Hey Everyone,

Rory McIlroy is better than all of us, but man, does he play golf like all of us sometimes, too. The ceiling and floor are both higher (duh…), but the ups and downs are very relatable.

Here’s a wild little nugget: McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler have won 4 of the last 5 Masters and 4 of the last 5 majors. Now we just need a duel between the two of them.

I watched most of Rory’s nervy Saturday round at Vanguard Golf during their open house. It was great to meet a bunch of people and put faces to names. I’ll be sure to share more about public events in that space. It’s worth checking out, even during the golf season.

News and Notes

Pro Golf

The Masters: Keegan Bradley shot 72-74-73-66 to finish T21. His Sunday 66 tied for the best round of the day with Tyrrell Hatton.

College Golf

Princeton Invitational (Men): Harvard won by six shots over Georgetown. Yale finished seventh, and Dartmouth finished ninth. Carson Erick (Hingham, Mass.) finished T4, Alan Rose III (Weston, Mass.) finished 18, and CJ Winchenbaugh (Weston, Mass.) finished 25th. Temple senior, Aidan Emmerich (Swampscott, Mass.) finished 27th.

Wofford Invitational (Men): The Providence men’s team is playing at the CC of Spartanburg in South Carolina. They were T12 after the first round. Live Scoring

Rutgers Invitational (Women): Dartmouth finished third, Quinnipiac finished seventh, Boston University finished T11, and Sacred Heart finished 13th. Results

• The Shark Invitational (Men): Dates: April 13–14 Course | Brookville Country Club | Teams: Sacred Heart, Bryant, College of the Holy Cross, Fairfield, New Haven Scoring

• ABARTA Coca-Cola Collegiate Invitational (Men): Dates: April 14–15 | Course: Northampton CC | Teams: Merrimack Scoring

• Women’s ACC Championship Dates: April 16–19 | Course: Porter's Neck GC | Teams: Boston College Scoring

Seagulls Four-Ball

Ryan Brown and Sam Russell earned medalist honors with a 67 in qualifying at Hyannisport Club. However, they bowed out in the first round of match play on Sunday against the father-son duo of Paul and Kyle Puchol.

There are seven total flights. The final 8 in each flight will return to Hyannisport next Saturday. Results

US Challenge Cup Match Play Championship - Results

• Luke Edgar (Hanover, Mass.) beat Maxx Zides (North Attleboro, Mass.) to take home the title in the boys 15-18 division

• Ishaan Catone (Cranston, RI) beat Michael Rogers (Hingham, Mass.) 3&2 in the Boys 14 & Under Division

• Adriana Eaton (Greenvile, RI) won the Girls Division with a 3&2 win over Juyeon Paek (Chesire, Conn.).

Some thoughts about The Masters

Rory’s Rare Major Record

There is a trend among golfers with 4 or more majors. They either win their majors in a short chunk of time or they get one last major years after it looks like they’re done winning.

Winning majors isn’t a slow-burn kind of thing.

Arnold Palmer won seven majors in six years from 1958 to 1964.

Ben Hogan won eight from 1948 to 1953.

Tom Watson won seven majors from 1975 to 1983. And nearly won the 2009 Open Championship, which would have been the ultimate example of this trend.

Then there’s Tiger Woods, who won 14 majors from 1997-2008 and then snatched one more in 2019 (and that’s probably it, I think even the absolute sickos would admit that now.).

Jack Nicklaus won in 1986 at The Masters; it had been six years since his last major in 1980.

Lee Trevino won his first five majors from 1968 to 1974 and then won the PGA Championship at 45 years old.

Ernie Els went ten years between his penultimate and final major from 2002 and 2012.

Who can forget Phil Mickelson’s time machine journey in 2021 at Kiawah Island? His penultimate major was the 2013 Open Championship.

Raymond Floyd might have one of the stranger major win records. He won in 1969, 1976, 1982, 1986. Impressive to win majors in three different decades.

When Rory slayed the demons last year, he broke an eleven-year losing streak in the majors. Players don’t win a second major after ending that type of drought. They get their last one, and that’s it. It’s their grand finale. But not for McIlroy.

Rory had his run so early in his life, so it makes sense that he would grab another major (or more!) at age 35.

Now, he’s halfway to a second career grand slam. If he win’s the U.S. Open at Shinnecock this year or Pebble Beach in 2027, there’s a chance he tees it up at St. Andrews in 2027, looking to complete that career achievement and join only Tiger and Jack to do it.

Who Lost Sleep on Sunday Night?

• Cam Young had Rory in his sights on Sunday and just couldn’t make putts on the back nine. He was steady and had a bunch of good birdie looks. He finished his round with nine straight pars.

  This was a good exchange after the round.

  

• Russell Henley had a real chance to win The Masters on Sunday (on his birthday). He shot 32 on the first nine and then stalled out, making seven pars en route to a 36. He missed so many putts down the stretch, there’s a world where he makes three putts and wins The Masters.

• Scottie Scheffler might wake up in a cold sweat, standing on the 13th or 15th fairways with a long iron in his hand and his ball bounding over the green. He played the second nine par 5s in one-over par during the week. He might also have Haotong Li up in the trees slapping it around and shooting 80 in that nightmare. That Sunday stretch from hole Nos. 4-14 was tough, and that birdie putt on 17 was also brutally close, too.

• Justin Rose’s Amen Corner performance on Sunday was stunning. He made the turn with a two-shot lead at 12-under par, and it was looking like he might put down the throttle as his birdie putt dripped into the hole on nine.

  Then he bailed out on 11 and made bogey, chunked a chip on 12 for another bogey, and three-putted 13 for par. He looked 45 years old in that 45 minute window. It was kind of the death blow for the Englishman. Rose shot 21-under par over the last 144 holes at Augusta National and lost to the back-to-back champion by a total of two shots.

Is The Masters losing the fight?

It’s always felt like The Masters was successfully pushing against the walls of modernity (for better and worse).

The no phones policy has been romanticized endlessly, and for good reason. It’s incredible to be in a place where people aren’t distracted by their phones or making an effort to record every moment of their experience.

Patrons (not fans!) are not allowed to run.

Leave a chair in your favorite spot, and that spot is yours until you remove your chair.

But this year it started to feel like the outside world is creeping through the gates at Augusta National.

The hats and merchandise stuff has jumped the shark. The “Egg Salad” hats are dumb as hell, and I can’t imagine buying one, let alone two…

Twitter tweet

There were some stories about phones ringing on the course. Apple Watches and Meta Glasses are also permeating the event. They kicked Mark Calcavechia, a Open Championship winner, off the grounds because he had his phone out, but they also seemingly allowed zero-time major winner Kai Trump to use her phone.

The Jason Kelce, Kevin Hart, and The Mizz stuff on Wednesday doesn’t really bother me. Probably because I don’t watch the par 3 contest, and once the golf starts on Thursday, a lot of that stuff fades into the background or disappears completely.

But that didn’t feel like it was the case this year.

I even caught a few moments where patrons were yelling nonsense after shots, which is not typical of a Masters telecast.

"GIVE ME BACK MY SON!"

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing.bsky.social)
2:57 AM • Apr 12, 2026

Augusta Chairman Fred Ridley admitted during this press conference that the tension is real.

Times change, and I’m an old guy. But I think there are examples of tournaments that kind of take their eyes off the ball for the sake of a bit more cultural impact. I don’t ever foresee The Masters having a day like The WM Open had a few years ago. However, that event had to make changes and try to put the toothpaste back in the tube. That’s a tall task.

Will Joel Dahman rip off his shirt on 16 at Augusta National someday?

Hell no.

Will patrons throw their plastic cups onto the green when (yes, when) Shane Lowry makes another hole-in-one?

Of course not.

However, The Masters has a vibe, and this year it felt like there was a small shift in that vibe as I watched on TV.

The next few years of The Masters will be worth tracking. This year felt like a bit of a new benchmark between Egg Salad hats, merch haul videos, Amazon Prime coverage, and patrons yelling quotes from 1990s action movies.

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Bay State Archives

• Bay State Picks: Best courses you can walk for less than $60.

• Bay State Picks: Nine-hole courses to play before or after work

• Bay State Picks: 18 public golf that is worth your time

• Bay State Picks: Easy 18-hole public walks

• Bay State Deep Dive: Myopia Hunt Club

Hey Everyone,

What a day at Augusta National! This weekend is going to rock.

I spent Thursday morning at Winchester CC talking to Jim Salinetti about the course as they gets ready to host the 2026 Massachusetts Amateur in July. Salinetti would know a thing or two about the tournament; he won it three times (1997, 1999, 2000). It’s the first time in 24 years that they’ve hosted the event. Looking forward to highlighting the course in the coming months.

Okay, let’s get to some of my thoughts after the first round of the Masters. But first, we have some news and notes (and some victories!).

News and Notes

Pro Golf

Masters: Keegan Bradley bounced back from a 40 on the first (not front!) nine and ripped off four straight birdies on holes Nos. 13-16 for a second nine 32. A 72 has him T17.

Minor League Golf Tour: Chris Francoeur finished T5 in the Palm Beach County Open. Results

Men’s College Golf

Golfweek/Stifel Spring Challenge: UConn won at True Blue GC in South Carolina by two shots over UAB. Matt Costello (Taunton, Mass.) competed as an individual for the Huskies and finished 44th. Sacred Heart finished T12.

Mason Rudolph Championship: Ryan Downes (Longmeadow, Mass.) helped Vanderbilt finish second behind Auburn. Downes finished in 5th place, eight shots behind the winner, Jackson Koivun, who won his ninth college event and is the top ranked amateur in the world. John Broderick (Wellesley, Mass.) played for the Vanderbilt second team in the home event and finished T40. Joey Lenane (Dedham, Mass.) finished T25 competing for NC State, and Trevor Drew (Tyngsboro, Mass.) finished in 72nd for Western Kentucky. Scoring

Augusta Haskins Award Invitational: Max McColgan (Lincoln, Mass.) of St. John’s University finished 76th. Scoring

Wildcat Spring Invitational: University of Rhode Island finished in fifth place. Tyler Bruneau (Concord, Mass.) helped the cause for the Rams with a 15th-place finish. Aidan O’Donovan (Somerville, Mass.) finished 34th. Georgetown freshman Carson Erick (Hingham, Mass.) won his first college tournament with rounds of 73-74-69. CJ Winchenbaugh (Weston, Mass.) and Alan Rose III (Weston, Mass.) finished 8th and 24th, respectively. The Hoyas finished runner-up to Villanova by two shots. Scoring

Women’s College Golf

ECU Ironwood Invitational Boston University finished 13th. Xavier sophomore Isabel Brozena (N. Reading, Mass.) finished 6th place, helping her team notch a fourth place finish. East Carolina won the tournament. - Scoring

Terps Invitational: Harvard finished 11th, and Yale took 14th. Lillian Gulleserian (Westwood, Mass.) finished 84th for Penn State. Scoring

St. John's Invitational: Five of the top six teams in this field came from New England - Fairfield (2nd), Quinnipiac (3rd), Bryant (4th), Merrimack (5th), and Holy Cross (6th). Providence finished 11th. Merrimack’s Mya Murphy (Bourne, Mass.) finished 39th and Erika Redmond (Concord, Mass.) was 46th. Oliva Arone (W. Newton, Mass.) finished 63rd for Providence. Fairfield’s Katelynn Waclawski won the individual event and St. John’s was the team champion. Scoring

Golfweek/Stifel Spring Challenge: Stonehill finished 19th as Middle Tennessee took home the title. Scoring

College Events this Week:

• Princeton Invitational April 11–12 | Springdale GC | Men Teams: Dartmouth, Georgetown, Harvard, Yale

• Rutgers Invitational April 11–12 | Rutgers University GCS | Women Teams: Boston University, Dartmouth, Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart

• Wofford Invitational April 12–14 | CC of Spartanburg | Men Teams: Providence College

• Abarta Collegiate Invitational April 12–13 | Northampton CC | Men

• The Shark Invitational April 13–14 | Brookville Country Club | Men Teams: Bryant, College of the Holy Cross, Fairfield, New Haven, Sacred Heart

• ABARTA Coca-Cola Collegiate Invitational April 14–15 | Northampton CC | Men Teams: Merrimack

• ACC Championship April 16–19 | Porter's Neck GC | Women Teams: Boston College

Amateur Golf

Seagulls Four-Ball: A staple on Cape Cod, Hyannisport Club hosts the Seagulls Four-Ball every April. The field will play qualifying rounds on Saturday to set seeding for match play. The tournament takes place over two weekends, and the weather usually makes an appearance! Kevin Blaser and Ricky Stimets won the championship fight last year. Live Scoring

U.S. Challenge Cup Match Play: Tee Times and Matches for this weekend

• Boys 15-18 Division: Wilson Ouimet (Mansfield Center, Conn.) shot an impressive 72 at Triggs Memorial on Saturday to earn medalist honors. The Round of 32 was played on Sunday.

  • Stroke Play Results

  • Round of 32 Match Play Results

• Boys 14 and Under Division: Michael Rogers (Hingham, Mass.) shot 3-under par 69. He’ll be the top seed in his division. Results

• Girls Division: Adriana Eaton of Rhode Island shot 80 to earn the top seed in match play next weekend. Results

Scott Robertson Qualifier: Grey Gagnon (Portsmouth, NH) shot 72 (+1) and beat Wes Paine (Longmeadow, Mass.) for medalist honors. Results

Northeast Junior Ryder Cup: Josiah Hakala (New Ipswich, NH.) shot 72 (+1) at Ledgemont CC to beat Wes Paine (Longmeadow, Mass.) by a shot. An interesting weekend for Paine, with two runner-up finishes. Results

Bay State Golf: Volume 1

I wrote a digital book. It has 168 course reviews across Massachusetts. If you purchase it now, you receive a free updated version every year with new reviews and photos. Annual paid subscribers receive the book for free.

Masters Musings after round 1

A loose and free Rory

This is the Rory McIlroy a lot of people expected to see last May, June, and July after winning the career grand slam. Instead, he was surly and grumpy, skipping media and playing joyless golf.

It seems it took a return to Augusta National to unlock the confident, loose McIlroy.

It didn’t start great for him, but he settled into the round.

“But I would say that I didn't hit the ball very well the first seven holes, and sometimes here that would lead me to get tentative and a little guidy,” he said. “And I kept swinging, just trusting that I'm going to find it eventually. So maybe that was a little bit different.”

Rory still felt nervous and offered this gem of a comment, which should make everyone everywhere feel good about nerves on the first tee.

“So it was nice to feel my hand shaking a little bit when the tee went into the ground and struggle to put the ball on top of the tee. So I knew I was feeling it. That's a good thing. That's why we want to be here. We want to be able to try to play our best golf when we're feeling like that.”

Have to ask the question… if Rory wins in 2011, does he have 14 green jackets now?

“I said this when I came in on Tuesday. I think winning a Masters makes it easier to win your second one.”

He’s put himself in a position to prove himself right.

LIV Boys No Show

Is it gOoD fOr GoLf when Bryson DeChambeau (76) and Jon Rahm (78) eject themselves on Thursday at The Masters?

Twitter tweet

Bryson is busy printing his own clubs (and cutting grooves!).

Rahm is the real embarrassment though. He beat 15 players today and didn’t look ready from the very start of the round. Most importantly, he lost to three amateurs, Mason Howell (77), Jackson Herrington (76), Ethan Fang (74), and 60-year-old Jose Maria Olazabal (74).

Both guys were bad, and no one from LIV Golf shot under par in the opening round. Sergio Garcia shot 72, Dustin Johnson both shot 73, and Tyrrell Hatton shot 74.

LIV Performance in 2026 Masters First Round (Credit: Data Golf)

Ludvig Aberg and Robert MacIntyre

If we’re going to crush some LIV guys, we have to talk about Aberg and MacIntyre. Aberg walked off the sixth green 3-under par and ended the day with a 74. Doubles on holes 9 and 13 were the main culprits.

From DataGolf:

MacIntyre is the 8th-ranked player in the world and shot 80 today, including a 9 on the 15th hole. 15 had quite a body count today. Freddie Couples also made a 9 on the par 5.

Featured group on ESPN+ (or the App)

This is the best way to watch the Masters, in my opinion. I popped on the Rory McIlroy, Cam Young, Mason Howell and Xander Schauffele, Alex Fitzpatrick, and Bryson DeChambeau feed. Got to see almost every shot those guys hit, and they jumped over to some other groups, too.

It’s so valuable to watch the ebbs and flows of a round on any course, but especially at Augusta. Bryson was even par through 10, white-knuckling the entire front nine; he made a triple bogey on the 11th when he got stuck in a bunker.

They also play old This is SportsCenter golf commercials, which is a treat, and I enjoyed Shane Bacon and Johnson Wagner on the call.

Also, open up the DataGolf Live Blog for a nice companion to give some context to what you’re watching.

