SEND IN YOUR NEWS AND NOTES: All members of the MGWA, with items for our newsletter, are urged to e-mail them to Chuck Stogel (chstogel@aol.com).
Course Designer to Speak at Westchester Hills Meeting
Founders Group to Provide Myrtle Beach Giveaways
For those who haven’t yet signed up to attend our meeting and golf outing on Wednesday, August 10th at Westchester Hills Golf Club in White Plains, NY, there is less than a week remaining until the entry deadline. Registration closes at 3:00 pm on Tuesday, August 2nd, slightly earlier than usual ahead of the event.
A complete day of informational and entertaining activities is planned at Westchester Hills, which opened its course in 1913 and has recently undergone an extensive, dynamic restoration. Included on the agenda are several notable guest speakers at our morning meeting: Brian Giordano, PGA pro, who will speak on behalf of Troon Golf Management and WHGC; Bryce Swanson, vp/senior designer for Rees Jones Inc., who crafted and oversaw the renovations at the par-70 course; and Steve Mays, president, and Chris King, communications director, representing Founders Group International, which manages the largest course ownership consortium in the Myrtle Beach, SC, area. During our gathering after golf, FGI will raffle off several certificates providing complimentary golf and carts for foursomes at multiple courses in the group’s portfolio of 21 courses. Everyone present will have an opportunity to win one of the giveaway certificates.
As always, everyone attending is invited to play golf at Westchester Hills, whether in our competition or not. The tournament on August 10th features our annual two-person Better Ball Championship. Additionally, members of our Quill & Tee Golf Club may opt to vie in a segment where the winners advance to the Met Golf Association Four Ball Championship.
For full details about the competition and other activities at Westchester Hills, please log on to the MGWA website (metgolfwriters.org), then click on the icon for Meetings & Outings. This gathering promises to be a real treat. Hope to see everyone there.
Martinelli, Horgan Capture Pinehurst at Knollwood
Westchester Officials Promote County Golf Courses
A turnout of 50+ attendees gathered at Knollwood CC in Elmsford, NY, on July 11th for a meeting and golf outing that had been postponed and rescheduled from a rainout on June 27th. Our MGWA group heard from several guest speakers representing both the club and Westchester County Golf & Tourism.
Knollwood and its new ownership/management team representing Heritage Golf Group proved themselves to be very accommodating hosts for our gathering. Both the buffet luncheon and after-golf refreshments sated many a palate. Course superintendent Scott Olson presented a par-71 course that featured large-scale tree removal with numerous new, scenic vistas; the planting of many attractive fescue surrounds; top conditioning from tees to fairways to bunkers and greens; fast putting surfaces that baffled a few of our golfers; and aesthetically immaculate and pleasing general landscaping, including shrubbery, flower beds and more.
Speakers from the Heritage Group included Nate Oberhofer (pictured, left), PGA head pro at the club, and GM John Cavaliere (pictured, right). Oberhofer recounted the past year and a half of activities since Heritage acquired the venerable club along with highlights from Knollwood’s history, which dates back to 1894. One of the features at the club is an actual par-3 19th hole, a 117-yard one-shotter over a pond that is touted as the “oldest 19th course hole in the U.S.” Cavaliere filled us in on the most recent $5.5 million-dollar renovations at the facility, including an extensive modernization of the Member half of the classic clubhouse, with more updating still to come. 
In the years prior to the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic, Knollwood had lost dozens and dozens of its members, and Heritage is looking to build back on its numbers. The club is offering an attractive $7,500 initiation and low annual dues, and currently counts 90+ among its golf membership, with many more “social” members. “The membership process has gone well in these trying times,” explained Cavaliere. “This is a really good, traditional golf course, and Heritage is committed to investing in the future. Some members have returned already; others are new members. With swimming and tennis, and excellent dining and entertaining facilities, we offer a well-rounded family experience.”
Three speakers represented the County of Westchester, NY: Linda Lovallo, Director of Marketing & Tourism; Sarah Marshall Senior Marketing Manager for Marketing & Film (both pictured, right);Tom Avezzano, head PGA pro at Sprain Lake GC in Yonkers, NY. Starting as a caddie, Avezzano has spent 65 years overall at Sprain Lake, 55 years as the head pro, among the longest continuously serving golf professionals anywhere. He will be inducted this fall into the Westchester County Sports Hall of Fame. Regarded as an excellent instructor, Avezzano said: “Everyone is different in age, style and interest in golf. You have to tailor what you are doing to their needs. My satisfaction is in getting people to enjoy golf.”
There were 14 twosomes that participated at Knollwood in our second annual Pinehurst Tournament. The winners were Mike Martinelli and Tim Horgan (pictured, left) with a net score of 65. Jon Lange and Terry O’Keefe placed second at 68 while Jon Olson and Dan Berger were third at 69. Nearest to the pin winners on the third hole were Bart Silverman, Peter de Jonge and Paul Berner; Closest winners on the 19th hole were Larry Munck, Mike Martinelli and Rob Sauerhaft.
