25th Anniversary History Book - Stonington

1988-2013
396 Taugwonk Road
Stonington, CT 06378
www.stoningtoncountryclub.com
Stonington Country Club - 1992
Stonington Country Club - 2013
A History of
Stonington Country Club
1988-2013
Foreword
Preface
Founding Members / Charter Members
Past Presidents and Club Champions
History
Early History of the Area
History of the Land
The Original Plan – and the Reality
Course Design and First Nine Holes
The Second Nine Holes and Expanded Clubhouse
The Stones of Stonington
How The Holes Got Their Names
Chronology, as Taken From Newsletters
Recollections of the Early Days
Current Club Management
June 1991 Groundbreaking
l. to r., Coast Guard Officer, Founder Ian Camfield,
First Selectman of Stonington, Founder Tony Halsey
Foreword
This history of Stonington Country Club has been compiled through the
efforts of member Linda Delaney over the past several years. She has
been assisted by those Founding and Charter Members eager to share
their memories. Other members who have been here from the start also
have contributed to the project. Her efforts have benefitted from the
cheerful cooperation and support of the staff – Club Manager Linda
Drake in particular. We thank them all.
Research into this history has included historical documents (land
records at Stonington Town Hall); old newspapers; a prospectus of the
original plans; club newsletters and minutes. The input of numerous
members (past and present), whose knowledge, experience and
memories have been recorded, has been invaluable.
Stonington Country Club was incorporated in July 1988. This book
documents the club’s history on its 25th anniversary. As we lose the
original members of our club who had the vision and energy to bring to
fruition our “golf club in the country,” we hope that future generations
will produce updates from time to time.
Thomas J. Flaherty, President
Summer 2013
Founders Camfield and Halsey Presenting Awards
to First Club Champions - 1992
Top: Women’s Champion Edie Paffard
Bottom: Men’s Champion John Holstein
Preface
Aside from the challenge I faced in writing this history with regard to
events and dates, I wanted to describe the determination of a small
group of Founders, led by Ian Camfield, who had a dream of creating a
country club in Stonington. Founding Member Tony Halsey expressed it
best in his “A Brief History of Stonington Country Club”:
The economic environment at the time was extremely difficult. The
weather in the form of Hurricane Bob worked against us by delaying
the initial opening of the course. Furthermore, the approval process to
build a country club took close to two years. … An extraordinary aspect
of the development of the Stonington Country Club was that all of the
financing that was required came from the generosity of our members.
When funding was required, the members came forward by
underwriting debentures, named holes on the course and by other
means. This was truly remarkable and is a part of our history of which
we are extremely proud.”
I also wanted to show the evolution of the club – how it adapted to the
harsh economic climate at its inception (see how the original prospectus
envisioned our club) and has become one of the finest and most
economically healthy country clubs in southeastern Connecticut. Much
has happened during this time to make our club agreeable not only to
golfers, but also to those who want to participate in tennis and platform
tennis. One significant transformation, other than the continued
improvement of our golf facility, is the enhancement of our social life
with fine food and drink at lunch and occasional dinners.
This is not intended to be a scholarly work of any sort. Rather, I have
used a number of online sources for my historical information, as well as
land deeds records. Club newsletters and minutes have also provided
information. I apologize for any inconsistencies or misinformation.
Perhaps what has provided the most enjoyment for me during this
project has been listening to the stories of those members who were here
at the beginning. They should be proud of what they accomplished!