The bottom of the leaderboard

I admit, I have a sick obsession with the bottom of leaderboards. I have been on my fair share of them in my day.

I’d encourage you all to watch Aldrich Potgieter’s round. He was all over the place, and his chip shot on 1 likely didn’t settle the nerves. Relatable stuff.

Twitter tweet

One of Potgieter’s playing partners was 2-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal. He’s 60 and shot 74 today, beating Potgieter by ten shots.

Twitter Nuggets of various sorts

Twitter tweet

An important question here… I’m going into the dinner planning on one beer and a glass of wine with dinner, but I’ll crack and end up with a glass of bourbon in my hand on the deck in a rocking chair before heading home. Hopefully with Ian Woosman and NOT Gary Player.

Masters merch… so hot right now. This is more insane when you consider that the prices are rather reasonable.

Twitter tweet

Just remember to practice your short game this weekend…

Twitter tweet

If you would like to support my work, you can upgrade your subscription.

When I’m not golfing…

I’m reading…

• Randy from NLU recommended this article about an Augusta National chauffeur named Lawrence Bennett. Excellent read 

I’m listening to…

• Coldplay’s Parachutes was in the rotation this week.

• It’s more than a week old, but Chuck Klosterman is always a great guest on the Bill Simmons Podcast

I’m drinking

• Trillum makes some very good pre-made cocktails. Half and Half is my favorite.

I’m eating…

• We went to the Nuts Factory (no laughing!) in Beacon Hill last weekend and got a bunch of Swedish gummies. Very good.

• Had baked salmon twice this week. Getting excited for grilling season.

I’m watching…

• I mean, I’m watching the Masters.

Know someone who might enjoy this newsletter… send it along to them!

Bay State Archives

• Bay State Picks: Best courses you can walk for less than $60.

• Bay State Picks: Nine-hole courses to play before or after work

• Bay State Picks: 18 public golf that is worth your time

• Bay State Picks: Easy 18-hole public walks

• Bay State Deep Dive: Myopia Hunt Club

The green jacket wasn’t given to the Masters champion until the 13th edition of the tournament in 1949, when Sam Snead won the championship. Before that, only Augusta National members wore the jackets. The first 12 winners were given a jacket once the tradition began.

Every year, the winner of the previous Masters puts the green jacket on that year’s winner. This can lead to some awkward moments in Butler Cabin.

Neal Shipley, who was the low amateur in 2024, played with Tiger Woods in the final round. He became a meme as he navigated some questions about his round during the Butler Cabin ceremony.

But this isn’t about meme-able moments in the waning evening hours of the second Sunday in April. This is about either an interesting (maybe awkward…) dynamic between champions or a cool stretch of time when two or three men dominated the ceremony with alternating wins.

So here are some green jacket ceremonies that might have been a bit awkward or highlight how two players dominated during certain stretches.

2016 - Jordan Spieth to Danny Willett

Jordan Spieth would go on to win the next three Masters…

Possibly the most awkward green jacket ceremony in history. It looked like Spieth was going to defend his 2015 title and earn a second Masters title before turning 23. Instead, he collapsed early on the back nine. Playing hole Nos. 10-12 in six-over par, including a 7 the 12th hole; Danny Willett won with a 67 on Sunday. It’s incredible to think that Spieth had to stick around after his loss and sit in Butler Cabin with Willett and congratulate him on the victory.

It’s also incredible to think that Willett waltzed to the win by three shots at 5-under par.

The rest of this article is for paid subscribers. It includes five more examples of green jacket ceremonies.

1952 to 1954 - Ben Hogan and Sam Snead dominate

This is an incredible stretch. In 1952 Sam Snead won his second green jacket. Hogan gave the green jacket to Snead that year. Then in 1953, Snead gave a green jacket to Hogan.

The 1954 Masters is a superb end to Hogan and Snead's run of dominance. The two men faced off in a playoff. Snead beat Hogan in an 18-hole playoff that Monday by a shot. Snead fired a 70. Then, Hogan had to gather himself for a jacket ceremony with the guy who just beat him.

1962 to 1965 - Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus

Clifford Roberts (left) is just a miserable guy, huh? (Credit: Masters.com)

Another dominant stretch here. From 1962 to 1966, Palmer (1962 and 1964) and Nicklaus (1963, 1965, 1966) were the only Masters champions. Exchanging the green jacket back and forth before Nicklaus stopped the rhythm and defended his title.

1998 - Tiger Woods to Mark O’Meara

The friendship between Mark O’Meara and Tiger Woods was well documented when Woods came onto the scene. O’Meara mentored the younger Woods, and his 1998 win was attributed to playing with and being around Woods. O’Meara was 41 when he won. Tiger was 22.

For Woods and O’Meara to win back-to-back Masters and have the green jacket ceremony is cool. Their friendship cooled over the years. O’Meara still says they are friendly, but through the 2010s, they weren’t as close. Seems to be a trend with Woods.

Golf.com had a short article about this particular ceremony.

“I’ve got Tiger Woods — who is kind of like my little brother — putting the green jacket on me at 41 years of age,” O’Meara told GOLF.com. “Tiger’s a little bit taller than I am, and he had it up, and I couldn’t get my left arm into the jacket. And it was kind of an awkward situation, and finally, I turn around and looked at Tiger, and I’m like, ‘Hey, you gotta lower the jacket.’ And so he did, and I got my arms in there and he gave me a hug.”

2004 - Mike Weir to Phil Mickelson

From one lefty to another. Mike Weir became the first left-handed golfer to win The Masters in 2003. The following year Phil Mickelson broke through and won his first major in dramatic fashion. It’s cool that the first left-handed winners of the Masters came in consecutive years, which means they were part of the green jacket ceremony. Bubba Watson is the third lefty to win The Masters.

2005 and 2006 - Phil Mickelson to Tiger Woods

Simpler times… (Credit: Masters.com)

The rivals never had a memorable duel in the majors, which is a shame. But they did share the spotlight in back-to-back years during the green jacket ceremony. Mickelson slipped the jacket onto Woods in 2005 and then in 2006, Mickelson won his second jacket and Woods was the one to help him put it on.

It’s wild to think that both of these two greats won’t be at Augusta National this year. It will mark the first time since 1994 that at least one of them isn’t in the field.

Are there are green jacket ceremonies that stand out to you? Drop them in the comments.

Thanks for supporting Bay State Golf.

There are two different stories about the final round of Bobby Jones’ life, and there’s something to be learned from both stories.

One version of the story is that Jones played his final round at East Lake in Atlanta on August 18th, 1948. It’s the place where he played his first rounds as a child and learned the game that brought him fame and success. There’s a picture in the East Lake clubhouse marking the round.

The other story is that Jones played Wahconah CC in Dalton, Mass., on August 15, 1948 with a friend on his way back to Atlanta from Boston.

There is an original painting by Rene Clark along with a letter in the USGA Museum commemorating the round, and a 2013 article by Richard Lord in the Berkshire Eagle details some of the effort made to authenticate Jones’ round.

The round at Wahconah is marked as his final one with a letter that included the phrase, “This was my last effort, sorry it was not a better one.”

The story of both rounds highlights something that strikes at the heart of what makes golf so great.

It’s about people and places.

What we do know is that a 46-year-old Bobby Jones was in Boston to see a doctor because of some severe pain he had in his neck. The diagnosis wasn’t good; in fact, it was terrible. Jones was told he had syringomyelia, a rare and degenerative disease of the central nervous system; it was painful and incurable.

The man who dominated golf as an amateur, winning the Grand Slam in 1930, would be confined to a wheelchair in short order.

On the way back home, Jones planned to stop by Wahconah CC to play with member Bill O'Connell, a friend of Jones. Bruce Crane and Rankin Furey rounded out the foursome.

Some think that Jones might have played East Lake three days later, likely a bookend to his golfing life.

Here’s where I choose to believe both stories.

Jones knew these were his final rounds, and he chose people and places that were important to him. The nine-hole walk at Wahconah CC was with a friend on the heels of receiving such horrible news.

On the other hand, three days later, Jones might have played East Lake. He might have wandered out and hit a few shots at the course that gave birth to his love of the game and helped him hone his craft half a century earlier.

He was able to close the book on that part of his life.

Jones would live another 23 years. The final third of his life didn’t allow him to play golf.

So those final two rounds signify what’s so great about the game.

He was able to walk with a friend in a time when his world had been shattered.

Who knows what they discussed? Who knows if Jones opened up about his diagnosis or just found comfort in a round with a friend before heading home?

Some people would want the opportunity to know they are playing their final rounds. Some would rather not.

Some will have the choice and others won’t.

Jones did know his time on the golf course was limited, and he was able to play golf with a friend and then play golf at a place of meaning.

So as the season gets going this year, stop and appreciate the day as if it were your last round of golf.

Remember the courses that you love, the ones that you’ve played hundreds of times. The ones that helped you fall in love with the game. Then remember those friends who have been with you during your birdies and bogeys. The ones you’d choose to walk with after bad news or good news.

That’s what matters.

That’s what makes golf unique.

Thanks for reading. If you’d like more of my writing, you can subscribe to the newsletter or upgrade to a paid subscription to have access to all my writing.

Masters Content to binge this week:

To Watch:

• Every Hole of the 2025 Final Round with Masters champion Rory McIlroy: A really great hour of Rory’s recollections from the final round last year. He goes through it hole-by-hole.

• The third hole has been a topic of conversation this year. It was the scene of a big swing in last year’s tournament when Rory birdied, and Bryson DeChambeau made bogey. Golf Digest dove deep into the hole and how the strategy has changed.

To Read:

• Geoff Shackelford has been stupendous already with some great Masters content. Go read and subscribe to The Quadrilateral.

• Derek Ernst played in the 2014 Masters. This year, he’s on the bag for one of his college players, Jackson Herrington. Herrington, a sophomore at Tennessee, is in the field after making the final of the U.S. Amateur. And now Ernst is back at Augusta National. Good stuff from Brentley Romine.

• Smylie Kaufman was in the final group on Sunday in 2016 with Jordan Spieth. Spieth melted down on the back nine and Kaufman shot an 81. It was his only appearance, and now he’s on the mic. He talked about it with Dave Shedloski of Golf Digest.

To Listen:

• Paul Burke and I did our annual Masters preview. Listen Here | Watch here.

• Of course, No Laying Up and Shotgun Start are in my regular rotation and they pump out podcasts before and during the week.

• Brad Faxon previews the Masters on The Fried Egg.

• Smylie Kaufman goes through Augusta National with Bones, Phil Mickelson’s caddie. They have a yardage book, so it’s a great watch on Youtube.

Masters Week is here!

It's been a long winter in the Northeast — and Augusta National arriving in early April this year feels less like a golf tournament and more like an actual act of mercy.

But before we get into Scottie's form, Rory's defense, and whether Jon Rahm is about to remind everyone exactly who he is — we need to pause for a moment.

For the first time since 1994, neither Tiger Woods nor Phil Mickelson will tee it up at Augusta National. No dramatic comeback attempt. No patrons craning their necks on the first fairway. Just... the two of them, watching from home, like the rest of us.

If you grew up watching the Masters in the 90s and 2000s, that's worth sitting with for a second.

This week on the pod, Paul Burke joins Sean to mark the occasion, break down what Tiger and Phil actually meant to this tournament across three decades, and then do what we always do — argue about who's going to win.

Paul's riding Jon Rahm with a chip on his shoulder. Sean's going with Scottie and the even-year magic. There are dark horses, prop bets, a very strong Azalea cocktail, and an extended debate about whether Cam Young is ready or just almost ready.

It's Masters Week. There's nowhere else we'd rather be.

Hey Everyone,

Before we get to Masters week, let’s put a bow on last week’s competitions. A few tough missed cuts for some professional men, but Megan Khang had a nice week at the tough Shadow Creek.

A couple of college events finished up this week, and a few are in progress, with more starting later in the week. We’re nearing the conference championship section of the schedule before the national championships.

Texas Open: The two Bay State golfers in the field missed the 2-under par cut. Michael Thorbjornsen shot 70-74 (E). Davis Chatfield was agonizingly close again, shooting 72-71 (-1) to miss another cut by a razor-thin margin. He made on his 9th and 10th holes and then couldn’t make a birdie coming home, recording eight straight pars. I wrote a bit about Chatfield’s first 8 starts on the PGA Tour below. Results

LECOM Suncoast Championship: Rob Oppenheim shot 71-73 (+2) and missed the cut by five shots. Frenchman Jeremy Gandon won the tournament. Results

Aramco at Shadow Creek: Megan Khang shot 77-73-76-75 (+13) and finished T51 at a very challenging Shadow Creek. Only four players finished under par. Lauren Coughlin won by five shots with a winning score of 7-under par. Nelly Korda recorded her third straight runner-up. Results

College

Mason Rudolph Championship: Ryan Downes (Longmeadow, Mass.) helped Vanderbilt finish second behind Auburn. Downes finished in 5th place, eight shots behind the winner, Jackson Koivun, who won his ninth college event and is the top ranked amateur in the world. John Broderick (Wellesley, Mass.) played for the Vanderbilt second team in the home event and finished T40. Joey Lenane (Dedham, Mass.) finished T25 competing for NC State, and Trevor Drew (Tyngsboro, Mass.) finished in 72nd for Western Kentucky. Scoring

Augusta Haskins Award Invitational: Max McColgan (Lincoln, Mass.) of St. John’s University finished 76th. Scoring

This week in college golf:

• ECU Ironwood Invitational — Apr 5–7 | Ironwood GCC | Women Teams: Boston University - Scoring

• Terps Invitational — Apr 5–6 | University of Maryland GCS | Women Teams: Yale, Harvard University Scoring

• St. John's Invitational (women)— Apr 6–7 | St Andrew's GC | Women Teams: Bryant, College of the Holy Cross, Fairfield, Merrimack, Providence College, Quinnipiac Scoring

• Stifel Spring Challenge — Apr 6–8 | Caledonia Golf and Fish Club | Women Teams: Stonehill Scoring

• Wildcat Spring Invitational — Apr 6–7 | Galloway National | Men Teams: University of Rhode Island, Georgetown Scoring

Other Events

• Scott Robertson Qualifier: Grey Gagnon (Portsmouth, NH) shot 72 (+1) and beat Wes Paine (Longmeadow, Mass.) for medalist honors.

• Northeast Junior Ryder Cup: Josiah Hakala (New Ipswich, NH.) shot 72 (+1) at Ledgemont CC to beat Wes Paine (Longmeadow, Mass.) by a shot. An interesting weekend for Paine, with two runner-up finishes.

Hey Everyone,

We’re creeping up on The Masters, which is very exciting. I have a few posts lined up for next week that I’ve been working on along with a Masters preview pod with Paul Burke that’ll be out on Tuesday.

Some Masters content will be for paid subscribers only. That’s one perk of supporting Bay State Golf. Annual paid subscribers also get my digital book for free ($30 value). It has 168 reviews with pictures. If you purchase the book, it’ll lock you into free annual updates, including new reviews.

This winter, I officially registered Bay State Golf as a media company, so this is now a very real part of my life, and I appreciate any support you can give!

Okay, let’s get into it. A long piece today about Tiger Woods, Gary Woodland, and Anthony Kim.

