It’s official, the New Hampshire Golf Association tournament season is underway.

A summer full of long drives, lofty pitches and precise putts starts Saturday in Litchfield. Forty-three golfers will converge on Passaconoway Country Club for the Tournament of Club Champions event.

The course offers a solid challenge for the opening event with the front nine holes challenging shot distance and the back nine rewarding accuracy. This field, which includes seven local course champions – and an eighth local golfer if you include Amherst’s Josh Chamberlain who plays out of Crotched Mountain Golf Club and Resort – is full of past and present NHGA champions.

Locally, Nashua Country Club is represented by Senior Division Club Champion Randy Bragg and Regular Club Champion Jay Leonard. Decarlo Rodriguez will represent the home course in the Regular Division, while Souhegan Woods Golf Club’s Chase Dembisky, Green Meadow Golf Club’s Rick Dichard, The Overlook Golf Club’s Chris Schoemmell and Hidden Creek Country Club’s Chill Gould are also part of the Regular Championship field.

Dichard can’t wait to swing away.

“It’s always great to start and get that first tourney out of the way,” Dichard said. “It gets the juices flowing.”

One of the hottest players on the links last summer was Joe Leavitt, of Atkinson Resort and Country Club, who won the State Amateur Championship, State Open Championship (low amateur title) and Tournament of Club Champions (Regular Division) as a follow-up to his 2011 Junior Championship. He’ll tee off in perhaps the toughest foursome of the day at 11 a.m.

Playing with Leavitt is The Oaks Golf Links’ Michael Mahan, and two former NHGA champions – 2008 Mid-Am and 2011 State Am champion Jim Cilley, of Canterbury Woods Country Club, and Chamberlain, who won the Mid-Am title in 2009.

Another big name in the event is Dan Arvanitis, of Derryfield Country Club. Arvanitis is a four-time Mid-Am Champion (1986, 1987, 1999, 2005) and the 2001 State Am champion. Nashua’s Leonard also has a title to his credit with a 2009 Senior Championship under his belt.

Dichard can’t wait to play and watch the state’s best take the course for the season-opening affair.

“With the field that’s going to be out there, it should be fun to watch,” Dichard said. “But there is more involved.

“Getting out there with these club champions gives you the chance early in the season to remember what it’s like to play under pressure again. This is a great kickoff event. These are all golfers who won their club championships last year, and a few who have won state events over the years.”

FOUR-BALL TIME

With Saturday’s Club Champions Tournament complete, some golfers will head up state to Wolfeboro for the second tourney of the season and weekend.

Defending Spring Four-Ball Gross champions Josh Chamberlain and Ryan Kohler, as well as Net champions Glenn Martinsen and Ken Collins highlight the field scheduled for Sunday’s 2013 Spring Four-Ball Championship at Kingswood Golf Club.

Locals competing in Sunday’s event are Decarlo Rodriguez (Passaconoway) and partner Jeremy Cox (Hidden Creek); Scott Taylor (Nashua) paired with Dylan Evans (Stonebridge CC); Chris Miele (Nashua) paired with Stephen Miele (Intervale CC); Rob Zimmerman Jr. (Nashua) and Chris Mader (Nashua); and Don Kossuth (Souhegan Woods) and Mark Cook (Souhegan Woods).

STATE AM QUALIFIERS

There are two more State Am qualifying rounds left in May.

The first is set for 7-10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 22 at Rochester Country Club. The month’s final qualifier takes place in Greater Nashua at Souhegan Woods Golf Club in Amherst from 7-10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 28.

To report a hole in one shot by yourself or somebody in your foursome, report it to a golf course representative and have them email sports@nashuatelegraph.com. Include names of foursome (or group), hole, par, distance from tee to pin and club used.