Linda Delaney, Editor
First Scorecard with Original Club Logo
Founding Members
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Beaumont
Mr. & Mrs. Ian Camfield
Mr. & Mrs. A. Searle Field
Mr. & Mrs. Anthony P. Halsey
Mr. & Mrs. John Holstein
Mr. & Mrs. Melvin Holstein
Mr. & Mrs. John C. O’Brien
Mr. & Mrs. Brendan O’Donnell
Mr. & Mrs. Raymond Payer
Mr. & Mrs. Rudolph J. Schaefer, III
Charter Members
Mr. & Mrs. Richard Ahern
Dr. & Mrs. Richard Berry
Mr. & Mrs. Ernest A. Bigelow
Mrs. Helen Brewster
Mr. & Mrs. Peter G. Briggs
Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Cottrell
Mrs. Kathryn Crandall
Mrs. Pamela Crandall
Mr. & Mrs. Frank Davis
Mr. & Mrs. John Dobbin
Mr. & Mrs. Louis Drakos
Mr. & Mrs. Walter Fisher
Mr. & Mrs. Herbert Frisbie
Mr. & Mrs. Marc Ginsburg
Mr. & Mrs. George Hammond
Mr. & Mrs. William P. T. Hill
Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Holstein
Mr. & Mrs. David Hughes
Mr. & Mrs. Dwight Ketelhut
Dr. & Mrs. Lewis Kimball
Mr. & Mrs. Patton Kline
Dr. & Mrs. Bradford Lavigne
Mr. & Mrs. Bennet Lord
Mr. & Mrs. Martin Lyons
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Mackie
Mr. & Mrs. Wes Maxwell
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Moore
Mr. & Mrs. John Davis Murphy
Mr. & Mrs. Harrison C. Noyes, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Roger W. Orlomoksi
Mr. & Mrs. John Ragsdale
Dr. & Mrs. Martin L. Rosol, Jr.
Dr. Michael Smyle
Mr. & Mrs. Peter Stuart
Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Tate
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Townsend
Mrs. Irene Trimble
Mr. & Mrs. George B. Turner
Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Van Winkle
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Watkins
Mr. & Mrs. William B. White
Mrs. Richard Woolworth
Presidents
Ian G. Camfield
Anthony P. Halsey
Paul I. Bartholet
Gerald Snyder
Michele J. Delmhorst
Marc Ginsberg
Tim Guidera
Jackson R. King, Jr.
Thomas J. Flaherty
1988 – 1994
1994 – 1997
1997 – 2000
2000 – 2002
2002 – 2003
2003 – 2006
2006 – 2009
2009 – 2012
2012 –
Club Champions
Men’s Club Champions
Women’s Club Champions
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2oo4
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
John Holstein
Marc Ginsberg
Ian Camfield
Ian Camfield
Kurt Freye
Ian Camfield
Todd Kroll
Todd Kroll
Ian Camfield
Marc Ginsberg
Charlie Domenie
Dave Adams, Jr.
Bobby Fox
Tim Howe
Johnny Glenn
Tim Howe
Michael Hawley
Bob Evans, Jr.
Bill von Glahn
Michael Hawley
Michael Hawley
Edie Paffard
Joan Crawford
Edie Paffard
Amy Stone
Joan Crawford
Amy Stone
Valerie Camfield
Valerie Camfield
Amy Stone
Amy Stone
Amy Stone
Amy Stone
Carolyn Ferrara
Linda Colgan
Michelle Murphy
Jeanne Tingo
Patty van der Velde
Patty van der Velde
Christine Kong
Christine Kong
Jeanne Tingo
History
Early History of the Area
As you drive to Stonington Country Club on Taugwonk Road, try
to imagine that it is the early 1600s. The town of Stonington had
been incorporated when the earliest settlers arrived from the
Plymouth Colony in 1649. Originally a trading post on the
Pawcatuck River, the town was later claimed by Massachusetts
and named Southertown. England granted the charter for the
Colony of Connecticut in 1662 to Governor John Winthrop, Jr.,
and set the boundaries. The General Court changed the name to
Mystic in 1665, and in 1666, the name was changed to Stonington.
Before the 1600s, sometime around 1500, both the Pequot and
Mohegan were a single tribe that migrated to eastern Connecticut
from the upper Hudson River Valley in New York. Situated
behind Long Island, the Pequot and their neighbors had little
contact with Europeans before 1600. Highly organized, aggressive
and warlike, the Pequot (from the Alquonquin word for
“destroyers”) dominated Connecticut before 1637. War broke out
in 1637 when the Pequots ordered a series of raids against
Connecticut settlements in retaliation for raids by the English the
previous summer. When the General Court at Hartford formally
declared war, an experienced soldier by the name of Captain John
Mason commanded a small army to attack the Pequot at Mystic.
Seeing he was badly outnumbered, Mason gave up his plan and
continued east to Rhode Island. There, 200 warriors joined him,
and he returned to Mystic for a surprise attack. Seven hundred
Pequot were trapped inside their fort. Mason and his men set it
afire, and all the Pequot perished.