News and Notes

Pro Golf

Texas Open: Michael Thorbjornsen shot 70 (-2) and is T46. Davis Chatfield battled back after a slow start. He was 2-over par after 11 holes but shot even par and is T79. Live Scoring

LECOM Suncoast Championship: The first round of the KFT Tour was suspended on Thursday night. Rob Oppenheim was two-over par after 14 holes, but he woke up this morning feeling dangerous and made two birdies to finish even par and sits T98. Live Scoring

Aramco at Shadow Creek: Megan Khang shot a 77 (+5) in the first round at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas and shot T95. Results

Minor League Golf Tour: Chris Francoeur shot one-under par in the Fountains West April Classic and finished T8. Results

Men’s College Golf

Maridoe Collegiate: Boston College finished 13th out in Texas. The field included four teams in the top 16 in the country. Oklahoma State beat Arizona State by 18 shots for the win. Results

Rum Pointe: The leaderboard had three teams from New England in the top 6. While Iona won the event, Fairfield finished second, Dartmouth took third, and Sacred Heart was sixth. Rasmus Ditzinger of Fairfield shot 68-67 (-9) to win the individual title by eight shots. Results

Cutter Creek: Harvard finished fourth, and Providence finished 14th. Will Spring (Concord, Mass.) finished 72nd, and Evan Buddenhagen (Gloucester, Mass.) was 77th for Providence. Temple’s Aidan Emmerich (Swampscott, Mass.) notched a 14th-place finish. Results

Columbia Spring Invitational: Drexel edged out Penn for the win. Bryant finished 7th, and Merrimack finished 11th. Chad Correia (Norton, Mass.) finished 15th for the Bryant Bulldogs. Brendan Zinck (Melrose, Mass.) finished 47th for Merrimack. Ryan Keyes (Wellesley, MA) finished T15 while competing for Columbia. Results

Seattle Redhawk Invitational: New Haven was out west in Washington. They finished 14th as a team. Abilene Christian won the tournament. Results

Women’s College Golf

Women’s Intercollegiate at Prospect Bay: Dartmouth finished in second place, three shots behind the winner, Penn. Also in the field from New England - Sacred Heart (3rd), Fairfield (4th), and Bryant (7th). Results

Georgia State Invitational: Georgia State won the tournament. Quinnipiac finished in fifth place, and Boston University finished 13th. Results

Coach Mo Invite: Molly Smith (Westford, Mass.) bounced back from an opening round 77 and shot 67-70 to finish in 6th place, two shots behind the winner. Victoria Veator (Bridgewater, Mass.) finished 54th competing for D2 Flagler. Results 

Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic: Penn State sophomore Lillian Guleserian (Westwood, MA) finished T54. Results

Coming up this week:

• Mason Rudolph Championship — Apr 3–5 | Vanderbilt Legends Club, Nashville TN | Ryan Downes & John Broderick (Vanderbilt), Trevor Drew (Western Kentucky) Scoring

• Augusta Haskins Award Invitational — Apr 4–5 | Augusta, GA | Max McColgan (St. John's University) - Scoring

• ECU Ironwood Invitational — Apr 5–7 | Ironwood GCC | Women Teams: Boston University - Scoring

• Terps Invitational — Apr 5–6 | University of Maryland GCS | Women Teams: Yale, Harvard University - Scoring

• St. John's Invitational (women)— Apr 6–7 | St Andrew's GC | Women Teams: Bryant, College of the Holy Cross, Fairfield, Merrimack, Providence College, Quinnipiac Scoring

• Stifel Spring Challenge — Apr 6–8 | Caledonia Golf and Fish Club | Women Teams: Stonehill Scoring

• Wildcat Spring Invitational — Apr 6–7 | Galloway National | Men Teams: University of Rhode Island, Georgetown Scoring

Amateur Golf

Augusta National Women’s Amateur: If you’re jonesing for some Augusta National a little early, the final round of the ANWA will be televised from noon to 3 p.m. on NBC and on the ANWA website. Asterisk Talley, the best girls junior golfer in the world, has a one-shot lead. They do not play a competitive round on Friday; instead, the entire field gets a practice round at Augusta National. Scoring

US Challenge Cup Junior Matchplay

• Boys 15-18 Division: Wilson Ouimet (Mansfield Center, Conn.) shot an impressive 72 at Triggs Memorial on Saturday to earn medalist honors. The Round of 32 was played on Sunday.

  • Stroke Play Results

  • Round of 32 Match Play Results

• Boys 14 and Under Division: Michael Rogers (Hingham, Mass.) shot 3-under par 69. He’ll be the top seed in his division. Results

• Girls Division: Adriana Eaton of Rhode Island shot 80 to earn the top seed in match play next weekend. Results

Other Events

• Scott Robertson Qualifier — Apr 3 | Montaup CC, Rhode Island | US Challenge Cup Qualifier

• Northeast Junior Ryder Cup — Apr 4 | Ledgemont CC, Massachusetts

Plugs

I made a very specific video…

Can Tiger learn from Gary Woodland and Anthony Kim?

It’s been an interesting first three months of 2026 in the world of golf. Gary Woodland and Anthony Kim have notched historic wins that would stand alone as comebacks of the year if they didn’t happen a month apart from one another.

Kim and Woodland are different beasts in how they returned to the winners’ circle. Kim, once a dynamo who seemed poised to win with bravado on the PGA Tour for years, disappeared in 2012. Golf’s sasquatch, beleaguered by addiction, remained in the zeitgeist of golfers who remembered the big belt buckle and bigger personality. His return was always a tantalizing possibility.

In 2024, Kim emerged from hiding and joined LIV Golf. It was the path of least resistance. He didn’t have to battle for exemptions on the PGA Tour; there was no ladder to climb. He was dropped into LIV events and played horribly. The rust was think, but he had the space to play and fail and still make money.

Then, after a year full of bad performances on LIV, Kim was relegated from the league and had to earn his spot through qualifying. He did that and then played more bad golf. Then the magic returned in Australia; he outdueled Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm at The Grange in Adelaide to win.

Since his return to golf, Kim has slowly opened up about his past and his addiction. He speaks about his willingness to change and seek help. The biggest change was becoming a father, and he spoke about his daughter in Hong Kong a few days after his win.

“When she ran out on to that green, that was -- selfishly, that was one of the most special moments of my life,” Kim said. “But that was my goal. I'm a recovering addict, but now I think I'm addicted to making that happen again. There's nothing that's going to stop me from working to get to that point.”

Then there’s Gary Woodland, the beloved 2019 U.S. Open champion who has recovered from brain surgery and PTSD over the last 2.5 years. He won in dominant fashion at the Houston Open this past week.

One would think that brain surgery would sideline someone for a while, but Woodland played 48 events in 2024 and 2025 combined; that’s a normal schedule. Some might call it a heavy schedule. He even finished runner-up in the Houston Open last year.

During his recovery, Woodland was struggling with PTSD. It wasn’t something anyone knew about until three weeks ago when he did an interview with Rex Hoggard and opened up about the struggles.

It was an impactful interview to watch. I couldn’t understand how Woodland was even playing competitive golf as he shared his reality with Hoggard on Golf Channel.

"I'm extremely hypervigilant. We were playing in Napa...a walking scorer startled me, got close to me from behind...my eyesight started to get blurry...Butch, I can't handle it. I start bawling in the fairway...I went in every bathroom to cry the rest of the day."

It seemed like golf should be the last thing on Woodland’s to-do list, but he insisted on playing. On chasing his dream.

The interview was like an exorcism.

It didn’t cure Woodland, but the knowledge that others knew his struggle, no matter how embarrassing it might have been to share, opened a new chapter for him. He didn’t have to pretend anymore.

“Obviously coming out with what I'm battling a couple weeks ago definitely freed me up a little bit. It took a lot off my plate,” he said after his win in Houston. “It allowed me to focus my energy where I need to and that's on me and taking care of myself so I can chase my dreams,” Woodland said.

In stark contrast, we have Tiger Woods. The greatest player of his generation was involved in another car crash on Friday afternoon in a sleepy neighborhood. He was arrested and charged with a DUI, which he pleaded not guilty to, claiming he was looking at his phone and changing the radio when the truck in front of him slowed down.

Imagine being in a position where you blame your phone for the accident because the alternative is worse?

On the Internet, there were knee-jerk reactions to get engagement. Followed by the more thoughtful responses. Followed by the think pieces. And of course, there are always the jokes.

Some scolded the media for not holding Woods accountable over the years and allowing him to act this recklessly, as they used him as their gravy train.

He could have killed someone.

Why doesn’t he have a driver?

Some defended Woods, or at least took the angle of “This is bad, but…”

And then Riggs from Foreplay planted his flag in Crazy Land and openly admitted to protecting Woods.

I refuse to link to his video, but here’s the transcript of the 17-second clip.

Completely normal stuff from Riggs.

It’s incredible to think that someone born the year Tiger won his first major in 1997 might actually remember his four car incidents more clearly than all but two of his majors. This has been Tiger’s life for about 16 years now.

In his public apology/press conference in February of 2010, he said, "I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I didn't have to go far to find them."

He had been in treatment for sex addiction for 45 days up to that point and said he was returning for more treatment.

The 2010 apology was typically Tiger. A public display with the press and an audience of friends, including his mother, but not his wife.

The New York Times wrote, “The rest of a news media contingent, which was 300 strong and included journalists from Japan, Australia and Norway, jammed into two ballrooms at the Marriott Sawgrass resort to watch the tightly controlled event.”

David Finchem gave a pretty eye-opening interview after the press conference, as well.

It was more focused on Tiger's return and what kind of distraction he would be when he returns to the PGA Tour, rather than on his well-being.

“I think in this case the good news from today is that, one, he plans to return; two, he could return as early as this year; and three, he clearly has taken the first very visible step in the road to that return,” he said. “So all of that pleases us a great deal.”

Obviously, 2010 is very different from 2026. LeBron’s Decision was on the horizon in June 2010 when he took his talents to South Beach.

This is how major stars used the media. Social media was so new; it wasn’t a way for athletes to connect or make statements, yet.

This time around, Tiger released a public statement on Tuesday (wisely dodging an April Fools drop on Wednesday…) saying he would be stepping away and seeking treatment. On Wednesday, a Florida judge gave him permission to leave the country to seek that treatment.

The online reaction to the statement created the same cycle of engagement farming that Tiger always seems to drive. Tiger is the needle, so while his press release would have made the rounds without much help, people just literally reshared the post without any commentary, not in hopes that people would see it, but that they would see their post of the press release.

This trio of golfers has all had demons to deal with. Addiction and illness can destroy lives and careers.

Kim fell so deep down the hole that it took 12 years to dig out and then two more in the public eye to win. However, over the last few years, once he returned, he did his best to talk about his addiction, and he’s made it a point to try to support others, including his idol, Tiger.

Woodland’s tumor changed how his brain took in information. Danger was suddenly lurking around every corner, even on a golf course, one of the few places that he likely hoped would act as a distraction from his tumor.

And then there’s Tiger, who has been riding a rollercoaster his entire life. One that has felt out of control on many occasions in the last two decades. But he hasn’t done much to let anyone in on the struggle.

Maybe he felt burned as a 21-year-old when he told Charles P. Pierce some off-color jokes in a sprawling feature for GQ Magazine titled “Tiger Woods, the Man. Amen.” Woods thought he was off the record; he wasn’t. That episode caused Tiger to close ranks for basically the rest of his life.

Tiger is 50 years old. His competitive days are behind him. His body is broken. His win in 2019 ushered in what many thought would be the next era of Tiger. He was a dad, lifting Charlie into the air and pulling his shy daughter into his chest. The pinnacle of his career, in some ways. The end of it in many others.

For Tiger to truly open a new chapter, maybe he has to open up. It won’t lead to success on the golf course like Woodland and Kim. But the hope should be that Tiger is in a place to live a long, healthy life, and his latest mug shot isn’t splashed across social media and printed on t-shirts anymore.

In the words of Anthony Kim, “To my own fault, I made a lot of bad decisions. But the only way I can overcome that is by just dealing with it and hitting it head-on.”

It’s up to Tiger; he can learn from Woodland and Kim, and meet this challenge head-on, if he wants to.

If you would like to support my work, you can upgrade your subscription.

When I’m not golfing…

I’m reading…

• I finished Virgin by George Saunders.

• I started We Don’t Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Modern Ireland by Fintan O’Toole. It’s excellent so far. Eye-opening stuff that covers the time of my parents’ childhood in Ireland.

I’m listening to…

• Quality Control by Jurassic 5 is one of those albums that reminds me of street parties on warm days in college. That time is coming… except I’m not in college anymore. But I can still listen to this album and enjoy it.

• I finished today’s newsletter in a coffee shop and George Ezra came on. I forgot about him, so I gave him a listen.

I’m eating…

• Costco’s Take and Bake Enchilada

• Brodericks, an Irish chocolate company, was selling this incredible chispy chocolate bar at Costco. The owner was handing out samples, so we bought a bag. Insanely delicious.

I’m watching…

• I’ve been slowly making my way through the Rory Documentary on Amazon Prime. So interesting nuggets. Love the footage from early in his career and his parents are just great.

Know someone who might enjoy this newsletter… send it along to them!

Bay State Archives

• A list of golf courses open in the winter.

• Bay State Picks: Best courses you can walk for less than $60.

• Bay State Picks: Nine-hole courses to play before or after work

• Bay State Picks: 18 public golf that is worth your time

• Bay State Picks: Easy 18-hole public walks

• Bay State Deep Dive: Myopia Hunt Club

As the competitive season gets rolling in the region, I will be sending out a short newsletter on Monday (or Tuesday morning!) with a rundown of results from the weekend, along with a preview of any upcoming events.

Paid subscribers will also get a few musings or thoughts that struck me from tracking events over the weekend.

Of course, if something big happens (like when Michael Thorbjorsen wins…), there might be a bit of writing about it. But ultimately, this email will be snappy and to the point.

Pro Golf

Ford Championship: Megan Khang shot 67-71-71-70 (-9) to finish T50. Alexa Pano missed the cut by one shot after two rounds of 70. Hyo Joo Kim won the event with a stunning 28-under par. She fired TWO rounds of 61. Live Scoring

Houston Open: Michael Thorbjornsen (Wellesley, Mass.) was in a great position to earn a spot in The Masters. He needed a T11 or better finish, but a poor final nine holes pushed him outside that threshold, and he ended up T14. Gary Woodland set the scoring record in his victory. Woodland is 2.5 years removed from brain surgery and spoke two weeks ago about his PTSD, which is a symptom of his cancer treatment. Incredible story.

Davis Chatfield shot 70 in the first round and then got off to a great start on Friday, but a disastrous finish on Friday afternoon caused him to miss the cut by two shots. Live Scoring

Davis Chatfield’s finish on Friday

Korn Ferry: Rob Oppenheim (Andover, Mass.) shot 69-70-75-70 (-4) to finish T53. It was his third made cut in seven events. Davis Lamb won at -19. Live Scoring

PGA Americas Q-School: Ethan Whitney (Westminster, Mass.) shot 70-77-69-68 (-4) in the PGA Tour Americas Q-School at TPC Houston- Pecan Course in Texas. The cut was at -15. Results

Hoag Classic: Jason Caron shot three straight rounds of 68 to finish T21 on the Champions Tour. Stewart Cink won the event at -19, four shots better than Zach Johnson.

Amateur Golf

US Challenge Cup Junior Matchplay

• Boys 15-18 Division: Wilson Ouimet (Mansfield Center, Conn.) shot an impressive 72 at Triggs Memorial on Saturday to earn medalist honors. The Round of 32 was played on Sunday.

  • Stroke Play Results

  • Round of 32 Match Play Results

• Boys 14 and Under Division: Michael Rogers (Hingham, Mass.) shot 3-under par 69. He’ll be the top seed in his division. Results

• Girls Division: Adriana Eaton of Rhode Island shot 80 to earn the top seed in match play next weekend. Results

The event will continue next weekend at Triggs Memorial, with the final matches played at Newport CC.

Coming up this week

Pro

• Valero Texas Open (PGA Tour) - April 2-5 | Michael Thorbjornsen and Davis Chatfield

• LECOM Suncoast Classic (KFT) - April 2-5 | Rob Oppenheim

• Aramco Championship Match Play (LPGA) - April 2-5 | Megan Khang and Alex Pano

College

• Maridoe Invitational (Men) — Mar 30–31 | Maridoe GC | Boston College

• Columbia Spring Invitational (Men) — Mar 30 | Rolling Green Golf Club | Merrimack and Bryant

• Georgia State University Invitational (Women) — Mar 30–31 | Rivermont GC | Boston University and Quinnipiac

• Seattle Redhawk Invitational (Men) — Mar 30–31 | Chambers Bay | New Haven

Amateur

• Junior Match Play Championship - April 4-5 | Triggs and Newport CC

• Scott Robertson Qualifier — Apr 3 | Montaup CC, Rhode Island | US Challenge Cup Qualifier

• Northeast Junior Ryder Cup — Apr 4 | Ledgemont CC, Massachusetts |

The rest of this newsletter is for paid subscribers

• Thoughts on Memorial Park GC

• Lowry’s insane hole-in-one record

• Thorbjornsen’s tough Sunday

Hey Everyone,

On Wednesday night, I walked down to the TD Garden in bright sunlight for the Celtics game. It was just another hint that things are getting better and the golf season, the actual season, is close.

I broke the seal and played at Unicorn last Sunday morning. It was very cold, but it was nice to hit some shots and walk with my friend Jameson. MassGolf is keeping a running list of courses that are open or that have announced an opening day.

Over the winter, there has been a lot of news about course sales, closures, renovations, and developments. So I decided to collect the news I know about and put it into one place. If there is any news that you think is worth sharing, there will likely be a second edition of this! Email me at sean@baystategolf.com with course news or any stories about golf in the Bay State!

Okay, let’s get to it.