Upcoming Events

NHGA Tournament of
Club Champions

at Passaconoway Country Club, Litchfield

Saturday

Tee times

10:30 a.m. – Daniel Arvanitis, Derryfield Country Club, Senior Club Champs; Allen Pattee, Manchester Country Club, Senior Club Champs; Randy Bragg, Nashua Country Club, Senior Club Champs; Bo Harris, Intervale Country Club, Senior Club Champs.

10:40 – Tony Fournier, Portsmouth Country Club, Senior Club Champs; Glen Shattuck, Beaver Meadow Golf Course, Senior Club Champs; Dan Noonan, The Oaks Golf Links, Senior Club Champs; Tony Mitchell, Exeter Country Club, Senior Club Champs.

10:50 – Jim Dufresne,Windham Country Club, Senior Club Champs; Tom Morrison, Ridgewood Country Club, Senior Club Champs; Thomas Lamb, Pembroke Pines Country Club, Senior Club Champs; James Tobin, Cochecho Country Club, Senior Club Champs.

11 – Joe Leavitt, Atkinson Resort & Country Club, Regular Club Champs; Jim Cilley, Canterbury Woods Country Club, Regular Club Champs; Josh Chamberlain, Crotched Mountain GC & Resort, Regular Club Champs; Michael Mahan, The Oaks Golf Links, Regular Club Champs.

11:10 – Decarlo Rodriguez, Passaconaway Country Club, Regular Club Champs; Matthew Burroughs, Manchester Golf Matches Assoc., Regular Club Champs; Chase Dembisky, Souhegan Woods Golf Club, Regular Club Champs; Austin Fox, Intervale Country Club, Regular Club Champs.

11:20 – Jim Jankowski, Baker Hill Golf Club, Regular Club Champs; Jay Leonard, Nashua Country Club, Regular Club Champs; Ken Nilson, Ridgewood Country Club, Regular Club Champs.

11:30 – Ryerson Stinson, Hanover Country Club, Regular Club Champs; Chris Kelloway, Portsmouth Country Club, Regular Club Champs; Eric Soderman, Hoodkroft Country Club, Regular Club Champs; David Larrivee, Manchester Country Club, Regular Club Champs.

11:40 – Thomas Aragona Jr., Lochmere Golf & Country Club, Regular Club Champs; Steven Moretti, Eastman Golf Links, Regular Club Champs; Jeff Salisbury, Owl’s Nest Golf Club, Regular Club Champs; Mitchell Edwards, Stonebridge Country Club, Regular Club Champs.

11:50 – Scott Rowell, Rochester Country Club, Regular Club Champs; Scott Rankins, Country Club of New Hampshire, Regular Club Champs; Richard Peek, Farmington Country Club, Regular Club Champs; Anthony Monroe, Sagamore-Hampton Golf Club, Regular Club Champs.

Noon – Richard Dichard, Green Meadow Golf Club, Regular Club Champs; Jeremy Fuller, Kingswood Golf Club, Regular Club Champs; Bob Hamel, Pease Golf Course, Regular Club Champs; Jack Benson, Den Brae Golf Course, Regular Club Champs.

12:10 – Gary Jordan, Waukewan Golf Club, Regular Club Champs; Chris Schoemmell, The Overlook Golf Club, Regular Club Champs; Chill Gould, Hidden Creek Country Club, Regular Club Champs.

2013 Spring Four-Ball

at Kingswood Golf Club, Wolfeboro

Sunday

Tee times

8:30 a.m. – Ryan Kohler, Hooper Golf Club/Josh Chamberlain, Crotched Mountain GC & Resort; Jim Cilley, Canterbury Woods Country Club/Michael Mahan, The Oaks Golf Links.

8:40 – Dylan Evans, Stonebridge Country Club/Taylor Scott, Nashua Country Club; Justin Benson, Crotched Mountain GC & Resort/Michael Martel, Crotched Mountain GC & Resort.

8:50 – Decarlo Rodriguez, Passaconaway Country Club/Jeremy Cox, Hidden Creek Country Club; Chris Miele, Nashua Country Club/Stephen Miele, Intervale Country Club.