Fewer than half the three thousand Pequot alive in 1637 survived
the war, and the tribe was dismembered under the peace signed at
Hartford in 1638. The largest group of Pequot was placed under
the control of the Uncas and the Mohegan. By 1655, they were
being so mistreated by the Mohegan that the English were forced
to situate them in separate locations in eastern Connecticut.
These eventually became the Mashantucket (Western Pequot) at
Ledyard (1666) and the Pawcatuck (Eastern Pequot) reservation at
Lantern Hill (1683).
As the Pequot were now living apart on reservations in the state,
several English families rose to prominence in the division in
Stonington and neighboring areas. Chief among them was the
Miner family. Thomas Miner was born in England in 1608 and
migrated to Salem, Massachusetts, in 1629. He moved from
Massachusetts with his wife Grace Palmer to the Wequetequock
area of present-day Stonington. In 1653, Miner bought land west
of Stonington across Quambaug Cove near Mystic and built a
house for his family. At the same time, he became a founder of
Stonington with three associates: William Cheeseborough,
Thomas Stanton and his father-in-law Walter Palmer.
Thomas Miner and his wife, parents to seven sons and three
daughters, died within weeks of each other in 1690. They are
buried in Stonington’s Wequetequock Cemetery located on the
east side of Wequetequock Cove. The entrance to the cemetery is
on Palmer’s Neck Road, off Greenhaven Avenue.
Miner descendents continued to live in Stonington for the next ten
generations and are important to the history of our own
Stonington Country Club in that at one time it was all Miner
property. In fact, the Miner Taugwonk property is often
mentioned in Thomas Miner’s diary. Much of it remained in
Miner hands up into the 1900s. Alfred Miner, recently deceased,
was born in the small cape house just past our driving range.
History of the Land
The Stonington Town Hall houses records documenting land
transactions - grantors and grantees over the years - for the
property on which Stonington Country Club was constructed.
Records from the early 1800s highlight names familiar to
Stonington residents today: Cheseborough, Palmer, Denison,
Williams. While stone walls provided some assistance in
surveying, the land deeds measure property in terms of “rods” (5.5
yards) and “links” (7.92 inches). Records dating from the 1880s
show a transaction between Grantor James Hammond Trumbull
and Grantee Warren S. Wheeler relating to property bordering
Taugwonk Road and what is now Wheeler Road in the amount of
four hundred dollars. The Wheeler family continued to own much
of the land until 1968 when it sold its large parcel bordering
Taugwonk to Manuel and Margaret Medeiros, who in turn sold for
$1 a tract of over 230 acres to the United States Coast Guard
Foundation. Property belonging to families named Brown,
Salminen, Wheeler, Miner, York and Billings were referenced in
the description of the land.
The Beginning: Site Plan and Course Design
Led by Ian Camfield in the mid-1980s, a group of ten Founding
and 42 Charter Members banded together with the goal of
building a country club which would be accessible to a wide
population in southeastern Connecticut and western Rhode
Island. At the time, there were no private golf clubs in the area, so
these golf enthusiasts - eager to be a part of such a club - put up
the seed money to get a course started. Incorporation took place
on July 13, 1988. The members’ first mission was to find a
suitable site for the project. Early efforts were thwarted, however,
when the plan to build a course in the High Ridge development of
Stonington was rejected on environmental grounds. Undaunted,
these early members persevered. While the original investment
was lost, members started all over again, and funds raised were
used to begin the project on 155 acres of Coast Guard Foundation
land off Taugwonk Road. In the spring of 1991, a 99-year lease
with the Foundation was signed, and the club pays a set annual
rent, excluding renewal options and inflationary adjustments. The
planned facility initially included not only an 18-hole, par 72, 6700
yard golf course, but also a clubhouse, tennis and platform tennis
courts, pool and indoor sports facility. The groundbreaking for
the course took place in June 1991.
The original site plan, drawn up by contractor Wes Maxwell and
architect Bill Roehl, shows a gently curving road from the club’s
entrance on Taugwonk Road passing by a swimming pool, with its
own pavilion, on the right. On the opposite side of the road are
the tennis complex and the driving range, and traveling a little
farther along the road is the view of the clubhouse. The
architectural style and materials used are cedar shingle roof, white
columns and deep red chimney. Adjacent to the clubhouse are
platform tennis courts and an indoor sports facility.
The same plan includes a 15,000 square foot two-story club house,
with a main dining room, covered porch, kitchen, library, coat
room, office, golfers bar, men’s and women’s locker rooms, golf
shop – and even a men’s card room!