News and Notes

Pro Golf

Ford Championship: Megan Khang carded eight birdies on her way to a 65 (-7) out in Arizona. Alexa Pano shot 70. Lydia Ko leads after a 60(!). Live Scoring

Houston Open: Michael Thorbjornsen shot a tidy 68 (-2) on Thursday. He carded an early bogey and then three birdies. He needs a strong week, likely a top-10 finish, to crack the top 50 in the world ranking on Monday and get an invite to The Masters. Davis Chatfield shot even-par 70 with two bogeys and two birdies; he is hovering around the cut line. Paul Waring leads after shooting 63. Live Scoring

Club Car Championship: On the Korn Ferry Tour, Rob Oppenheim carded a 69 at The Landings in Georgia. It was highlighted by an eagle 2 on the par-4 5th. John Pak shot a 61 to hold a one-shot lead over Ian Gilligan. Gilligan is absolutely a player to watch. He had cancer in high school, finished his college career at Florida, and is one of the best young talents on the KFT. I wrote a feature about him in 2022. Live Scoring

Minor League GT: Jack Boulger (Walpole, Mass.) shot 63-69 and finished T5 in the Atlantic National. James Driscoll (Brookline, Mass.) finished T14. John Cammarano (Wellesley, Mass.) finished T18. Amateur Lucas Dascoli (Everett, Mass.) also teed it up. Results

College Golf

Men’s Results

Carpetbagger: Bryant finished T2. Chad Correia (Norton, Mass.) finished fifth, and Tripp Hollister (Peabody, Mass.) finished 80th. Gettysburg senior Patrick Kilcoyne (Belmont, Mass.) finished T30.  Results

Bridgestone Collegiate: UConn finished 8th out in Napa, California at Silverado. Matt Costello (Taunton, Mass.) finished 60th, and Matt Oliveira competed as an individual and finished 77th. Sascha Robinson (Plymouth, Mass.) teed it up for Florida A&M, finishing 81st. Emil Nielsen (Wellesley, Mass.) finished 40th while competing as an individual for Santa Clara. Results

UC San Diego: Holy Cross finished T8 and recorded the best team score of the second round with an impressive 12-under total score. Alex Elia finished 5th individually. John Scully (Winchester, Mass.) and Ryan Scollins (Wrentham, Mass.) both finished T39. Brian Glennon (Hingham, Mass.), competing as an individual, finished 101st.  Results

Golden Horseshoe: The Georgetown Hoyas had three Bay Staters competing down in Virginia. CJ Winchenbaugh (Weston, Mass.) finished 20th. Alan Rose III (Weston, Mass.) finished 26. Carson Erick (Hingham, Mass.) finished 33rd. The Hoyas came in 6th place.

Austin Peay Intercollegiate: Trevor Drew (Tyngsboro, Mass.) finished 41st while competing for Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers finished 3rd as a team.

Women Results

City of Oaks: Boston College finished 6th at Lonnie Poole GC in North Carolina. Results

Ozarks National Invitational: Out in Missouri at Big Cedar, Merrimack placed 12th. (Note: Ozarks National is one of my favorite courses of all time.). Ericka Redmond (Concord, Mass.) placed 63rd, and Maya Murphy (Bourne, Mass.) finished 50th. Results

Kingsmill Intercollegiate: Dartmouth won its second event of the spring with a 23-shot win in Virginia. Sophie Tai led the Big Green with an 8-shot victory. Sacred Heart finished third, and Holy Cross finished 14th. Results

Coming up this week:

• Battle at Rum Pointe March 27–28 | Rum Pointe Seaside Links Teams: Dartmouth (Men), Fairfield (Men), Sacred Heart (Men)

• Cutter Creek March 27–29 | Cutter Creek GC Teams: Harvard University (Men), Providence College (Men)

• Intercollegiate at Prospect Bay March 28–29 | Prospect Bay CC Teams: Bryant (Women), Dartmouth (Women), Fairfield (Women), Sacred Heart (Women)

• Columbia Spring Invitational March 30 | Rolling Green Golf Club Teams: Bryant (Men), Merrimack (Men)

• Georgia State University Invitational March 30–31 | Rivermont GC Teams: Boston University (Women), Quinnipiac (Women)

• Maridoe Invitational March 30–31 | Maridoe GC Teams: Boston College (Men)

• Seattle Redhawk Invitational March 30–31 | Chambers Bay Teams: New Haven (Men)

Amateur Golf

Matt Parziale Joins Grass League: The Grass League coins itself as “High Stakes Par 3 Golf.” Parziale will compete on the Tampa Bay Swamp Dogs.

Instagram post

US Challenge Cup: Believe it or not, the Junior Match Play Championship kicks off the Challenge Cup season at Triggs in Providence this weekend. The event takes two weekends. This weekend has stroke play qualifying, and then the match play bracket will be set. The final matches will take place at Newport CC. Not too shabby! Tee Times

Massachusetts Golf Course News: 2026 Winter Roundup

It's been a busy offseason for golf in Massachusetts. Between sales, closings, renovations, and a few surprises, there's a lot to catch up on before the 2026 season gets underway. Here's a course-by-course breakdown of everything that's happened over the winter and what it means for golfers across the state.

I also made a video about all this news. You can watch that here.

Whaling City Golf Course — New Bedford

The city voted unanimously to allow Charter Development to build on part of the property, affecting holes 1, 2, 3, and the driving range. The course will shrink to 9 holes during construction. The clubhouse should remain intact, though parking and access roads may change. Long term, the plan is to spend $8–10 million rebuilding an 18-hole course on the remaining land — a project that could stretch into the 2030s. It’s unclear when this project will actually begin.

Easton Country Club — Easton

Stonehill College stepped in and purchased the course in early March, after a deal to sell to Toll Brothers for senior housing fell through. The college is launching a Division I men's golf team in the fall of 2027 and will use the course for both their men's and women's programs. The good news for everyone else — it will remain a semi-private course open to the public, just as it always has been.

Cape Cod Country Club — Falmouth

Big news: the course will be open for the entire 2026 season. Pure Sky Energy had been planning to break ground on a solar field in July, but something has shifted. No official explanation has been given, but the course is open — so go play it. This is a beloved community course, and 2026 may be a crucial year in determining its long-term future.

I have made a few t-shirt designs to help raise some money for the Save Historic Cape Cod CC group. You can check them out here.

Stow Acres — Stow

The North Course has been trimmed from 18 holes to 9, while the South Course remains 18 with some minor rerouting. A brand new heated outdoor driving range has been open all winter. The club is also celebrating its 100th year — originally known as Mapledale Country Club, it was the first Black-owned country club in the entire United States.

Maplegate Country Club - Bellingham

This one is done. The course was sold at the end of December and will be converted into a solar field. The French family built and owned the course for generations. The daughters of Leonard French ultimately decided to sell the golf course. It's a tough loss for an area that has already seen Bungay Brook close in recent years.

Shining Rock Golf Club - Northbridge

Shining Rock has been sold to Alliance Golf, a Connecticut-based company that also owns Red Tail in Devens, Massachusetts.

Leo J. Martin Golf Course — Weston

Leo J. Martin will be closed for all of 2026 while the state invests $5 million in renovations. Several greens — including the 6th, 15th and 16th — will be rebuilt or relocated. Architect Mark Mungeam, known for his excellent work at Franklin Park and George Wright, is involved in the project, which is an encouraging sign for the quality of the end result.

Cotuit Highground — Cotuit

The Heher family sold Cotuit Highground to the Barnstable Land Trust. For now, it remains a golf course, but the Land Trust has floated the idea of eventually converting it to walking trails and natural open space within the next 3 to 5 years. It's a welcoming, low-key course that's been a great entry point for new golfers on the Cape.

Lakeville Country Club — Lakeville

Very early stages here. Thorndyke Development approached the town in October 2025 with a proposal to convert part of the 18-hole course into a 55+ housing community, keeping 9 holes and adding a driving range. A follow-up meeting was held in January with more details. Rezoning, votes and public input will all be part of the process — nothing is decided yet.

Chequessett Club — Wellfleet

The course is closed for the next two years due to the Herring River Restoration Project. Work needs to be done to raise the back portion of the property, which has been prone to flooding. Plans also include some rerouting and the potential addition of a driving range. The course is expected to reopen in 2028.

Cape Club of Falmouth - Falmouth

In an interesting move, the Cape Club of Falmouth is transitioning from a high-end public option to a private club. They are currently selling memberships with an $8,000 initition until April 1, when the price will go to $25,000.

Yale Golf Course — New Haven, Conn.

After a major renovation by Gil Hanse, Yale Golf Course is set to reopen in late April 2026. Public green fees are posted at $350 for general golfers, $250 for those with a university affiliation, and $150 for students. Tee times can be booked 60 days in advance. It's widely considered one of the best college golf courses in the country.

A lot is changing, and not all of it is good news. But there are bright spots — Stonehill saving Easton, Yale coming back, and Cape Cod Country Club getting at least one more season. Stay tuned throughout the year as these stories continue to develop, and as always, get out and play whenever you can.

If you would like to support my work, you can upgrade your subscription.

When I’m not golfing…

I’m reading…

• This was an interesting piece about how reality shows are not being made at the same rate: Reality TV Confronts a Harsh TV Reality

• The baseball season started this week, and it's proving more and more difficult (and expensive!) to watch Red Sox games. NESN+ is $30 a month. This Athletic article breaks down just how insane it all is.

I’m listening to…

• Still enjoying the new Harry Styles album.

• Also, the soundtrack to the show Love Story is pretty great. All sorts of 1990s nostalgia.

I’m eating…

• We went to Moon Bar between Back Bay and the South End. Incredible food and cocktails. The Piri-Piri chicken thighs were awesome, and so were the tacos.

I’m watching…

• The Netflix documentary Dynasty: The Murdochs is very good. It covers the rise of Rupert Murdoch and the battle for power between his kids. It’s basically the real-world version of Succession without the snappy writing.

Know someone who might enjoy this newsletter… send it along to them!

Bay State Archives

• A list of golf courses open in the winter.

• Bay State Picks: Best courses you can walk for less than $60.

• Bay State Picks: Nine-hole courses to play before or after work

• Bay State Picks: 18 public golf that is worth your time

• Bay State Picks: Easy 18-hole public walks

• Bay State Deep Dive: Myopia Hunt Club

Hey Everyone,

Let’s get to the best news of the week, which came to me on Friday night:

Cape Cod Country Club will be open for the entire 2026 season.

It’s unclear why the decision was made. It’s unclear if PureSky and the Friels will change their mind again in June.

But for now, what looked like a surefire July closure to break ground before the tax credits expire is now a total mystery.

The goal now has to be to make it incredibly clear to the Friels that the course should be sold to someone else and remain a golf course. Fill the tee sheet all season. I’ll be there a couple of times at least.

I spent last weekend taking photos and videos for the Northeast Golf Show. It was humbling to meet readers, watchers, and listeners while I ran around with my camera. After a long winter hunkered down in my apartment trying to conjure up ideas for this newsletter and the Internet in general, it was nice to meet some people in the real world.

News and Notes

Golf Courses

Lakeville Country Club potential development: In October 2025, Thorndike Development proposed a senior housing development on Lakeville CC that would turn the course into a nine-hole course and driving range.

In January, during a Select Board meeting, they pitched the idea and its benefits to the town, including encouraging 55+ homeowners to move to the new housing so younger families can move in. Some residents are worried about traffic and the length of the construction. There is a long way to go with this one, but I’ll be monitoring.

Course Openings: If you’re curious about what courses are opening or will open soon. MassGolf has a running list.

Pro Golf

Valspar: Davis Chatfield shot 69 (-2) and is T17 after the first round. Keegan Bradley shot 73 and is T81. Live Scoring

Fortinet Championship: The LPGA is back after the Asia swing. Alexa Pano shot 74 out in California, and Megan Khang shot 75. The leader, Hyo Joo Kim, shot 63… Live Scoring

Cologard Classic: Jason Caron is competing this week. He has recorded a T14 and a T38 in his two Champions Tour events thus far in 2026. Live Scoring

College Golf

MEN’S GOLF

Schenkel Invitational: Yale finished T6 in Georgia. Matt Lin won the individual title for the Bulldogs. Results

Seminole Intercollegiate: Boston College finished 18th. Results

The Michael A. Marino: Joey Lenane (Dedham, Mass.) finished 52nd. His team, NC State, won the team title.

ECU Intercollegiate: A bunch of Bay Staters teed it up in North Carolina. Max McColgan helped St. John’s finish in third place. He notched a 15th-place finish. Lehigh’s Drew Golden (Hingham, Mass.) finished 34th and Matt Quinn (Holden, Mass.) 55th. Aiden Emmerich (Swampscott, Mass.) finished 40th, and Tommy Murdough (Concord, Mass.) was 85th for Temple. Results

Linger Longer: Ryan Downes will tee it up for Vanderbilt at Reynolds Plantation at Great Waters in Georgia. The team is ranked 11th in the country, and Downes is ranked 58th on Clippd Scoreboard. They hope to bounce back from a poor 12th-place showing in the Cabo Collegiate earlier in March.

WOMEN’S GOLF

Northern Kentucky Spring Fling: Holy Cross finished 6th down in Florida at Sandridge CC. Results

Augusta Valspar: Isebel Brozena (N. Reading, Mass.) shot a 64 in the final round to win the individual title at 7-under par. The Xavier sophomore has two wins this spring. Yale finished T9. Results

Red Rocks: Stonehill finished 11th at Oakcreek Country Club in Arizona. Jaelyn DeBoise (Springfield, Mass.) finished 33 and Carol Piganto (Foxborough, Mass.) finished 64th. Results

Betsy Rawls Invitational: Down in Austin, Texas, Harvard finished 14th. Results

Briar’s Creek Invitational: A very nice win for Boston College, who held off Molly Smith and her UCF teammates by three shots. Smith finished 11th. Results

Sacred Heart Spring Break Invitational: The host team, Sacred Heart, took home the title. Fairfield finished 3rd and Boston University finished fourth. Results

Coming up in College Golf

• The Carpetbagger Classic (Men) I March 21-22 I Bryant College

• City of Oaks Collegiate (Women) I March 22-24 I Boston College

• UC San Diego Invitational (Men) I March 22-24 I Holy Cross

• Ozarks National Invitational (Women) I March 23-25 I Merrimack

• Bridgestone Collegiate Invitational (Men) I March 23-24 I Uconn

• Kingsmill Intercollegiate I March 24-25 I Holy Cross and Dartmouth

Plugs

I wrote a digital book with reviews of every course I’ve played in Mass. on my quest. Every year, you’ll get an updated version with new reviews. Annual subscribers to the newsletter get the book for free.

Put Cohasse CC at the top of your 2026 Must Play List.

What’s the Worst that Can Happen?

Cameron Young’s win at The Players Championship was the culmination of a lot of close calls in big events. In the fall, he finally won on the PGA Tour, and now he’s got his hands on Gold Boy after a great finish at TPC Sawgrass.

After his birdie on 17, Young said he stepped up on the 18th tee to hit one of the toughest shots in golf, and his final thought before he pulled the club back was, “I’m going to hit the best shot of my life, right here.”

His ball landed 375 yards away from him in the fairway, and it put all the pressure on Matt Fitzpatrick to match that shot. He couldn’t and made bogey from the pine straw.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve heard different players talk about “What’s the worst that can happen?” as they think about a shot.

I first heard it on the Josh Nichols podcast The Mental Golf Show. Nichols lost to Matt Parziale in the U.S. Mid-Amateur championship in 2017. Guy’s a baller (everything comes back to golf in Massachusetts).

Rory McIlroy also said the same thing in a recent interview with Kevin Van Valkenburg in for the Fried Egg.

Over the years, Cameron Young has seen “the worst things that can happen” on a golf course. Is that a bit dramatic? Sure, but he’s had two close calls in majors in 2022, first at Southern Hills in the PGA Championship and then at The Old Course when Cam Smith beat him by a shot.

He’s been a terrible putter, and he’s turned that part of his game around. He’s now the 4th-ranked player in the world.

That mentality of understanding there is a worst-case scenario seems crazy for a golfer to have. While golf is not a game of perfect, it is certainly a game of fear. Fear of embarrassment and failure. Fear of filling in a scorecard with a big number.

Padraig Harrington has talked about scar tissue and experience and how those two things can actually harm a golfer. It’s a quote often used in golf media because it speaks to the game's challenges. How it gets harder with the more losses and failures because they can eat away at you at night. They can creep up while standing over a tough shot. They can turn into thoughts of grandeur: I’m finally going to win a tournament.

The funny thing about Harrington’s statement is that it flies directly in the face of how his career unfolded. He won three majors in the span of 14 months as a 36 and 37-year-old.

He made that statement when it appeared that young players were going to hoover up wins and majors.

However, it now looks like guys who have seen the worst and experienced failure have figured out how to harness it and play better golf in their late 20s and early 30s. Over the course of the professional game, that’s the peak age for most players.

And now, guys like Jordan Spieth, who had so much success as a 21-year-old, have spent the last decade trying to get back into past form. Spieth’s peers called him The Golden Boy, but he hasn’t won since April of 2022. And his last majors was a decade ago. Now Spieth is the one with scar tissue after all that early success.

Then there’s Ingrid Lindblad, one of the best women’s college golfers in history. Since turning pro, she’s been dealing with driver issues.