9 – Alan Nemetz, Rochester Country Club/Ron Goulet, Rochester Country Club; Ken Nilson, Ridgewood Country Club/Greg Smith, Ridgewood Country Club.

9:10 – Dan Arvanitis, Derryfield Country Club/John Lewandowski, Derryfield Country Club; Jack Benson, Den Brae Golf Course/Steve Brough, Lochmere Golf & Country Club.

9:20 – Rob Zimmerman Jr., Nashua Country Club/Chris Mader, Nashua Country Club; Eric Gundersen, Ridgewood Country Club/Ed Ambrose, Ridgewood Country Club.

9:30 – Don Kossuth, Souhegan Woods Golf Club/Mark Cook, Souhegan Woods Golf Club; Eric Johnson, Portsmouth Country Club/Dan Parr, Portsmouth Country Club.

9:40 – David Kane, Derryfield Country Club/Josh Kane, Derryfield Country Club; Chris Montigny, Rochester Country Club/Don Montigny, Rochester Country Club.

9:50 – Don St. Germain, Kingswood Golf Club/Zach Tarter, Kingswood Golf Club; Bob Hughes, Lake Winnipesaukee Golf Club/Dana Hughes, Lake Winnipesaukee Golf Club

10 – William Barton, Kingswood Golf Club/Jeremy Fuller, Kingswood Golf Club; Glenn Guillemette, The Oaks Golf Links/Bruce Guillemette, The Oaks Golf Links.

10:10 – Dan Moquin, Waukewan Golf Club/Gary Jordan, Waukewan Golf Club; Jim Tokanel, Atkinson Country Club/Eric Soderman, Hoodkroft Country Club.

10:20 – Lance Pelley, Manchester Golf Matches Assoc./Todd Becker, Intervale Country Club; Barry Hammer, Intervale Country Club/Sean Lacey/Intervale Country Club.

10:30 – Dan Sullivan, Intervale Country Club/Nick Gosslin, Intervale Country Club; Pat Mahan, Intervale Country Club/Carl Lang, Intervale Country Club.

10:40 – John P. Murphy, Cochecho Country Club/Michael Berounsky, Cochecho Country Club; Adham Darwish, Laconia Country Club/Joel Cummings, Canterbury Woods Country Club.

10:50 – Bill Maguire, Bretwood Golf Course/Chris Martz, Crotched Mountain GC & Resort; Doug Debski, Loudon Country Club/Ty Kalaus, Loudon Country Club.

11 – Ray Letourneau Jr., Abenaqui Country Club/Adam Meuse, Pease Golf Course; Glenn Martinsen, Kingswood Golf Club/Ken Collins, Pocket Valley Golf Club.

11:10 – Todd Sweeney, Manchester Golf Matches Assoc./Colin Mahan, Manchester Golf Matches Assoc./Roger Dearth, Bretwood Golf Course, Orson Hartwell, Bretwood Golf Course.

11:20 – Dan Murphy, Candia Woods Golf Links/Ed Callahan, Candia Woods Golf Links, Mark Scott, Candia Woods Golf Links/Scott Murphy, Stonebridge Country Club.

11:30 – Brian Harris, Lochmere Golf & Country Club/Ted Bilodeau, Lochmere Golf & Country Club; Cliff Covill, Londonderry Country Club/Rod Davidson, Londonderry Country Club.

11:40 – Roy Maxfield, Loudon Country Club/George Kelly, Canterbury Woods Country Club; Roger Gayer, Loudon Country Club/Norman Fecteau, Loudon Country Club.

11:50 – Gary Mercier, Den Brae Golf Course/Rick Bowie, Den Brae Golf Course; Roland Cullen, Den Brae Golf Course/Ed Paige,

Den Brae Golf Course.

Noon – Scott Rowell, Rochester Country Club, Dylan Tooch, Rochester Country Club.

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