When Ian contacted Arnold Palmer’s course design firm in Ponte
Vedra Beach, Florida, seeking a course architect, he was given the
name of Al Zikorus. Zikorus, associated with golf all his life, came
highly recommended and could not have been a better choice. He
began as a caddy in Needham, Massachusetts, went on to play
college golf, worked as a course laborer and eventually began and
building golf courses in 1952.
When Zikorus first set eyes on the 540-yard stretch of dirt and
rock cut from farmland along Taugwonk Road in 1991, he
envisioned a course which could be challenging for top golfers as
well as friendly to the average golfer. Several years earlier, he had
begun looking at a topographic map of the land in his Maine
office. He could determine how the site would drain and where
the course would slope. Although part of the land was meadowlike, the woods were so dense that he had to wear special overalls
so he could walk through the thorns and branches. PGA pro Peter
Jacobsen and his design company reviewed Zikorus’ plans and
made recommendations: holes 1 and 10 needed to be close to the
clubhouse, and the holes built north to south, so the sun would not
shine in the golfers’ eyes in the morning or afternoon. Prevailing
winds also needed to be considered.
The original plan called for what is now hole 1 to be hole 10 – the
9s reversed. Consideration has been given over the years to
returning to the original plan.
The Machnik Brothers, Old Lyme contractors, worked with
Zikorus during this project. They noted that a particular challenge
in constructing a golf course was following plans with no straight
lines and level grades. And, of course, the stones!!! They
commented, “It’s a pretty nice piece of property . . . with a lot of
stones.”
Harsh economic conditions at the time and Hurricane Bob,
however, put a damper on the original site plan. While the longterm goal remained intact, the scope was curtailed. The club
proceeded with a phased development program starting with the
Zikorus-designed nine holes, a 4,000 sq. ft. clubhouse, two tennis
courts and a driving range. These facilities opened in August of
1992. Full golf membership was $18,000 ($12,000 membership
certificate) and tennis membership $10,000 ($6,000 membership
certificate).
The Second Nine Holes and Expanded Clubhouse
Construction on the second nine holes began in 1993. By 1994,
four and one half holes were added. To complete an 18-hole
round, members played holes 1 through 9, replayed holes 1
through 4, crossed over to play the current 15-17 (as holes 14, 15,
16), then went to where the 150 yard markers are today on hole 13
(no tee box – only blue, white and red tee markers), played that as
the par 3 hole 17 and finished up playing hole 18 as it is today.
Ron Forse, a golf course architect from Pennsylvania, refined the
original design of the final holes. The challenge of constructing
holes 10, 11 and 12 was significant because of the area’s
topography, dense undergrowth and drainage issues.
In October of 1997, the longtime dream of an 18-hole course
became a reality! The club celebrated the completion with a gala
and a piper in full regalia. The club’s 233 members came through
with loans in various forms to finance the expansion. The Board
chose not to assess its members for the expansion, but rather
asked individuals to consider non-interest bearing loans to be
repaid over seven years. A truly remarkable testament to the
resolve and generosity of the members of Stonington Country Club
is that all funding came from its members – by the underwriting of
debentures, naming holes on the course and other means.
What followed were “the good old days!” The clubhouse was
small, the Golf Shop (where the bar is now), and the kitchen past
the entryway to the right. The main room ended where the
vaulted ceiling “big” room now begins. There was much social
activity made possible by the BYO efforts of the membership. The
Board, however, decided that an expansion of the clubhouse was
needed. Once again, Wes Maxwell and Bill Roehl were called on
for the expansion project, and the addition of the big room,
kitchen and the downstairs golf shop / bag storage was completed
in June 2001. The clubhouse of today is structurally the same as it
was following that major renovation. With the arrival of our PGA
Head Professional in 2005, the downstairs space was reconfigured
to provide him an office. In addition, the bar area was expanded
in 2010.