Twitter tweet

For us mere mortals, when we ask ourselves on a tee box, “What’s the worst that can happen?” the answer might be a lot scarier than McIlroy’s answer. But we’re not playing in front of millions of fans for millions of dollars.

But maybe a combination of Cameron Young’s belief that he was going to hit the best shot of his life and his understanding that things weren’t going to be that bad is a cocktail for success.

And if it’s not.

Then just enjoy a cocktail after the round and laugh it off with friends.

If you would like to support my work, you can upgrade your subscription.

When I’m not golfing…

I’m reading…

• This newsletter about Evacuation Day in Boston and the Knox Trail was excellent

I’m eating…

• Had a smash burger at Monument this week.

• We had Citizen Crust this weekend. Incredible pizza.

I’m watching…

• The NCAA tournament has been so much more enjoyable since I stopped filling out a bracket. One of the best sports weekends of the year.

Know someone who might enjoy this newsletter… send it along to them!

Bay State Archives

• A list of golf courses open in the winter.

• Bay State Picks: Best courses you can walk for less than $60.

• Bay State Picks: Nine-hole courses to play before or after work

• Bay State Picks: 18 public golf that is worth your time

• Bay State Picks: Easy 18-hole public walks

• Bay State Deep Dive: Myopia Hunt Club

Hey Everyone,

I’ll be at the Northeast Golf Show at the Gillette Stadium Fieldhouse all weekend. If you see me, please say hello!

If you’re interested in checking the show out, you can use a couple of promo codes for tickets online:

BSG = $5 off General Admission and $10 off Club Tickets

BSGVIP = $15 off the VIP package

Before we jump into the newsletter, I would like to start a list of courses that have announced opening dates as the weather warms and the snow melts.

If you know of a golf course that’s open or has announced a projected opening date, please send it to sean@baystategolf.com 

News and Notes

Pro Golf

The Players Championship: Michael Thorbjornsen shot 74 (+2), and Keegan Bradley shot 77. There’s something going on with Keegan Bradley. Just a horrendous start to the season, and I have to wonder if the Ryder Cup is having a long-term impact. Live Scoring

College Golf

MEN’S RESULTS

Peoples Championship: Providence is currently competing in Sea Island this weekend. Sascha Robinson (Plymouth, Mass.) is also competing for Florida A&M. Live Scoring

Surf Club Invitational: Boston College finished 4th. Rhode Island finished 7th, and UConn finished 8th. For Rhode Island, Aidan O’Donovan (Somerville, Mass.) finished 4th, and Tyler Bruneau (Concord, Mass.) finished 33rd. UConn’s Matt Costello finished T21. Results

Babygrande Donald Ross Collegiate: Georgetown brought three Massachusetts golfers to Mid Pines. CJ Winchenbaugh (Weston, Mass.) finished 44th, Carson Erick (Hingham, Mass.) finished 49th, and Alan Rose III (Weston, Mass.) finished 76th. The Hoyas finished 9th. Max McColgan (Lincoln, Mass.) finished 49th for St. John’s. His squad came in four shots better than Georgetown to take 8th place. Results

Sacred Heart Spring Break Classic: Merrimack finished T5, and Brendan Zinck (Melrose, Mass.) finished T21. The Warriors also had an individual champion; Rafli Sati (-3) who won by three shots. Also notching a T5 was Sacred Heart, and Hartford finished 9th. Results

Johnnie O Invitational: Joey Lenane finished T27 and helped NC State to a fifth-place finish. Results

Bandon Dunes: Emil Nielsen (Wellesley, Mass.) finished 57th while helping Santa Clara finish in 4th place. Results

WOMEN’S RESULTS

MSU SoCal Spring Invitational: Providence College finished 15th, and Olivia Arone (W. Newton, Mass) finished 78th. Results

Juli Inkster Invitational: Boston College finished 10th in a strong field at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. Results

Yale Invitational - West: Out at PGA West, Yale finished 10th. Results

Wofford: Quinnipiac finished 10th. Results

Le Moyne Orange Tree: Bryant finished second in the 18-hole event at Orange Tree GC.

Three courses in the Tavern Tier to visit in 2026

Over the course of my quest, I have organized courses by restaurant. From the Dive Bar to the Michelin Star restaurant, all golf courses fit into one of the eight tiers I have created.

As I played more and more courses, I realized there was a glut of middle-tier courses that needed to be defined more clearly. The Regional Chain (think Appleby’s or The 99) and the Neighborhood Joint needed something in between them. The Tavern tier was born.

Here’s how I describe The Tavern in Bay State Golf: Volume 1

The tavern golf course is the one you find yourself coming back to because it feels right. It’s comfortable, familiar, and unpretentious, with a layout that flows naturally and asks you to play golf rather than solve puzzles. There may not be a signature hole you talk about for weeks afterward, but there also isn’t a hole you dread standing on. The conditions are dependable, the routing makes sense, and the experience is cohesive from start to finish. A tavern course is easy to recommend, works for almost any group, and delivers a satisfying round without needing to impress you — the kind of place where you settle in, enjoy yourself, and leave knowing you’d happily return.

A shameless plug for my digital book.

It includes 168 reviews of Massachusetts golf courses. Once you buy it, you are locked into getting updated volumes every year with new courses (and maybe some tweaking of the tier system!).

Annual subscribers to this newsletter receive this digital book for free.

Ok, here are three courses that are worth your time in 2026.

Wachusett CC - W. Boylston, Mass.

Rating: 4 (This place is sweet and I'd very much like to play here 3-6 times a year. I would be disappointed to not play it every year.)

Truthfully, this could move up to the next tier, and maybe it will in the future; it’s also the course with the highest rating among the public Tavern tier so far.

Considering some of the rates to play other courses in the area (Shaker Hills, Butter Brook, and Red Tail), $95 at peak price is superb. Yes, it’s still a little high to make it an every-day course (unless you want to join as a member), but the conditions and design make it a must visit in 2026.

What makes Wachusett CC stand out are the green complexes. They have a nice mix that offer different types of challenge. The longer holes allow for balls to roll up through openings. Some have fall-off areas, and the short par 4s and reachable par 5s have some bolder features to protect par.

The 12th is an excellent par 4 that runs across some rumpled land to a green with a wicked false front.

Blissful Meadows - Uxbridge, Mass.

Rating: 3 (I would enjoy playing here 1-2 times a year, but I wouldn't be upset if I didn't get to play it every year.)

Par-3 15th at Blissful Meadows

I have only played here once, but it left an impression because of the distinct back and front nines. The greens were also a highlight.

If the entire course played like the opening five holes, I don’t think it would be on this tier. Blissful Meadows takes a bit of time to warm up, and those opening holes were choked out by trees and odd tee shots. The last 12 holes are good, and in particular, the middle stretch of the course has the best golf holes on the property.

The front is flat, befitting the “meadows” in the name, as the land was used for farming. Hole 8 is the best on that side, mainly because of the challenging lay-up and the green complex.

The back is a rollicking good time. It’s brawny and makes its character known right at the start, as the par 5 10th hole banks upwards around some wetlands. 11 and 12 play down, around, and over some big land features, too.

The pair of par 3s on the back nine is one of the best duos in the state. Long and challenging, the 202-yard 13th plays over a silver mine, and the 182-yard 15th is almost like a reverse redan, but over a big gulch.

Crosswinds GC - Plymouth, Mass. 

Rating: 3 (I would enjoy playing here 1-2 times a year, but I wouldn't be upset if I didn't get to play it every year.)

Crosswinds has 27 holes, and many consider it one of the best values in the state. It’s $95, and the cart is included if you’d like to use one. With Waverly Oaks ($110 - $125) and Pinehills ($140 - $175) asking for quite a bit more money, Crosswinds is a great option.

The three courses are all different enough. You’re going to have that Cape Cod vibe going around there with the short pines and winding fairways. There are a bunch of blind tee shots and some doglegs that require some precision. In the summer, it can get fast and firm, too. Making it a good challenge.

If you would like to support my work, you can upgrade your subscription.

When I’m not golfing…

I’m listening to…

• The new Harry Styles album Kiss All the Time, Disco Occasionally, is solid 

I’m eating…

• Made a Korean Noodle bake from Blue Apron this week. Very simple. Limited clean up!

I’m watching…

• We started Love Story, the JFK Jr. and Caroline Bissett show. It’s very good.

Know someone who might enjoy this newsletter… send it along to them!

Bay State Archives

• A list of golf courses open in the winter.

• Bay State Picks: Best courses you can walk for less than $60.

• Bay State Picks: Nine-hole courses to play before or after work

• Bay State Picks: 18 public golf that is worth your time

• Bay State Picks: Easy 18-hole public walks

• Bay State Deep Dive: Myopia Hunt Club

Hey Everyone,

Yes, it’s Monday, but Friday’s newsletter was stuffed with tons of news and results, and I left two things off that I wanted to call to your attention.

First, I wrote a digital book called Bay State Golf: Volume 1. You can buy it for $30. It has reviews for the 168 courses I’ve played on my quest. If you purchase it now, you get every updated volume for free. Each year, I will update the book with every new course I played in the previous season.

This is a great way to support my work covering golf in the area. If you are an annual paid subscriber to the newsletter, the book is free. Monthly subscribers get a 66% discount. You can upgrade here.

You can purchase Bay State Golf here

Paid subscribers get access to all my newsletters, including 2-4 Small Buckets a month, along with a 25% discount to Course Maps (a great gift…) and other bonus content.

Second, the Northeast Golf Show is this coming weekend to Gillette Stadium Fieldhouse. I’ll be there taking photos and videos for the show. Stop me and say hello if you see me!

There’s a bunch of stuff going on all weekend, and they gave me some promo codes for tickets, club fittings, and VIP Passes. Buy tickets here.

BSG = $5 off General Admission and $10 off club fitting

BSGVIP = $15 off the VIP Package, which is full of perks and free stuff from great vendors.

Michael Thorbjornsen’s late-round issues

It was looking like Thorbjornsen was on his way to posting his most professional performance of his career. With four holes remaining in his round on Sunday, he sat in 10th place in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Through 68 holes, he had made four bogeys and one double bogey on a course with trouble lurking around every corner. He was never in contention to win, but he posted rounds of 70-71-71 to hover around the top 20 all week.

Then, he made three double bogeys on his final four holes and plummeted to T33.

This is the second time Thorbjornsen has kind of exploded in the final stretch of a weekend round this year.

On Saturday at the American Express, Thorbjornsen made some big numbers coming home. He missed the cut, which falls on Saturday at the AmEx.

In the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, he started his final round on the 10th hole. He played holes 6-9 in in 8-over par, including a triple-bogey on 17 and a quadruple-bogey on 18

While it wasn’t an “explosion,” Thorbjornsen made a bogey on the 18th hole in the second round of the Cognizant Classic last week to miss the cut by a shot.

Less troubling was how he finished the WM Open. He held the lead with three holes left and made bogey on 16 and 17 to finish T3.

This is looking like something that should be monitored. And while he should play well enough throughout the year to earn status next year, these lost points could make the late summer a little more stressful. They could also impact his chances at the Tour Championship.

Thorbjornsen has won at every level he’s played. He’s won the U.S. Junior (beating API Champion Akshay Bhatia), college events, a state amateur champion, and the Western Amateur.

I’m still driving the Thorbjornsen bandwagon, I’m just on the lookout for some potholes as he figures out how to close out important rounds and tournaments.

The rest of this small bucket is for paid subscribers.

It includes thoughts on:

• The GolfPass Massachusetts public course rankings nonsense.

• The Big Swing Podcast interviews with the National Golf Foundation’s CEO Greg Nathan and Jeff Holzschuh of Morgan Stanley

• Golf’s propensity for breaking down and then putting up barriers

Hey Everyone,

I got a few texts from friends this week that were all along the same lines. They hadn’t really missed golf all that much during this winter, but each of them had just hit golf balls, and the itch was returning.

To be honest, my desire to play golf over the winter wasn’t super high. I didn’t feel compelled to visit simulators or book a trip to warmer weather. Maybe it was the cold and snow that crushed my spirit. Maybe I just needed a break.

However, the itch returned to me this week, too. I visited Vanguard Golf, a new indoor golf facility with a pretty sweet short-game area and simulators. It’s a member-only setup, but they are planning some public events in the coming weeks so people can scrape off the rust, have a bit of fun, and check out the facility.

On Monday, I drove down to Harmon Golf. I didn’t hit a golf ball, but I talked about golf with Tom Layman on his Level Par Podcast (watch here). It was fun sitting down and chatting in person. Tom recently released a novella called Level Par, about golf, mental health, and friendship. You can get the book here.

News and Notes

Golf Courses

Stonehill College buys Easton CC

It’s been an interesting past few years for Easton CC. They nearly closed a sale with Toll Brothers, but the land wasn’t buildable due to the wetlands and marshlands.

So Stonehill College swept in and purchased the course this week. It will remain an 18-hole semi-private course, and Mark Lombardi is going to continue as the General Manager. They also announced they are starting a Division 1 men’s program in 2027, and having a course could be a nice draw for the new program. It will be the fifth men’s Division 1 team in the state, joining Boston College, Harvard, Holy Cross, and Merrimack.

The purchase offers some new, exciting opportunities for the school, students, and community.

Whaling City is likely being (partially) sold.

South Coast Today published an article this week that said the town of New Bedford is “poised to sell 95 acres of the Whaling City Golf Course for development into a high-tech business park that will create an estimated 800 to 1,000 permanent jobs

This has been a rumor for a while now, but the wheels seem to be in motion.

The first three holes and the driving range will be lost to the development. The clubhouse won’t be touched, but the access point will change. According to the article, the course will be reduced to nine holes during the construction phase, and then they will try to build new holes to return to an 18-hole course.

Here’s some free advice for New Bedford.

Be Different. 

Build a cool 12-14 hole course. It would be way better than cramming 18 holes into the remaining land that is now surrounded by a landfill, highway, and industrial park.

This plan was published in Jan. 2025

Pro Golf

ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL: Michael Thorbjornsen shot 70 (-2) in the first round. Keegan Bradley shot 71. Daniel Berger leads at 9-under par. Live Scoring

PUERTO RICO OPEN: Davis Chatfield shot 70 (-2) and is T21. Live Scoring

CHILE CLASSIC: Chris Francoeur and Rob Oppenheim both shot 70 and are T58. Live Scoring

College Golf

CABO COLLEGIATE: Ryan Downes (Longmeadow, Mass.) shot 75-71-73 to finish 46th, and John Broderick (Wellesley, Mass.) finished 64th with rounds of 75-75-74 down in Mexico. It was a tough week for Vanderbilt, as the team finished in 12th place. Results

LADY LUCK INVITATIONAL: Molly Smith played a key role in helping UCF win out in Las Vegas. She shot 77-69-71 (+1) to finish in 5th place. Results

HUNTSVILLE INTERCOLLEGIATE: The Merrimack women finished in 9th place. Ericka Redmond (Concord, Mass) came in with the best score for the team, finishing in 30th place. Jillian Johnson (Hingham, Mass.) finished 51st. Results

SAM RYDER INTERCOLLEGIATE: It was a tough showing for Rhode Island. They finished T11 as a team. Tyler Bruneau (Concord, Mass.) finished 20th, and Aidan O’Donovan (Somerville, Mass.) finished 43rd. Results

Coming up this week:

• MSU SoCal Spring Invitational (W) I March 8-10 I Providence College

• Surf Club Invitational (M)I March 9-10 I Boston College, URI, UConn

• Juli Inkster Invitational (W) I March 9-10 I Boston College

• Le Moyne Orange Tree Invitational (W) I March 9-10 I Bryant

• Yale Invitational - West (W) I March 9-10 I Yale

• Wofford (W) I March 9-10 I Quinnipiac

• Peoples Championship (M) I March 12-14 I Providence

• Northern Kentucky Spring Fling (W) I March 13-15 I Holy Cross

• Red Rocks Invitational (W) I March 13-15 I Stonehill

• The Schenkel Invitational (M) I March 13-15 I Yale

Amateur Golf

MassGolf opened registration for its Member Day lottery. There are 20 different private courses on the schedule, a great way to play a private course. Here’s the entire scoop from MassGolf.

Massachusetts Amateur registration also opened this week. Four sites filled up within a few hours, but some venues still have spots available. Information here.

Plugs

I played Westminster CC and Monoosnock CC in a day last August.

Should the USGA take bigger risks picking future sites?

This week, the USGA announced a bevy of future sites for its championships. At this point, the USGA has some venues locked up for 2051 championship - Saucon Valley will host the U.S. Amateur that year.

The winner of that event probably (definitely?) hasn’t been born yet. Last year’s U.S. Amateur winner, Mason Howell, is currently a senior in high school.

Inverness CC in Toledo, Ohio, won three future events, including the 2045 U.S. Open, a massive coup for the Midwest Donald Ross design that had seemingly been set aside along with other Golden Age designs that couldn’t keep up with how far the pros hit it now.

