Alan Greenwood

As their friends and relatives well know, golfers do not declare spring’s arrival until they can get out on their favorite course without encountering a single covered green or roped off areas on soggy fairways.

Once the Masters has come and gone, and their backyards are dotted with divots, they can get downright ornery.

Golfers have had spring’s fires in their bellies since Scots began hacking away with niblicks. Pity the poor greenskeepers who face their impatient snarls.

APRIL 17, 1956: “About to experience one of the latest openings in many a season, Nashua Country Club greenskeeper William McBride and his corps of assistants this week are working at a frantic pace to get the local 18-hole golf course in shape for the 1956 season.

“Still sporting a considerable amount of snow and ice in some sections, it was indicated that a few days of good drying weather is badly needed before the majority of fairways and greens become playable.”

APRIL 18, 1966: “Val Poulin and Kenny Black scored 70s to capture first-gross honors in a four-ball tournament at Nashua Country Club on Saturday. Low-net honors went to Hank Beaulieu and Don Barnes with a 74-61 card.

“Over at Whip-Poor-Will, Joe Monahan carded a 41 to win the low-gross honors in a best selected tourney. Low net went to Homer Brewer as he carded a 49-12-37.”

APRIL 19, 1971: “Led by the running of Fran Tkaczyk, the throwing and jumping of Peter Dean and balanced scoring throughout, the Nashua High spring track team opened its regular season by downing the Clippers of Portsmouth 66-60 on Saturday.

“Other top performances of the day included three second-place finishes from Nashua’s Bruce Hall.”

APRIL 20, 1976: “John French picked up his second win of the season by pitching a five-hitter in pacing the Milford High baseball team to an 8-3 win over Con-Val in Peterborough yesterday.

“French struck out nine batters while walking only one in his fine bid on the mound. Dave Cadorette was the big offensive man as he blasted a grand-slam in the third inning.”

APRIL 21, 1981: “The state’s defending softball champ, Merrimack High School, had its pride stung a bit when Dee Charpentier of Manchester Central no-hit the Tomahawks in their last outing.

“The ‘Hawks’ answer was to finally break out of the batting slump which had limited them to eight runs in their first three games. The result was an 18-8 bombardment of Laconia on Monday.

“… Catcher Jen Kelley led a 19-hit attack with a home run, triple and double, good for six RBIs.”

APRIL 22, 2001: “Chris Considine, Mike Panagoulias and Cory Francouer combined on a six-hit shutout as Bishop Guertin beat Londonderry, 10-0, in a Class L matchup on Saturday.

“Mike Hartwick went 3 for 5 with a pair of RBIs while Todd Larocque (RBI) and Mike Guarino (two RBIs) each had a pair of hits.”

APRIL 23, 2006: “Nashua North girls lacrosse coach Jeff Conrow got his birthday present a day early on Saturday in the form of 9-7 victory over Bishop Guertin at Stellos Stadium.

“… North’s Paige Tollner was fouled prior to scoring what could have been the winning goal with just four minutes left in the game. On the restart, she scored anyway, giving the Titans an 8-7 lead. Rhiannon Groff salted the game away with under a minute to go.”

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