Native American Place Names
Names attached to locations in the Stonington area came from Algonquin
dialect spoken by the Pequot-Mohegans. Many were made up of two or
more elements. For example, “Pequot-sepos” combines “Pequot,” which
stood for both the tribe and the river we call Thames and “sepos,” meaning
“little river.” We translate this as “little river of the Pequots.”
chip’pachaug - “a place apart”; the original name for Mason’s Island, used
by Thomas Miner in his 1664 diary
misquam’icut – “a place for taking salmon”
mistick – “great tidal river”
pawcatuck – “clear, open or shallow river”
taugwonk – “stone mortar for pounding corn”
wadawanuck – “neck of land”
waumphas’suc – “swamps, marsh, bog or wet meadows”
Bear
Tracks
on Hole 4
February 2000
The Stones of Stonington Country Club
The history of Stonington Country Club could be written in stone.
Just ask any of the members who were around at the beginning
and participated in the weekly stone-picking parties! Even our
club logo – a tree AND a stone wall - acknowledges the role stone
walls play in our story.
Over the years, those who play our course for the first time are
awed by the beauty not only of our course but that of the stone
walls. The walls serve as out-of-bounds markers and in many
places provide an attractive demarcation between holes. Thanks
go to our course superintendant and his crew for their efforts in
uncovering and rebuilding many of these walls.
If you drive from one place to another in New England, the stone
walls will tell you something of the commercial and cultural
history of each area, dating back to the Pequot. The farming land
that once covered this area provided the foundation of the area’s
stone walls, the earliest being landfills – the collections for the
stones the first white farmers cleared from the fields. Stacked
walls were the next phase in wall-building, constructions that
improved on the haphazardly dumped walls that resulted from
field-clearing. It was the abundance of these stones that gave
Stonington its name.
The walls found in the area of Stonington Country Club stand
pretty much as they stood 250 years ago. Whether a particular
wall was created to enclose pastureland or merely mark
boundaries or enclose livestock can be determined by looking at
the stones in it. Walls making boundaries or enclosing livestock
were generally made of stones uniform in size. Those at the edges
of cultivated fields have a greater variety of stone sizes, as all
stones were cleared so the plows would not have to contend with
them the following season. Still, as New England’s soil is
constantly in motion, a new crop of stones can appear each spring.
Hence, the challenge of keeping our golf course stone free!
Aerial View of Golf Course
Clambake - 1997
From Initial Brochure - Nines Reversed
Back Nine Construction - Begun 1993, Completed 1997
Clubhouse Addition - Completed 2001
How the Holes Got Their Names
As part of the fundraising campaign at SCC, members were
encouraged – for a set cost – to “name” the holes on the course.
Appropriately sized stones were selected, and brass plaques with
the hole numbers, hole “names” and donor names were secured to
the stones and placed at tee boxes. While the names have
meaning with regard to the particular holes and the game of golf
in general, they often have personal meaning as well.
1
Revery
Mel and Alethea Holstein
. . . named after their beloved yacht
2
Reflection
John, Barbara and Lauren Fiore
. . . to suggest seeing one’s self in the pond
3
Break-a-Leg
Edie and Fred Paffard
. . . reference to Edie’s breaking her leg as she slipped on the slope
by the pond while attempting to retrieve Fred’s ball
4
Be Reliable
Anonymous
. . . and so it remains
5
Straight Arrow
Constance Brustolon
. . . to suggest the importance of hitting straight off the tee
6
Challenge
John and Edie Murphy
. . . reference to the difficulty of the hole
7
The Trade Winds
Jack “Van” Leonard
. . . named after a family-owned bar in St. Augustine, Florida – and
its position between holes 6 and 9
8
Sinking Feeling
Helen Brewster
. . . to suggest the potential disappointment of one’s tee shot
ending up in the pond
9
Tee-rrific
Nancy and Stan Wells
. . . to suggest the straight line to the flagpole when hitting from
the white tees – a “tee-rrific” shot!
10
Commitment
Jean Bisbee, Jack Anderson, Beau Beaumont, Josh Burrows, Lew
Kimball, Gerry Snyder, Lehman Woods
--Dean O’Lari
. . . committee that oversaw the construction of the final holes on
back nine
11
Poppa’s Bridge
William D. E. Colgan
. . . reference to “Poppa” Colgan, an engineer of the CT State
Highway Department for 35 years, who was involved in the
construction of the Gold Star Memorial Bridge. His
grandchildren, who traveled to Groton Long Point in the summers
– having heard the history of the bridge - named the bridge
Poppa’s Bridge – thus, the 11th tee “Poppa’s Bridge”!
