recent influx of top-notch golf courses, however, Plymouth may soon be known for another reason – being a top-notchNew England golf spot.

“The chamber of commerce is doing a great job of putting together golf packages,” saidAtlantic Country Club Head Professional Don Daley. “And with the high quality of courses in town, it’s certainly becoming a golf destination.”

The Ledges Golf Club near Springfield, Mass.: Muni green fees with a country club feel

Published on WorldGolf.com | June, 2008

SOUTH HADLEY, MASS. – Quirky typically isn’t a word a golf course would use to describe itself.

In fact, most courses would like to avoid that description altogether. That’s not the case, however, for The Ledges Golf Club in Western Massachusetts, just a few minutes from downtown Springfield.

The town-owned course, which was opened in 2001, isn’t the longest golf course around. But for what it lacks in yardage, The Ledges more than makes up for in trickery. The 6,500-yard track features 10 dogleg holes, all of which become much tougher with a lack of local knowledge.

Patience pays off for The Ranch Golf Club near Springfield, Massachusetts

Published on WorldGolf.com | June, 2008

SOUTHWICK, Mass. — If patience is crucial to a golfer’s success, how does it impact a golf course?

Well, if The Ranch Golf Club is any indication, the impact is resounding.

After opening in 2001, one of the course’s selling points was that it was “104 years in the making.” If that’s correct, time was especially kind to The Ranch and its beautiful, rolling fairways.

“My great grandfather, who owned the land, always thought it was a perfect spot for a golf course,” said Steve Hall, one of The Ranch’s four owners. “In the 1940’s, Jeff Cornish picked the land as the best spot in the area when designing Crestview Country Club, which is now in Agawam. So with their two histories combined, The Ranch was a long time coming.”

King of the golf course

Published in The Salem News | 2005

Trent King has to be one of the the busiest 9-year-olds on the North Shore.

When he’s not in the pool at the Danvers YMCA or on the baseball diamond playing Little League, he’s playing golf | lots of it.

And when Trent plays golf, he succeeds at it, setting himself up for more golf in all parts of the country. That can make for a pretty hectic schedule.

At the local RE/MAX Junior Long Drive qualifier held at Sun ‘N’ Air last month, Trent literally blew away the competition. His drive of 205 yards went 40 yards longer than that of the second-place finisher and was the longest qualifying drive in the country for the nine-and-under division.