Twitter tweet

Inverness CC hosted the 2021 Solheim Cup and looks like an awesome place to play golf. No Laying Up played it ahead of the Solheim Cup if you’d like a peek at the place.

The announcements of all these future sites got me thinking… what if the USGA picked some off-the-radar public courses for events that are 20 years away?

Imagine if Ponkapoag knew it was hosting the 2045 U.S. Amateur.

Yes, it takes a lot of imagination to get there. I get it.

What would an announcement like that do to the golf course?

Would it help bring about changes?

Would the USGA partner with MassGolf and the state to get those 36 holes ready for the tournament?

Listen, I know that Ponkapoag is the extreme example here, but I do think there is some merit to wondering why the USGA isn’t picking potential championship venues that are absolutely not ready now but could be ready in 10-20 years.

Could Ponky close in 20 years? Maybe.

Could the USGA find a site that could replace it? Yes.

If someone told you in 2005 that Franklin Park and George Wright were going to co-host the Massachusetts Amateur, you would have called them crazy.

But in 2018, that’s what happened.

The next year, they went to The Country Club.

What an incredible combination.

And now, after prepping George Wright and Franklin Park, those courses have remained in stellar shape even with the massive amount of traffic it sees during the season.

In 2028, George Wright will host the Mass. Amateur and Franklin Park will host the Mass. Women’s Amateur.

There’s no reason that the USGA couldn’t do the same thing for public golf all over the country. It doesn’t have to be Ponky or any course in Massachusetts. But why not take a chance with a few of these championships to bring attention to courses that could use a boost and are capable of hosting a national championship?

If you would like to support my work, you can upgrade your subscription.

When I’m not golfing…

I’m reading…

• Vigil by George Saunders

• Foxborough is putting up a fight with FIFA as the World Cup nears…

I’m listening to…

• Unsure how this Lorde album is 13 years old… it’s the only Pure Heroine I need…

I’m eating…

• Skillet Gnocchi With Miso Butter and Asparagus. Easiest recipe and absolutely delicious. I added frozen peas and corn.

I’m watching…

• Love is Blind on Netflix continues to be a wild ride.

• Marty Supreme was very good.

Know someone who might enjoy this newsletter… send it along to them!

Bay State Archives

• A list of golf courses open in the winter.

• Bay State Picks: Best courses you can walk for less than $60.

• Bay State Picks: Nine-hole courses to play before or after work

• Bay State Picks: 18 public golf that is worth your time

• Bay State Picks: Easy 18-hole public walks

• Bay State Deep Dive: Myopia Hunt Club

Hey Everyone,

This week, I hit “publish” on Bay State Golf: Volume 1.

It is a digital book with 168 course reviews, including pictures, words, facts, and my opinions on each course I’ve played on the quest.

At the end of every year, I will update the book with new reviews from the past season. Those updates are free for anyone who purchases this copy.

You can purchase it here for $30.

Any annual paid subscribers to the newsletter receive this book for free. Monthly subscribers pay $10 for access.

I hope you’ll consider supporting my work here at Bay State Golf.

The main section of this newsletter is the Introduction I wrote for Bay State Golf.

But first, we have to get to some news and notes, including a college win for a local golf star.

News and Notes

Pro Golf

COGNIZANT: Michael Thorbjornsen is already on the course for his second round. He shot a 72 (+1) on Thursday. Davis Chatfield shot 73 in the opening round and tees off at 8:09 am. Live Scoring

ARGENTINA OPEN: Rob Oppenheim shot a 68 in the opening round at the Jocket Club. As I type this, he is -3 in his second round and sits in T22. Chris Francoeur shot an even-par 70 and tees off at 11:29 a.m. for his second round. Scoring Live

HSBC WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: After two rounds at Sentosa in Singapore, Megan Khang is T33. She has clocked a round of 73 and 70. Live Scoring

College Golf

REYNOLDS LAKE OCONEE INVITATIONAL (W): Boston College finished fourth at Great Waters at Reynolds Lake Oconee in Georgia. Cynthia Zhang led the way for the Eagles with a 14th-place finish. Results

THE SAVANNAH INTERCOLLEGIATE (M): Down at the Club at Savannah Harbor, Sacred Heart finished T7, and Dartmouth placed 18th. Two Massachusetts players teed it up for Lehigh. Matthew Quinn (Holden, Mass.) finished 55th, and Drew Golden (Hingham, Mass.) finished 86th. Results

SPACE COAST CLASSIC (W): Dartmouth won by nine shots. Sacred Heart finished 13th, and Holy Cross finished 14th. Results

BATTLE AT THE BEACH (W): Fairfield had a solid showing with a second-place finish. Stonehill settled into the middle of the pack with a T8 finish. Jaelyn DeBoise (Springfield, Mass.) finished 28th, and Carol Piganto (Foxborough, Mass.) took 38th. Newly minted Division 1 program, New Haven, finished 10th. Results

DORADO BEACH COLLEGIATE (M): Two teams from New England teed it up at TPC Dorado Beach in Puerto Rico. Bryant, Providence finished 13th. Will Spring (Concord, Mass.) finished in 57th and Evan Buddenhagan finished 87th. Bryant was one spot behind Providence. Chad Correia (Norton, Mass.) took 85th for Bryant. Results

BABS STEFFENS INVITATIONAL (W): Bryant finished 13th. Results

BRUIN WAVE INVITATIONAL (W): Yale finished 12th out at Valencia CC in California. Results

EL CAMPEON COLLEGIATE (W): Providence finished 13th. Olivia Arone (W. Newton, Mass.) finished T58. Results

ARCIS HBCU CHAMPIONSHIP(M): Sascha Robinson (Plymouth, Mass.) finished in third. The sophomore at Florida A&M shot 74-73-33 in the 45-hole event. Florida A&M won the team event by 42 shots. Results

ISABEL BROZENA WINS RIO VERDE COLLEGIATE: The 2025 Mass. Women's Amateur champion earned her first college win this week. She shot 69-72-74 (-1) for a one-shot victory Rio Verde CC in Arizona. Result

Instagram post

Amateur Golf

JONES CUP SENIOR INVITATIONAL: Doug Clapp was the only Bay Stater down in Georgia for the Jones Cup Senior Invitational. finished T37 in the elite senior event… Results

GASPARILLA: Nick Maccario (T10) had another solid performance at the Gasparilla. Matt Parziale also made the cut and finished T15. Ricky Stimets and Herbie Aikens both missed the cut.

Plugs

Spring is coming… and in this week's YT video, I share some courses worth a splurge this summer.

Bay State Golf: Volume 1

This is the introduction to the new digital book.

Introduction

Every time I think about the starting point of my quest to play every course in Massachusetts, the origin of it all moves. It started with the simple answer - I quit teaching in 2019 and had some extra time. A pandemic railroaded a lot of the hopes I had for 2020.

Traveling and exploring were replaced with sitting in my apartment. In that version of this story, the quest became an explosion of frustration with being cooped up for months on end - A wild idea that I verbalized to friends in late May of 2020.

The more I think about the genesis of the idea, the books I read in 2019 and 2020 were full of golfing adventures. Tom Coyne wrote three of those books: A Course Called Ireland, A Course Called America, and Paper Tiger. James Dodson was the other golf author who added some kindling to the fire with Range Bucket List and Final Rounds.

All five of those books highlighted wild ideas, youthful curiosity, golf trips and connections with people and places.

I have often said that golf and drinking culture are one and the same. That is not because you can drink while you play. You can bowl and drink, too. But people love checking out new bars and pubs. They offer an insight into a community. They differ from one to the next an d have their own personalities.

Golf courses are the same. Travel to different courses and you will meet different people and experience the feeling of being in a place. In some cases, you will meet other travelers and in other cases you will meet locals.

Bowling doesn't do that. Pick-up basketball doesn’t do that.

Baseball stadiums offer something that bars and golf courses offer, but no one is saving up money to play whiffle ball in Fenway Park. Golfers, however, can save their cash and tee it up at Pebble Beach.

As I dig a bit deeper into my psyche and try to suss out why I started the quest, I find myself back in 2014, watching my dad, rather quickly, lose a battle with cancer. He was 67 and had reached the point where semi-retirement was suiting him. He was in the part of life where he could take a step back and make plans and dream a little. He wanted to spend more time at home. Hang out with my mom. Play more golf near and far.

In the span of six weeks, those dreams were stripped of any reality.

I quit teaching for the first time in 2015. I was burned out by constantly trying to please the unpleasable - private school parents. Instead of walking away, I was lured back with a new position: Dean of Students.

That new position lasted four more years and in 2019 I drove off campus as an educator for the last time.

I could feel the world shifting - kids were treating each other worse than I ever remembered. Looking back, the anxiety from the work gave me chest pains and sleepless nights.

My dad worked his ass off for his entire life only to die just as he was starting to really enjoy a bit of freedom.

I wasn’t going to let that happen to me.

If COVID-19 doesn’t strike in 2020, I might have found my way back to a normal existence as a teacher. Maybe a new school would have been different. That door is still slightly ajar, I miss the kids and the energy of a school and the rhythm of the school calendar.

Teaching was an easy identity to hold on to, it was an easy one to explain to a stranger at a cocktail party or on the golf course. Now, I bumble through what I “do” when that question arises.

Some of what I’m doing is still teaching, I think. I’m gathering information and trying to share it with others. This project is a big part of that teaching. I know I have a lot of learning left to do, and once this quest is done, there will be more things to learn and courses to play.

But for now, thanks for being here for the ride.

Purchase Book

When I’m not golfing…

I’m reading…

• I finished God of the Woods by Liz Moore. Thought it was excellent.

• I started Vigil by George Saunders. I am embarrassed to say I haven't read any of his writing.

I’m listening to…

• I watched Sinners this week, and it featured vampires singning some traditional Irish songs. It prompted me to fire up some Clancy Brothers.

I’m eating…

• Made Shepherd's Pie this week during the blizzard.

• This Vegetable Soup allows for some freedom of ingredients.

I’m watching…

• I am making my way through the Best Picture Oscar Nominees.

  • Begonia - Wild and weird kidnapping movie.

  • F1 - A rollicking good time. Fast cars. Brad Pitt. Might have been 25 minutes too long.

  • Sinners - Way less gruesome than I thought. I did not expect to see vampires singing traditional Irish songs that my relatives would sing after a few beers. Probably my favorite of this bunch of movies.

  • One Battle After Another - Well acted. Intense with some timely topics.

  • Frankenstein - Very cool reimagining of the story. Beautifully shot.

Know someone who might enjoy this newsletter… send it along to them!

Bay State Archives

• A list of golf courses open in the winter.

• Bay State Picks: Best courses you can walk for less than $60.

• Bay State Picks: Nine-hole courses to play before or after work

• Bay State Picks: 18 public golf that is worth your time

• Bay State Picks: Easy 18-hole public walks

• Bay State Deep Dive: Myopia Hunt Club

Hey Everyone,

Genesis Invitational week always makes it feel like golf season is very close (even with snow in the forecast…). Watching guys play a course that feels similar to something you could find in the northeast is comforting. Hawaii, the desert courses, and Pebble Beach don’t really have that feel. Riviera CC does.

During Tiger’s press conference this week, he once again spoke about the possibility of a new schedule on the PGA Tour that could start after the Super Bowl. It got me thinking about what the game of golf has that football and the NFL might want, because it feels like the conversation always goes in one direction.

So that’s the meat of the newsletter.

Let’s get into it!

News and Notes

Pro Golf

GENESIS INVITATIONAL: Keegan Bradley is the only Bay Stater in the field at Riviera CC. He had a tough day in the rain and shot a 76 (+5). Live Scoring

I made an Instagram Reel about the connection between Riviera CC, The LA Open, Marion GC, and Worcester native (and Holy Cross grad!) Paul Harney.

HONDA LPGA THAILAND: Megan Khang had a tough start to her season. She shot a 75 on Thursday, but clawed her way back up to the leaderboard with a 69 on Friday. She is T58. Live Scoring

MINOR LEAGUE GOLF TOUR: Chris Francoeur (Amesbury, Mass.) shot a 64 at Indian Springs CC to notch his first MLGT victory. Another Bay State connection, Ryan Celano finished T3. Celano is the son of The International’s Director of golf Paul Celano. Results

College Golf

WATERSOUND INVITATIONAL: John Broderick (Wellesley, Mass.) and Ryan Downes (Longmeadow, Mass.) both finished T14 and helped Vanderbilt finish in second place at the Watersound Invitational. Downes shot a 63 in the second round, the lowest score recorded in the event. Results

LOYOLA INTERCOLLEGIATE: Holy Cross finished 20th, and NC State senior Joey Lenane (Dedham, Mass.) finished 30th. Lenane’s Wolkpack squad finished in 4th place. Results

PRESTIGE: The Yale men finished T22 out at PGA West. Results

Who is playing this week?

• Feb. 20–22 — Reynolds Lake Oconee Invitational (W): BC

• Feb. 21–22 — Columbia Classic (W): Holy Cross, Dartmouth, Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart

• Feb. 21–22 — Savannah Intercollegiate (M): Dartmouth, Fairfield, Sacred Heart

• Feb. 22–24 — Dorado Beach Collegiate (M): Bryant, Providence

• Feb. 23–24 — Babbs Steffens Invitational (W): Bryant

• Feb. 23–24 — El Campeon Collegiate (W): Providence

• Feb. 23–24 — Bruin Wave Invitational (W): Yale

I have compiled schedules and results for every New England Division 1 team and Massachusetts-based D1 players. You can find it here.

Amateur Golf

GASPARILLA: The popular mid-amateur event in Tampa Bay got started on Thursday at Donald Ross’ Palma Ceia CC. Four players from Massachusetts are in the field. The top 70 and ties make the cut after 36 holes. The final round is Saturday Live Scoring

Plugs - Two podcasts and a Pine Oaks visit

I was a guest on two podcasts in Janurary and they both released this week!

I joined AJ on The Waggle Podcast to talk about Bay State Golf and my quest and other tangential things.

Then I hopped on The Golfer’s Anonymous with Noah to do a 2026 Golf Wishlist

Last July, I popped into Pine Oaks in Easton on the way home from New Bedford. The course is cool, and Joe and Leigh’s is one of the best golf stores in the state. Incredible used club section.

Golf has something that the NFL is looking for

The NFL is king in the United States. It dominates the fall and winter, and it continues to hum in the background year-round.

But dominance at home doesn’t guarantee relevance abroad.

Yes, the NFL is so dominant that other sports and organizations have tried to avoid bumping up against the NFL’s schedule.

Yes, there have been rumors and suspicions that the PGA Tour might start its season after the Super Bowl.

Yes, seven years ago, the PGA Tour shifted their season to finish in late August before the pigskin was officially in the air after Labor Day.

Even Rory McIlroy admires how the NFL operates.

However, the NFL wants to dominate more than just the United States. Games in London, Munich, Dublin, Mexico City, and Rio de Janeiro have dotted the schedule and become increasingly prevalent over the last decade in order to (wait for it...) grow the game.

This type of growth is a long-term goal. Sports can take generations to take hold in far corners of the planet.

Many point to the 1992 Dream Team in Barcelona for creating the slow drip that spread around the globe and created an NBA that hasn’t had an American-born MVP since James Harden in 2018.

The NFL is learning that sitting in a stadium or a living room watching a game does not always lead to actually playing the sport.

And if that’s ultimately what Roger Goodell and the NFL want, they’ll have to find ways to make football approachable for those who want to play.

If you think golf has a high barrier to entry, then think about the challenge football has for creating pipelines to the NFL.

Football requires large teams, organization, equipment, and coaching. It’s a physical, violent game, which can be a red flag for many families because the injury risk is high. In some cases, countries already have their violent games. Rugby comes to mind for much of the world.

Flag football might be the best gateway into helmets and pads.

Right now, 3% of the players in the NFL are foreign-born, according to this George Mason report. Of that group of players, 20% of them are Canadian. Jamaica (6.8%), American Samoa (6.5%), Germany (6.5%), United Kingdom (6.3%), Nigeria (5.3%), Australia (3.2%), Italy (2.8%), Tonga (2.4%), and Mexico (2.1%) make up most of the remainder of those foreign-born players.

Golf is already a global game, but it also has its challenges. People need clubs and a place to play. Instruction isn’t necessary to just get people playing the sport, but it’s not dangerous, and it can be played alone.

There’s a reason soccer and basketball are the most played sports in the world: they require minimal equipment, and both have a flow that doesn’t require plays or organization at the grassroots level.

Next season, the NFL will play its first game in Australia. It’s a country that loves contact sports like rugby and Australian Rules Football.

Julia Alexander of Puck News wrote:

In her article, Alexander also challenges the impact of these international games.

The problem with the NFL games abroad is that they feel like the circus has come to town.

Those connections will come from individual football players more than teams from American cities.