12
Reprieve
Loretta and Ray Uzanas
. . . to suggest a “reprieve” between the difficult holes 11 and 13
13
Perseverance
Sandy and Tony Halsey
. . . reference to the value the donor wanted to impart to his
children
14
Endurance
Rudie and Jane Schaefer
. . . reference to the donor’s opinion that “endurance” was required
to play any more than fourteen holes
15
Perplexity
Jerry Ramsdell
. . . to suggest the problem of playing a shot to the green while
staying clear of the pond
16
Sweet Sixteen
Peter, Toshia and Ryan Barnett
….. reference to the relative easiness of the par 3
17
Relentless
The Klewin Family
. . . to suggest the donor’s approach towards life
18
Finally
Bunny Evans
. . . named for the donor’s foal, whose birth was long awaited – an
especially apt name for the “final” hole!
SCC Chronology, as Taken From Newsletters . . .
1994 (the first year newsletters were printed)
¾ Board approval of 2-year construction program for opening
5 new holes in ’95 and final 4 in ’96, funded by sale of
$200,000 in new construction debentures
1995
¾ Formation of SCCWGA “hole-in-one” club
¾ Gatherings of “Royal Order of Rock Pickers,” Tuesdays &
Thursdays, 5 p.m.
1996
¾ Long Range Planning recommendation that club proceed
with regard to fundraising; monies raised thus far come
from gifts, interest free loans and interest bearing loans;
for gifts of $15,000, members have privilege of naming hole
of their choice
¾ Start of mixed couples league
¾ Parking lot graveled
1997
¾ Hosting of First Mercedes Dealer Championship by
Carriage House of New London to benefit the March of
Dimes
¾ Initiation of men’s and women’s bocce ladders
¾ Founders Day Celebration with a Family Day – including a
magic show, field games, pony rides, bocce and golf
tournaments followed by cookout
¾ Opening of all 18 holes
1998
¾ Metal spikes no longer permitted on course
¾ Inaugural 2-day Men’s Member Guest Tournament
¾ Board approval of preliminary plan for expansion of bag
storage capability, enhanced kitchen facility and general
purpose space
¾ Opening of paddle tennis court, built with funds donated by
club players
1999/ 2000
¾ Wetlands commission approval for building addition;
kitchen to be constructed in spring
¾ Practice putting area expanded
¾ 18 names on Waiting List
¾ Construction begins on new wing
¾ Hiring of PGA professional researched
¾ Clearing between holes 17 and 18 winter project
2001
¾ Tournament director hired for season
¾ 90-degree rule adopted
¾ June “grand reopening” of expanded clubhouse
¾ Patio outside Golf Shop and expanded bag storage
completed
¾ Flagpole, gift from Charter Members, installed
¾ Cell phone usage discussed
¾ Slow play issues addressed
¾ Quotes obtained for air conditioning of clubhouse
¾ Possibility of securing a liquor license explored
2002
¾ Most of high grass mounds on the front nine removed,
both to speed play and help prevent exposure to ticks
¾ Drainage work ongoing
¾ Golf membership full at 300
¾ New entry steps completed
¾ Considerable clearing between holes 14 and 17
¾ Tennis instruction initiated
¾ Women’s tee on hole 4 relocated
¾ Grass bunker in front of hole 4 green removed; sand bunker
added behind green and brush cleared
¾ Golf tees for senior men rated for play by CT Golf
Association
¾ Approval for additional pond at hole 14
¾ Short-game practice area completed
2003
¾
¾
¾
¾
CL&P installs new service line due to club’s increased usage
Warm-up hitting cage installed in woods behind hole 1
Need to remind members of dress code noted
Planting and landscaping around clubhouse and parking lot
completed
¾ Hole naming initiative complete with hole 7
¾ Fairway cuts expanded at request of some senior players
¾ 12 – 15 new trees planted on course
2004
¾ Mike Marino brought on as course superintendent
¾ Payer Cup renamed The Founders Cup
¾ Liquor license obtained
¾ Website developed
¾ Possible new logo discussed
¾ “Significant other” policy established
¾ Wetlands approval to proceed with the joining of ponds at
holes 2 and 3
¾ Firm hired to supervise extensive drainage project
¾ Slow play issues addressed
2005
¾ 309 golf memberships
¾ Significant pruning and clearing of trees done to allow
more sunlight and air movement
¾ SCC men join Shoreline Interclub League
¾ Lease with Coast Guard Foundation renegotiated
¾ Attractive brochure produced as marketing tool
¾ New on-course drinking water system