PHOTO GALLERIES: A large portfolio of pictures from both our 2022 gatherings at the Mill River Club on Long Island in May and the recent assemblage at Knollwood is available online at the MGWA website (metgolfwriters.org). To access, use your ID and Password to log on to the site, then click on the icon for Meetings & Outings.
MGWA Office Will be ‘Closed’ in August
The Met Golf Writers office in Elmsford, NY, will be on hiatus for the month of August when Robin Sauerhaft, MGA/MGWA Client Administrator, is on vacation. Robin’s last day on the job prior to vacation is this Friday, July 29th. She will return to her post on Thursday, September 1st. Communication emails, registration entries for our August 30th meeting and outing at Mount Kisco (NY) CC, and other logistics are being pre-programmed for our membership. Should the need arise for anyone to contact the MGWA during August, please reach out to Chuck Stogel of our Activities Committee via email and/or phone at chstogel@aol.com, 914-428-6111.
Awards Dinner Photos, Video Now Available
Both an extensive selection of photos and a video from the MGWA’s 70th National Awards Dinner held June 21st at Westchester Country Club in Harrison, NY, are accessible online. There are two links to access photos from that evening:
https://carolsantiagophotography.shootproof.com/gallery/18599558/bundle/18999132
https://carolsantiagophotography.shootproof.com/gallery/18604579/bundle/19004444
The link to access the dinner video is:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/snr2sou4vuyn4s0/WCC_PGA_Gala_2022.mp4?dl=0
The video link presents a preview segment about the dinner, with a download opportunity to retrieve the full video displayed in the upper left corner.
MGA ‘Major’ Slated for The Patterson Club
It’s not often that the Met Golf Association ventures into Fairfield, CT, for one of its “major” events, let alone to the northern part of the County. But on Monday-Tuesday, August 29th-30th, the 26th MGA Senior Open will be held at The Patterson Club in the Town of Fairfield. Patterson is a somewhat unknown but true gem of a course. The 6,712-yard, par-71 track was designed by 
Robert Trent Jones Sr. and opened in 1947. The facility was originally built by the nearby General Electric company and has since been sold to become a membership-owned club. In 2009, the original clubhouse was demolished and a $20-million-plus new edifice constructed. The layout — which features numerous rock walls, fescue surrounds and strong green sets — over the years has experienced considerable tree removal and bunker renovations. Dave Schuster of Old Westbury won the 2021 MGA Senior Open title. Other past champions include such luminaries as Frank Esposito Jr., Mark Mielke, Jim McGovern, Bill Britton, Craig Thomas, Bobby Heins and Darrell Kestner.
Wanna Buy a Golf Club? Somers National for Sale
Somers National GC, a 144-acre property adjacent to the Heritage Hills residential complex in Somers, NY, is for sale. With a 6,213-yard, par-72 course designed by Geoffrey Cornish and opened in 1988, and a 15,000 square-foot clubhouse with banquet seating for 140, SNGC is being listed at $3.95 million in an “as-is, where-is” condition. Colliers International is the agent handling the offer. The parkland golf course features various hilly inclines up and down, somewhat small greens, some amount of water and a routing through numerous wooded surrounds.
PEOPLE, PLACES, ETC.
Long-hitting Mike Miller of Brewster, NY (pictured, left), winner of the New York State Open earlier this month at Bethpage Black and son of Knollwood CC pro emeritus Bob Miller, captured the 87th Emerson Resort & Spa Woodstock (NY) Open by one stroke after shooting a 4-under-par 66 on July 25th. Miller rolled in a four-foot par putt on the final hole to secure the victory. Second with a 67 was Patrick Schwarze, an assistant pro at Wykagyl CC in New Rochelle, NY. The competition at Woodstock GC has a rich history since its inaugural in 1932 and is believed to be the longest running tournament in America on one course for both professional and amateur golfers. The par-70 course opened in 1929. For more info: MGWA member Nick Nicholas of Nicholas and Lence Communications, nick@nicholaslence.com . . . The National Golf Foundation has put together a fascinating online look at the evolution and current data about Miniature Golf in the U.S. To access the NGF’s focus on Mini Golf: https://www.ngf.org/the-evolution-of-miniature-golf/?utm_source=ngf&utm_medium=Fortnight&utm_campaign=Main&utm_content=read+more. Also according to the NGF, the downward trend in golf course closures that began in 2020 has continued into its third year. Through June, the NGF golf facility database team has discovered just under 50 18-hole equivalent (18-HEQ) closures, a 25% drop from last year at this time. Continuing another long-term trend, over 90% of 2022 closures have been daily-fee public courses, and just over half were 9-hole facilities. Three-out-of-four had a peak greens fee under $40. For more info, go to www.ngf.org . . . St. John’s University in Queens, NY, has hired Phil Wildermuth as the new head coach of the Red Storm men’s golf program. An assistant pro at Pelham (NY) CC under head pro and St. John’s alum Mike Diffley, Wildermuth has also been head coach of the Manhattan College men’s golf team the past four seasons . . . NEW MEMBERS: Terry O’Keefe, charity and college golf event organizer, USGA volunteer, tpokeefe@aol.com . . . Matt Ward, Golf Today senior editor (former member has rejoined), mjwgolf1nj@outlook.com.