Over the years, it feels like the NFL has made an effort to minimize any sort of individuality. Players are penalized for removing their helmets. Individuality has been flushed out of the sport as flags get tossed for celebrations and taunting.

That culture makes it hard to have football evangelists within the game.

It’s no surprise that one of the most recognizable players gained fame because he dated, and then proposed to, Taylor Swift.

If an NFL player wants to be recognized, he’ll have to be in an insurance commercial.

Golf can generate stories that focus on individuals. These stories can attract new people to the sport. Golf careers also have a longer shelflife, allowing for more notoriety and infamy, which makes things more interesting.

As long as those stories are told.

The NFL going to Australia will be interesting because it has proven to be a treasure trove for golf. The Australian Open was excellent at Royal Melbourne this past year. Rory McIlroy made the trip, and Cam Smith nearly won the event. LIV Golf has had its best events Down Under, which culminated with Anthony Kim’s incredible victory last week.

I wonder what Roger Goodell would give to have a scene in Australia like the one Anthony Kim generated last weekend?

Thousands of fans surrounding a green as a tortured soul wins his first tournament in 16 years.

So while the talk always seems to go in one direction about how the PGA Tour can be more like the NFL. There are absolutely some things that the NFL is jealous of and is chasing as they try to spread its game to new parts of the world, too.

If you would like to support my work, you can upgrade your subscription.

When I’m not golfing…

I’m reading…

• I’m about halfway through God of the Woods. It’s very good.

• This article about Mikaela Shiffrin is excellent. Hard to believe she went 12 years and two Olympic cycles without winning gold.

I’m listening to…

• Loved this Galaxy Brain podcast with the lead singer of King Gizzard about Spotify and the future of music. I didn’t know anything about the band, but the conversation was great.

I’m eating…

• One-Pot Tomato Mac was very good.

• Mississippi Chicken in the slow cooker was delicious.

I’m watching…

• The Knight of the Seven Kingdoms finishes on Sunday. Episode 5 was… intense.

• This video about the claw putting grip was incredibly interesting

Know someone who might enjoy this newsletter… send it along to them!

Bay State Archives

• A list of golf courses open in the winter.

• Bay State Picks: Best courses you can walk for less than $60.

• Bay State Picks: Nine-hole courses to play before or after work

• Bay State Picks: 18 public golf that is worth your time

• Bay State Picks: Easy 18-hole public walks

• Bay State Deep Dive: Myopia Hunt Club

Hey Everyone,

Did you see it this week?

The flicker of light at the end of the tunnel?

A touch of warmth and the sound of melting snow and ice gave me hope that we might be through the worst of the winter weather.

Could we get more snow? Sure, it’s February. But spring is close, and March is just around the corner.

Golf soon.

Cape Cod Country Club Update

The Falmouth Planning Board met on Tuesday night, and the solar project was on the agenda. The conditions for the project were discussed for about 40 minutes. You can watch here if you’re a golf or local government sicko.

A few takeaways:

• Burying power lines is a major point of contention, and there was a fiery exchange between PureSky reps and John Druley of the Planning Board. Druley is trying to add a new condition requiring that more power lines be buried rather than connected to above-ground power poles.

• Charlotte Harris also chimed in, “I’m very concerned with the change of appearance all along Boxbury Road.”

• Druley was scolded by some of his fellow board members (and Falmouth Town Council) for speaking to Eversource on his own accord and using that private discussion to influence public decisions and discussion.

• They also discussed the expectations around memorial benches and what to do with them (give them to the family or keep them on the walking paths), tree removal, and how to mark the open space where the public is allowed. Those were covered quickly because the planning board didn’t receive the conditions until the afternoon of the meeting.

• The Conservation Committee will also add conditions to the project.

• The official hearing period for the project expires on February 27, 2026. The next Planning Board meeting is on February 24th. There is a chance that a vote to approve the project's conditions will be held, or the hearing period will be extended. If the planning board approves the project, it would be another nail in the coffin.

News and Notes

Pro Golf

AT&T PEBBLE BEACH PRO-AM: Michael Thorbjornsen is T28 after an opening round 68 (-4) at Spyglass Hill. Keegan Bradley shot 63 at Spyglass and is T2.

In this week’s Small Bucket, I broke down some of the stats from the start of the season for Davis Chatfield and Thorbjornsen.

KORN FERRY TOUR: No event this week on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Last week, Former Yale football player and golfer James Nicholas won the Astara Golf Championship in Colombia. Robbie Oppenheim (N. Andover, Mass.) shot a second-round 76 and missed the cut. It’s been a tough start to the season for the veteran. He’s made one cut in four events and has earned $4,937.

MINOR LEAGUE GOLF TOUR: 2025 Mass Open winner Steven DiLisio (Swampscott, Mass.) teamed up with Evan Katz to win the 2026 Winter Team Championship. The format was a front-nine scramble, and the back was best ball. They shot 59, but so did Chris Francoeur (Amsbury, Mass) and Frank Gifford. DiLisio made eagle on the first playoff hole to take home the win. Here’s a video of the putt… and here are the results.

College Golf

PALMAS DEL MAR COLLEGIATE: Down in Puerto Rico, the Rhode Island finished T6, and Boston College finished 10th in their spring opener. For the URI Rams, Aidan O’Donovan (Somerville, Mass.) finished T33 with rounds of 73-72-72, and Tyler Bruneau (Concord, Mass.) finished T40 after shooting 74-75-69. Results

LAKE JOVITA INVITATIONAL: UConn finished T3 down in Florida. Matthew Costello (Taunton, Mass.) shot 76- 75-74 and finished 71st. Connor Goode (Glastonbury, Conn) led the way for the Huskies with an impressive T3 finish. Results

BGSU WOMEN’S INTERCOLLEGIATE: The Providence Women finished in 15th place. Oliva Arone (West Newton, Mass.) finished 81st. Results

WHO IS TEEING IT UP NEXT WEEK?

• Feb. 15–17 — Loyola Intercollegiate (M): Holy Cross

• Feb. 16–18 — Watersound Invitational (M): UConn, Vanderbilt (Ryan Downs and John Broderick)

• Feb. 16–18 — The Prestige (M): Yale

I have compiled schedules and results for every New England Division 1 team and Massachusetts-based D1 players. You can find it here.

Amateur Golf

GASPARILLA INVITATIONAL (2/19-2/21): This Mid-Amateur tournament is one of the most popular events of the year. Herbie Aikens, Nick Maccario, Matt Parziale, Ricky Stimets, and Matt Parziale are all in the field.

Plugs

I am creeping towards 3k subscribers on YouTube and would love it if you clicked on the video below to help me reach that benchmark. The channel has grown 3x in the last year.

Three Things From the Week

Some weeks, I sit down to write the newsletter, and the blank page is tough to fill. This week, I’m leaving some items on the cutting room floor that should still be timely next week.

So here are three (timely) things I’ve been thinking about this week.

How did the four majors get picked?

There’s been a lot of discussion in the last week about The Players Championship becoming a major.

What dredged up this old debate?

A new Players Championship promo ended with “March will be Major” splashed on the screen.

A statement, to be sure.

It was then given a rocket booster when Brandel Chamblee said the following:

Twitter tweet

Brandel’s take is nonsense; let’s put it in the middle of the table and make sure we all understand it.

Was it clever marketing by the PGA Tour to hijack the golf discourse for more than a week with their advertisement?

Sure.

What it made me ask is: Why are the majors The Majors?

Who waved a magic wand to make the decree that The Masters, U.S. Open, Open Championship, and PGA Championship constitute the Grand Slam?

Before The Masters came along in 1934, the Grand Slam was a different beast. It constituted the U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur, Open Championship, and Amateur Championship.

Bobby Jones famously won all four in 1930, an incredible feat considering he had to cross the Atlantic by boat to compete in the United Kingdom.

But that iteration of The Quadrilateral fizzled with the slow and steady growth of professional golf. The divide between the professional and amateur worlds grew, and at some point, the Grand Slam shifted.

What replaced it, for quite a while, were three events: The Masters, U.S. Open, and Open Championship.

The fourth spot was available. There were some big professional events, like the Western Open and PGA Championship, but nothing broke through until 1960.

That’s when Arnold Palmer decided, along with sports writer Bob Drum, that maybe the PGA Championship should be the fourth major.

From Wikipedia:

If you’d like more info on how the four majors came to be, Shane Ryan did a superb deep dive on his podcast “Local Knowledge” last March.

There was a time when the PGA Championship and Open Championship were so close on the calendar that it was nearly impossible to compete in both. The PGA Championship was a match-play event (now that would be major…), and some players who lost early in that event could scurry across the Atlantic for a shot at the Claret Jug.

A player like Ben Hogan played in one Open Championship. He won it, helping him secure the career grand slam. But a look at his career shows all of these gaps in what he did and didn’t compete in. He played in ten PGA Championships and one Open Championship during his 33-year career.

It is incredible to imagine Palmer and Drum sitting around, conjuring up this idea that served Palmer very well as he chased his own bit of history.

This would have been like Tiger Woods deciding in 2000, after securing the career grand slam, that The Players should be a major so he could add a notch in his belt that those who came before him could not.

Instead of someone like Palmer or Tiger pushing a narrative, a one-time PGA Tour winner and takesmith, Chamblee, decided to make unserious claims with the help of a promotional video.

Should the PGA Championship move back to August?

Of course, discussing the majors means the PGA Championship is going to get some stray bullets, as it has clearly become the fourth major in most (all?) people’s power rankings.

Justin Thomas might have it at the top of his power rankings….

In his press conference, Rory McIlroy said, “I would say it's (The Players) got more of an identity than the PGA Championship does at the minute. So like from an identity standpoint, I think THE PLAYERS has got it nailed.”

What would help the PGA Championship find an identity?

I’ll let Rory answer that…

The PGA Championship moved to May for two reasons.

First, they wanted to finish the season earlier and get out of the way of the NFL.

Second, the Olympics.

I think both reasons are flawed, and the move has significantly hurt the PGA Championship. It’s crammed into the schedule between The Masters and the U.S. Open. It’s as close to an afterthought as a major could get, and it’s made for a rushed major season when all four are played in the span of four months from April to July. The season falls flat once the Open Championship is done because the FedEx Cup, frankly, stinks.

The Ryder Cup has also been impacted by the PGA Tour’s reshuffling. The Americans have been totally unprepared to compete for the last two years. Their season ends weeks before the team event, whereas the Europeans play some DP World Tour events and look sharp when the Ryder Cup rolls around.

The Olympics conflict is an easy fix. Move the PGA Championship from August during Olympic years, other major sports have tweaked schedules for the sake of the games (or… make the Olympics an amateur-only event…).

Another half-baked (but fun!) idea is to move the PGA Championship back to August and, during Olympic years, pick a site near the Olympics. Of course, the logistics would be a nightmare for PGA professionals who qualify, and the PGA of America likely wouldn’t love a tournament in a foreign country.

But still… imagine a PGA Championship in Australia in 2032…

Is Ronaldo setting a precedent for Bryson DeChambeau?

This week, Cristiano Ronaldo sat out his third straight game for his Saudi club team - Al Nassr. In 2022, Ronaldo signed a contract to play in the Saudi League for $200 million a year. In 2025, he signed an extension that could pay him $700 over the next two years.

Sheesh.

This money is basically coming from the same coffer, the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), that’s paying the LIV golfers.

So why is he boycotting his squad?

He was unhappy that his team hadn’t spent enough money during the January transfer window. The 38-year old Karim Benzema, a former teammate of Ronaldo’s at Real Madrid, signed with another Saudi League team for $180 million a year.

But here’s the kicker.

In the Saudi League, the top four teams in the standings are all funded by the PIF. So Ronaldo was upset that his team wasn’t given the money to sign Benzema. The PIF used the money to put Benzema on another team.

All of this feels on the up-and-up, doesn’t it?

Ronaldo hasn’t won a trophy for Al Nassr yet, and Benzema might have put them over the top.

The conflict here is where the money is coming from.

This isn’t like the Dodgers stealing a player away from the Milwaukee Brewers.

The money is all coming from the same place.

So Ronaldo decided not to play three games.

Is that a surprise?

No. The 40-year-old superstar has a master’s in petulence.

But what if Bryson decided he might like to take a stand. After all, his contract runs out at the end of this season.

Ronaldo’s world fame dwarfs Bryson DeChambeau’s. Ronaldo has 671 million followers on Instagram. He reaches tens of millions with each post.

In 2020, he pushed aside a bottle of Coca-Cola on the dais before a press conference and then held up a bottle of water and said, “Agua.”

That 10-second episode caused Coca-Cola to lose $4 billion in market value (Note: Coca-Cola is doing fine and recovered the losses).

Bryson has 2.57 million subscribers on YouTube, and he’s not moving the needle on the stock market. I guess he could ask Phil Mickelson for some tips on that side of things… or maybe not…

But with the departure of Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed, Bryson is now the golden boy on LIV. He’s watching the league add young players while also employing washed-up players like Lee Westwood and Bubba Watson.

In the last couple of months, he has made comments about playing YouTube Golf full-time while chasing majors. He also complained about LIV changing to 72 holes.

“It’s definitely changed away from what we had initially been told it was going to be,” DeChambeau told Today’s Golfer. “So there is some movement that we’ve all been, I would say, interested in, and going, ‘Why that movement?’ Because we were told it was going to be this. So that’s definitely made us have some different thoughts about it.”

Ronaldo said he will return to the pitch this weekend, but it just makes me wonder if DeChambeau could openly boycott an event as a leverage play against LIV. He’s been non-committal about his return.

Bryson’s contract will be a big discussion in the next seven months, and he might be just crazy enough to sit out a LIV event if he’s unhappy or feels like the end of the road is near.

If you would like to support my work, you can upgrade your subscription.

When I’m not golfing…

I’m reading…

• I started God of the Woods by Liz Moore this week. I enjoyed her first novel, Long Bright River. This book is set in a summer camp, and a camper has disappeared.

I’m listening to…

• I gave Sombr a listen this week and thought it was good. Had heard a bunch of his songs but didn’t know they were by him.

• 1975 was also in the rotation this week. 

• Some very good NBA discussion in the latest Bill Simmons Podcast with guest Nick Wright.

I’m drinking…

• I had these Beeritas for the Super Bowl. Oddly enough, I think they were in the coolers on the Patriots’ sideline during the game…

I’m eating…

• I bought a few wing sauces last weekend for the Super Bowl. Bachan’s Sweet Pineapple and Cleveland Kitchen’s Dill Buffalo were both exceptional.

• I used the sweet pineapple sauce to make pulled chicken this week, too.

• This is the only way I make chicken wings anymore… baking them is so much easier and cleaner.

I’m watching…

• We’re four episodes in Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Still outstanding. Go watch it.

• While I haven’t watched every episode with intent, Tiff has been making her way through Downton Abbey. It’s very good.

Know someone who might enjoy this newsletter… send it along to them!

Bay State Archives

• A list of golf courses open in the winter.

• Bay State Picks: Best courses you can walk for less than $60.

• Bay State Picks: Nine-hole courses to play before or after work

• Bay State Picks: 18 public golf that is worth your time

• Bay State Picks: Easy 18-hole public walks

• Bay State Deep Dive: Myopia Hunt Club

The PGA Tour has reached a natural breaking point in its schedule with the first signature event this week at Pebble Beach.

Michael Thobjornsen will play in AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am this week, but Davis Chatfield will not. Chatfield will likely play again at the Cognizant Classic at The Palm Beaches on February 26.

This small bucket is going to dive into their stats and play so far this season.

Michael Thorbjornsen

Thorbjornsen has settled into a routine on the PGA Tour and seems poised to win. This week at Pebble Beach would be a heck of a win. There might be some Presidents Cup buzz around him as we get into the summer schedule.

Thorbjornsen climbed 22 spots in the Official World Golf Rankings to No. 43. This time last year, he was ranked 191.

He was also in the driver’s seat at the WM Phoenix Open, standing on the 16th tee box with a one-shot lead at -17 after an electric eagle on the par-5 15th.

“I don't think I failed out there. I'm just learning,” Thorbjornsen said after the round. “So, yeah, I put myself in that position. I was leading after what, 70 holes, 69 holes, whatever it was. I mean, we're inching our way closer and closer. It'll happen at some point.”

However, bogeys on the par-3 16th and the par-4 17th put Thorbjornsen one shot outside the playoff between Hideki Matsuyama and Chris Gotterup.

Here are his three results from the 2026 season:

Thorbjornsen has steadily improved each facet of his game. The DataGolf comparisons between last year and this year are promising.

Last year, Thorbjornsen missed the cut in both the American Express and Farmers Insurance and earned $18,032 for a T74 finish in the WM Open.

Already, things are turning around for the Thorbjornsen. Seeing courses for a second time is helping. The pressure down the stretch this past weekend is also a great learning experience. Being in the hunt with a veteran caddie will serve him well in the future as they learn tendencies as pressure builds.