¾ Fish purchased for ponds to eat vegetation
¾ 3-phase power to clubhouse approved by CL&P
¾ Bunker restoration project ongoing
¾ Michael Myszkowski announced as new PGA Head Golf
Professional responsible for all golf activities
2006
¾ New club logo introduced which will appear on greens
flags, bag tags and all club literature
¾ Women’s and Men’s Rooms approved for renovation, along
with the replacement of carpeting on lower level and
construction of office for our new head pro
¾ New rain shelter between holes 13 and 14
¾ Need for air conditioning and walk-in refrigeration system
noted
¾ Parking lot project completed; birch trees planted, two
stone walls and bronze plaque with our logo added
¾ New on-course “facilities” have flushing capabilities and
sinks
¾ Pond storage at hole 15 expanded by over one million
gallons by creating 1 ½ foot berm in front
¾ Slow play issues addressed
2007
¾ Decision to use red, yellow and blue balls on top of 150yard markers, replacing colored flags on greens
¾ Dress code issues addressed
¾ On-course liquor cart introduced
¾ Bunker work ongoing
¾ Connecticut State Golf Association reissues course rating
2008
¾ New dress code approved
¾ 20th anniversary party in the planning stages
¾ Score cards with new hole handicapping distributed
¾ 18-hole format added to the 9-hole Wednesday Men’s
League
¾ Board approves a stop to all unnecessary spending for the
final 2008 quarter due to general economic uncertainty
¾ White “out-of-bounds” stakes to be removed; the walls
serve as boundary markers
¾ Gateway Program introduced; members 70 and older, who
sponsor new member and turn in certificate, pay half dues
until target of 15 new members reached
¾ Jon Kodama hosts holiday party
¾ Senior Bond Exchange program approved
¾ Circular wall around the flagpole dedicated to the memory
of Founder Anthony Halsey
2009
¾ Jon Kodama introduced as food and beverage service
provider
¾ GPS devices permitted on course
¾ 279 golf memberships
¾ Junior Program extended to age 39, limited to 15 new
applicants
¾ Behavior issues with children addressed
¾ Flags available for handicap-carts
¾ Lightning protection installed on tree on hole 18 and rain
shelter
¾ Approval to proceed with the joining of ponds at holes 2
and 3
¾ Pond on hole 15 enlarged for greater water capacity; berm
created in front of pond and wall to left of green extended;
cart path to green moved around pump house
¾ Slow play issues addressed
2010
¾ Gabe Carr-Harris introduced as Assistant Golf Professional
¾ Expanded bar in operation
¾ Surround irrigation on 4 holes installed
¾ Closer monitoring of score entering recommended
¾ New tee for men at hole 5 open
¾ Membership survey completed
¾ Improvement in golf etiquette noted
¾ Grass mounds added to approach to green on hole 18 to
discourage approach from hole 10 fairway
¾ Clearing near hole 3 green and path to 4 hole tee; cart path
built so players can make way to path behind hole 16 green
for faster access to and from clubhouse
2011
¾ Fixed assets total almost $6,700,000; no bank debt
¾ Introduction of bridge lessons
¾ Laser Link prisms installed on top of flag sticks on course
and driving range
¾ Lending Library of golf-themed books created
¾ Special message regarding pace of play: 4 1/4hrs. / 18
holes; 2 ½ hrs. / 9
¾ Family Day – golf, tennis AND fishing!
2012
¾ New patio furniture purchased
¾ New software system implemented to keep track of rounds
played and assist in all areas of club management
¾ Preliminary discussions regarding new building for cart
storage and expanded Golf Shop, while remaining
committed to avoiding both assessments and borrowing
Recollections of the Early Days
Ian Camfield, Founder and first President:
Moving to the Stonington / Westerly area in 1966, I worked in the
electrical controls field for a number of years, before forming my own
company. At the same time, I became seriously interested in land
development in Stonington. An avid golfer as a teenager in England, I
continued to play golf here in the States at the Misquamicut Club. … In
the mid-1980s, Stonington was prospering, and it became clear that the
area could support a member-owned private golf course. As most golf
courses built in those years were funded as a part of a large real estate
development, the first task was to locate a suitable site and find funding.
