There are good weeks. And then really good weeks.

But for Nashua Country Club golfer James Pleat, this was a great week.

We’d all love to have six days like he just had, right? He dominated the first two days of the 117th New Hampshire State Amateur Golf Championship as medalist. He made his way through the gauntlet of four straight days of match play, winning six matches – one on the second extra hole, another on 18, one with eight birdies and finally his 2 and 1 title Saturday win over Bishop Guertin alum Cam Sheedy.

A perfect week, right?

Well, almost.

One thing bothered Pleat the last couple of days of the tournament, and perhaps it was something that helped spur him on.

He had just won on the second extra hole Thursday over fellow NCC member Eric McCoy and wandered over to see how his dad, Phil Pleat, was doing against eventual State Am runnerup Cam Sheedy.

And that’s when he heard the news. He had been wearing his Dartmouth College cap most of the week, but the last couple of days it bore special significance after he found out his alma mater dropped men’s and women’s golf from its athletic offerings. It was not unlike what other colleges have done, eliminating sports programs in cost-cutting moves in the wake of the pandemic.

But for Pleat, it hit hard.

“I found out the news on Thursday,” he said. “I finished my match, was happy, and went over to watch my Dad’s and I found out. I was pretty much devastated about it.”

Pleat said he used that as part of his motivation to win Saturday’s grueling 35-hole match against a very worthy opponent in Bishop Guertin alum Cam Sheedy. Sheedy, down 4-up, won three straight holes that made things ultra dramatic with two to play.

So that certainly took Pleat’s mind off his alma mater, but he certainly had a Dartmouth presence about him. Hat. Bag he played with in college.

“A lot is in flux right now but I figured the least I could do is sport the hat and bring the old bag out,” he said. “It’s a tough decision and I’m disappointed in the school, but I figured like it’s a win (his Am title) for the Dartmouth golf program.”

You see, that’s the classy nature of one James Pleat, who represents his family so well and has added to its legacy. Four generations in his family have now won State Am titles, and it’s believed – but not confirmed – that James and Phil Pleat, as well as James’ great grandfather and grandfather Thomas Leonard and Thomas Leonard Jr. are the only father-son State Am championship combos.

This was a big deal. The Am was at his home course. The spectator group following he and Sheedy was huge, carts and walkers galore.

Ironically, while the pandemic may have led to his alma mater’s ill-fated decision, it also may have indirectly led to Pleat’s win. The business world had taken him to Cambridge, Mass., but he has been working from his family’s home in Nashua since things escalated in mid to late March. And when golf was reinstated in early May, well…here he was, with plenty of chances to practice on the course where this special event would take place.

“I figured I had a chance, since it was at my home course,” Pleat said. “But I didn’t think I’d shoot the scores I did in stroke play and play as well as I did yesterday (in winning the quarters and semis).”

Yes, in the semis he had an astounding eight birdies. But nothing really great can come that easy, so when Pleat found Sheedy breathing down his neck with two holes to play, he admitted he was human after all.

“I’m not going to lie, I was nervous,” Pleat said. “I still have to think of it as I have a 1 up lead with two holes to go. And any little swing can really change it. So I’m just going to stick to my game.”

Which is safe and consistent. Just like he stuck with his alma mater’s golf program, supporting it all the way as symbolically as possible.

“A pretty wild week, honestly,” Pleat said. “It was a week I’ll never forget.”

For a lot of reasons.

Tom King can be reached at tking@nashuatelegraph.com, or on twitter @Telegraph _TomK.

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