Thorbjornsen hit his tee shot on 17 into the water on Sunday, a tough break on a tricky hole. But the bogey on 16 highlighted what needs sharpening. He missed the green long, a bit of a course management error, and then couldn’t save par after hitting a pedestrian chip to 17 feet. He then missed a more makeable par putt on 17 from 8 feet.

He even admitted that his shot into 15 surprised him and his caddie JJ Jakovac, “I hit a really good shot. It was just left of the pin. JJ and I were both a little shocked that it flew pin high. Obviously, we were trying to land it 12, 13 yards short.”

On 16, he hit his shot too far. He did the same on 15 but got away with it.

Needless to say, the green shoots of this season are already showing for Thorbjornsen, and even he knows how close he is to truly breaking through.

Davis Chatfield

Chatfield has teed it up in four events so far this season. He made one cut in the American Express, finishing T68.

Over those four events, Chatfield has struggled. Length was always going to be an issue for him. His strengths on the Korn Ferry Tour were his accuracy off the tee and his ability to scramble.

Up to this point, Chatfield is ranked 1st in Total Driving Efficiency, which basically means he gets the most out of his driver when carry distance and swing speed are combined. Here’s a better breakdown from Johnny Wunder on Golf.com.

He’s never going to be the longest guy on tour; he’s never going to be average in distance on tour. He hits it 291 yards and the average on tour is 307.9 (but the ball doesn’t need to be rolled back…).

A look at his driving pentagon suggests that distance is the only way to creep into the top 100 in Total Driving.

But where Chatfield can chip away once he gets to Florida for the next portion of the schedule is on his approach shots. And he might fare better on courses where water and trouble lurk, and his driving accuracy can help him.

But after the opening four events, Chatfield’s approach numbers weren’t ideal for making cuts.

The breakdown of approach ranking by yardage is fascinating, too, and will probably be something worth following for Chatfield over the course of the year. He’ll have longer shots into greens on average, but he’s been okay from 125-150 yards and from 200-225 yards!

Okay, then we can look at his scrambling when he does miss greens. He’s ranked 57th in SG: Around the Green, and he’s pretty solid from outside 30 yards, but that’s no way to make a living.

Then there’s Chatfield’s putting. He’s not 3-putting, but he’s also making many of his first putts either, which puts him near the bottom of the tour in SG: Putting.

In the coming weeks, Chatfield will have a chance to review his performances to date. Everything has been new, and he’s had to travel to Hawaii, Southern California, and Arizona. Grasses are different. He’s playing new courses. He’s trying to settle into routines. The lights are a little brighter.

He’ll have to find the green shoots of the first spell on tour and pick away at the margins where he can make some gains and find some more weekend tee times in Florida and through the summer and fall.

Hey Everyone,

Happy Super Bowl weekend to those who celebrate.

I must admit, I tried to climb into my TV today while watching the WM Open in Arizona today. I look forward to wearing just one layer when I go outside. Heck, I’d take two layers at this point.

News and Notes

PRO GOLF

WM OPEN: Michael Thorbjornsen shot 66 (-5) and sits T3 after the opening round out in Arizona. Davis Chatfield had a tough back nine, making three bogeys on his last five holes to shoot 74 (+3). He’s in 108th place. Live Scoring

ASTARA GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP: Over on the Korn Ferry Tour in Columbia, Robbie Oppenheim shot 68 (-3) and sits T27. Live Scoring

AMATEUR GOLF

2026 MASSGOLF FOUR-BALL VENUES: Waverly Oaks Golf Club in Plymouth and Indian Pond Country Club in Kingston will host the 2026 Four-Ball. Ben Balter and Ben Knott won the 2025 edition. Registration opens on February 26.

COLLEGE GOLF

TEXAS STATE INVITATIONAL: Sacred Heart opened its spring campaign at Vaaler Creek GC in Blanco, Texas. They finished T6. Results

I have compiled schedules and results for every New England Division 1 team. You can find it here.

While we may be dealing with freezing temperatures, the college kids are teeing it up in warmer places. Below is a list of the events that New England teams are playing in this month.

• Feb. 8–10 — Palmas del Mar Collegiate (M): BC, URI

• Feb. 9–10 — Lake Jovita Invitational (M): UConn

• Feb. 10–11 — Bowling Green Intercollegiate (W): Providence

• Feb. 15–17 — Loyola Intercollegiate (M): Holy Cross

• Feb. 16–18 — Watersound Invitational (M): UConn

• Feb. 16–18 — The Prestige (M): Yale

• Feb. 20–22 — Reynolds Lake Oconee Invitational (W): BC

• Feb. 21–22 — Columbia Classic (W): Holy Cross, Dartmouth, Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart

• Feb. 21–22 — Savannah Intercollegiate (M): Dartmouth, Fairfield, Sacred Heart

• Feb. 22–24 — Dorado Beach Collegiate (M): Bryant, Providence

• Feb. 23–24 — Babbs Steffens Invitational (W): Bryant

• Feb. 23–24 — El Campeon Collegiate (W): Providence

• Feb. 23–24 — Bruin Wave Invitational (W): Yale

PLUGS

I played Groton CC late in the season and grabbed a bite at Johnson’s accros the street after.

Donald Ross Trail in New England

Sometimes an idea pops into my head, and I just feel the need to claim it. The Donald Ross Trail is one of them. The idea came to me as I was looking at the Robert Trent Jones Trail in Alabama. Which is a set of courses spread out around the state that he designed.

A Google quick search of “Donald Ross Trail” brings up a cottage in North Carolina and a dusty Facebook page that hasn’t seen any action since 2019 and is focused mainly on the sandhills and Pinehurst.

I’ve stated before that one of my goals is to finish off the Donald Ross public courses in Massachusetts this year. I have Wyckoff, Greenock, Tekoa, Ellinwood, and Newton Commonwealth remaining, according to the Ross Society list.

That got me looking at a map and thinking about various ways to connect public Donald Ross courses in New England for a weekend trip.

So here are four nominees for the Donald Ross Trail in New England. If you have a trip that would fit, send it my way and we can start to formalize this a bit: Sean@baystategolf.com.

And if I am stepping on toes and this idea exists somewhere, my apologies, but your SEO sucks.

Triggs (Providence, RI), Winnapaug (Westerly, RI), and Shennecossett (Groton, Conn.)

Triggs in Providence, RI is an excellent Donald Ross

Hand up. I’ve only played Triggs out of this trio, and none of these courses are in Massachusetts. But with Triggs in Providence, it’s accessible to southeastern Massachusetts.

Triggs is an hour from Winnepaug, and then it’s just a 30-minute drive over the Shennecossett.

Winnepaug has a Bed and Breakfast called The Villa, or you could stay in the Groton or Mystic area and play Winnepaug and Shennecossett, and then head up to Providence for the final round at Triggs.

You could toss in a stop at Whaling City, a “Donald Ross Creation” if it’s on the way.

Weekend Rates (walking):

Triggs: $59

Winnepaug: ~$80 (dynamic pricing…)

Shennecossett: $65

Newton Commonwealth, Sandy Burr, and Wachusett CC

Wachusett CC in W. Boylston, Mass.

These three courses are 80 minutes apart. The catch with this little jaunt is that there aren’t great places to stay. You could always drop one of the courses (let’s be honest… probably Newton Commonwealth) and make it a 36-hole day. That feels like a Sandy Burr and Wachusett CC double dip.

Weekend Rates (walking):

Wachusett: $95 (cart usually included)

Sandy Burr: ~$100 (cart usually included. Rates vary based on time of day)

Newton Commonwealth: $52

George Wright, Franklin Park, and Ponkapoag

Do you have to play Ponky? No, not really. You could simply enjoy the two Donald Ross courses in Boston and make a weekend out of it. Newton Commonwealth could also replace Ponky if you were itching for an extra round that fit the Donald Ross requirements.

Wyckoff, Greenock, Tekoa

Three courses I need to still check off, and maybe I make this trip to get it done! This is 45 holes of golf in Western Massachusetts.

You could slide Cohassee CC into the mix depending on where you live, too.

Green Fees (walking):

Tekoa: $40

Greenock: $45 for nine and $60 for 18

Wyckoff: $32

If you would like to support my work, you can upgrade your subscription.

When I’m not golfing…

I’m reading…

I’m working through The Radium Girls by Kate Moore. An insane story… here’s the wikipedia for a quick glimpse.

This ski jumping stuff keeps getting crazier… Are ski jumpers enhancing their penises to fly further? WADA is ready to investigate.

I’m listening to…

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

I’m not entirely sure how these new prediction markets work, but my friend suggested this episode of The Daily about it. It’s a god listen.

I’m eating…

Sheet-Pan Gochujang Chicken and Roasted Vegetables

Quick Tomato, White Bean and Kale Soup

I’m watching…

Still enjoying Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

I also liked this No Laying Up video about The Park in Florida.

Know someone who might enjoy this newsletter… send it along to them!

Bay State Archives

• A list of golf courses open in the winter.

• Bay State Picks: Best courses you can walk for less than $60.

• Bay State Picks: Nine-hole courses to play before or after work

• Bay State Picks: 18 public golf that is worth your time

• Bay State Picks: Easy 18-hole public walks

• Bay State Deep Dive: Myopia Hunt Club

Hey Everyone,

We are knee-deep in winter, and by Sunday, we might be hip-deep. It feels like the first time in a few years that there’s not even an opportunity to look at the ten-day forecast, hopeful for a 45-degree day and the possibility of golf.

But if you live in Oswego, Illinois, you might have an indoor golf course starting in 2027….

This week, I wrote about three courses that have been on my mind for difference reasons.

But first a few things…

On Monday, I sent a Small Bucket to paid subscribers with some details about Davis Chatfield’s first made cut on the PGA Tour, Michael Thorbjornsen’s flame out in the desert, the golf ball rollback being possibly pushed back to 2030, and how golf could adopt something like the Australian Open’s Million Dollar “One Point Slam."

In addition, paid subscribers also received a 25% off code to Course Maps. I’m hoping to add more value to the paid subscribers in 2026. This discount code is one way, and I am also including a discount on my printable Bay State Golf Volume 1, which will be available in the coming weeks and will have reviews and photos of every course I’ve played.

If you would like to support my work, you can subscribe as a Supporter ($50 for the year) or Founder ($75). I also offer a monthly membership if you’d like to dip your toe.

News and Notes

Pro Golf

Farmers Insurance Open: Davis Chatfield and Michael Thorbjornsen are both in San Diego for the Farmers Insurance Open. On Thursday, they both played the South Course, which is the tougher of the two Torrey Pines courses. Thorbjornsen is in good shape after an opening 68 (T23). Chatfield will need a good day on the North Course on Friday after a 76 (134th) Live Scoring.

TGL: Thorbjornsen went from missing the cut in the desert to competing for the Boston Common Frogs and then back out to the west coast for the Farmers Insurance Open. (oh, to be young…). Boston beat The Bay 9-1. Thor is undefeated on TGL. I can’t believe I’m writing these words…

Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions: The LPGA kicks off its season this week. The field includes winners from the previous two years, and Megan Khang and Alexa Pano do not fall into the category. Live Scoring

College Golf

UCF Challenge: Molly Smith started her spring season with a T30 finish in the UCF Challenge. She shot 73-76-69 at Eagle Creek GC in Orlando. Her UCF team finished third in the event and is currently ranked 12th nationally.

Division 1 schedules and results: If you are interested in following Division 1 college golf this spring, I have compiled schedules and results for every men’s and women’s team from New England. Additionally, many golfers from Massachusetts play D1 golf in New England and beyond. I am also tracking their results this season. It’s all here.

Plugs

I made a video about courses under 6,000 yards this week. Some are harder than they appear on the scorecard. Some are great for beginners or intermediate golfers. And some are fantastic for busting out of a slump.

Three Courses I’m Thinking About

It’s January, and the golf season feels years away with the snow and the cold. Maybe you’re like me, and you think about golf courses that you have played or look forward to playing once the season starts up again.

These are three courses that have flitted through my mind this week for various reasons.

Cohasse CC - Southbridge, Mass.

Everyone should make a point to play this course in 2026. The nine-hole Donald Ross design was a private course until the 2025 season. After years of mismanagement, the membership found other places to play and spend their money. Hence, the course continued to spiral downward. A new owner bought it and hired some good people to turn the place around.

Right now, it’s a semi-private course and will probably go back to being private again, so the window is open to check it out.

So why am I thinking about it?

Well, first, a course that is saved and not turned into, oh, I don’t know, an AI data center or solar field, is uplifting.

Second, nine-hole courses are more and more appealing to me, too. Not because I’m old (I am…) and can’t play 18 holes anymore (I can). But when I played Cohassee, I played Dudley Hill the same day. Nine-hole courses allow players to play less golf but also more golf. Tacking on a nine-hole round to an 18-hole day is great. 36 holes is tough, but 27 is manageable. Even playing 18 holes on two different nine-hole courses can be interesting.

Third, the greens at Cohasse CC rocked, and it’s a course I could play regularly.

Marion GC - Marion, Mass.

Another affordable nine-hole golf course designed by a famous architect, George Thomas.

My only trip to Marion was in the fall of 2023, and I had golfer’s elbow, so I was only able to play it once.

It’s so cool, and I’d like to get back there this season for a few trips around the place. They have a $80 all-day rate on the weekends (which is sick). You can play 18 holes for $44.

Marion is one of the rare courses that gets away with being weird and quirky. You hit shots over walls and berms, but none of it feels forced or overly done.

Golf Course at Poland Spring Resort - Poland, Maine

A few moments led to my quest to play all the courses in Massachusetts; a trip to Poland, Maine, in 2020 was one of them. I snuck across the border to Maine in early June 2020 to meet a buddy and play at Poland Spring Resort. It’s just over a 2-hour drive from Boston.

The resort was welcoming and laid-back (I didn’t stay there). The course is more than 100 years old and winds through trees near the edges of Middle Range Pond and Lower Range Pond and then up and through some of the old resort buildings, some of which date back to the 18th century.

The resort’s catch phrase is “Welcome to the Stress Free Zone” and that extends out to the golf course. It’s not tough, and it’s not long (6,100 yards from the tips). It’s old-school resort golf, which I appreciated. Not big and bold and overdone. Cool greens, short holes, some odd spots, and ceraintly stress free.

Not a bad place to visit this summer for a little vacation.

If you would like to support my work, you can upgrade your subscription.

When I’m not golfing…

I’m reading…

Golf in the Nation’s Capitol: The National Links Trust saga in Washington, D.C. is still ongoing, and now senators are demanding answers. Gabby Herzig of The Athletic has been doing a good job with this story. Read here.

• Deep Dive into the issue: Garrett Morrison of The Fried Egg went on Pablo Torre Finds Out to discuss what’s going on with the three public courses in the shadow of the Washington Monument.

Hall of Fame Snub: Bill Belichik was left off enough ballots to miss out on becoming a first ballot Hall of Famers. There are plenty of reasons why this happened. Pettiness might be at the top of the list, but there are also some new voting rules that might have caused a bit of a protest, leaving Belichik as the one left out in the cold.

• Steve Buckley went scorched earth in his reaction to the news.

• This article outlines the new voting system and the choices that had to be made.

I’m listening to…

Any Given Thursday: This John Mayer live show recording from 2005 is excellent.

Golfers Anonymous Pod: Really enjoyed this conversation between Noah and Erik Anders Lang.

I’m eating…

Pulled Pork: A pretty easy recipe for the oven. A good snow day, Conference Championship activity. Made in the oven, not a slow cooker.

Shepherd’s Pie: We are very much in the comfort food section of the calendar. This will last a couple days.

Pastina Soup: A simple soup.

I’m watching…

Knights of the Seven Kingdoms: Another Game of Thrones show. I have thoroughly enjoyed the first two episodes.

Golf in Nebraska: No Laying Up went deep on Nebraska with this 90-minute movie about a trip TC and Neil took to the Cornhusker State.

Know someone who might enjoy this newsletter… send it along to them!

Bay State Archives

• A list of golf courses open in the winter.

• Bay State Picks: Best courses you can walk for less than $60.

• Bay State Picks: Nine-hole courses to play before or after work

• Bay State Picks: 18 public golf that is worth your time

• Bay State Picks: Easy 18-hole public walks

• Bay State Deep Dive: Myopia Hunt Club

I hope everyone had a great weekend. Snow, cold, and ice are making golf season feel as far away as it has in the last three years.

At least some of us have a Patriots Super Bowl appearance to look forward to… It’s been a long six years…

This week’s Small Bucket covers:

• A Course Maps Promo Code for BSG Subscribers

• Davis Chatfield makes his first cut

• Michael Thorbjornsen flames out in the desert

• Rollback is likely to be pushed back until 2030 for everyone

• Australian Open One Point Slam should be a golf event