Tony Halsey and several others were eager to join this venture. … We
initially considered including a golf course in the High Ridge
development of Stonington, but the plan was rejected on environmental
grounds. The initial investment of our Founders was lost. … The idea of
Stonington Country Club lay dormant until 1987 when I met with the
President of the Coast Guard Foundation to discuss a 99-year lease on
the Foundation’s property – 155 acres - off Taugwonk Road. Leasing
this land would reduce our start up costs to under 1.5 million for a ninehole course with a small clubhouse. The Foundation has always been
very supportive of our club. … The second feasibility study was once
again funded by the Founders, the design and permitting costs by the
Charter Members and the actual construction cost was funded by the
sale of General Memberships. This, along with the generosity of all the
members who lent the club money in the form of construction
debentures or by gifts to sponsor and name individual holes, allowed us
to move forward. When it had become clear in 1990 that we could begin
construction of the course, I retired from my other business activities to
focus on building and managing the club until 1994. … What was not
anticipated, however, was the economic recession that was looming and
hurricane Bob, which hit in the middle of the course construction. … We
did manage to open the front nine holes and clubhouse in August ’92
and added five holes on the back in ’94. Construction of the front nine
was easy, as it was mostly farmland, but the back entailed wetlands and
wooded, hilly terrain. In 1997 the final four holes on the back were
completed. Fond memories of the earlier years include the huge
enthusiasm of the membership, evidenced by the weekly Friday evening
scrambles and family rock picking gatherings.
Sandy Halsey, Founding Member:
We moved in 1986 from Summit, N.J., to Mystic, having just been
accepted to the Baltusrol Golf Club in March and were to move in
June. Needless to say, I was disappointed. Tony spent the entire
year before, traveling back and forth, organizing the Bank of
Mystic. Through his association with local attorneys and
businessmen, it soon became apparent that there was interest in
forming a local country club. Knowing my very keen interest in
having a place to play golf, he together with Ian Camfield, a local
developer and avid golfer, and several bank board members set
out to find land suitable for a course in the Stonington area. …The
first site explored for development was in Pawcatuck, neighboring
the Elm Ridge Golf Club (now the High Ridge area off Pequot
Trail). A number of people pledged funds to acquire the property,
only to have the Town of Stonington deny the application on the
grounds that use of fertilizer would be harmful to the aquifer. …
One of the goals, along with building a golf course/country club,
was to bring people together from neighboring enclaves many of
which had their own summer clubs. Also, by having a full service
country club, dining out in the area would be easier during the
crowded summer months. … Following the disappointment of not
being able to develop the land off Pequot Trail, a 99-year lease was
secured from the Coast Guard Foundation to develop part of their
property into an 18-hole golf course. … In 1987, the economy was
bad with many bankruptcies creating a discouraging environment
during which to start a club, but because of the interest and
excitement of those involved, others throughout the area were
approached to become involved financially. It was especially
important to Tony, a banker, not to borrow any money or take on
any debt to begin the first nine holes. Thus the Founding and
Charter Members were established, who put up the money to
begin the project. ... Numerous informational gatherings were
held at the Foundation’s facility, and PGA pro Peter Jacobsen was
brought in to help consult with Al Zikorus on the initial design.
(Zikorus later proceeded on his own). … Some of my memories
during those early years: Grace Tate, Edie Paffard and I (the first
women’s committee) met with Ian Camfield to establish
Wednesday as Ladies Day – which was met with some surprise
(the ladies, having their own golfing day?); beer and rock picking
parties on Thursday evenings with ten or twelve people moving
down a fairway, picking up rocks and throwing them into the
woods; members helping fill areas with dirt and grass seed on the
fairways; eventually convincing Betty Carpenter, a Pequot golfer
and head of the Shoreline League with whom I played golf a good
bit, to convince the group to accept us into the League.
Early Member:
There are many stories that come to mind when thinking back to
the early days of the club. Most have heard about the “beer and
rock picking” parties. As I remember, for some reason – most
likely expense – the soil that was disturbed/moved in the process
of shaping the first 13 ½ holes was not screened. Screening
disturbed soil goes a long way in the removal of stones so
abundant in New England. Anyway, when the course construction
was done and the grass started to come up, it quickly became
apparent that the course was not really playable because of all the
stones. The solution was to form “rock regiments” or “stone
brigades” to line up across the fairways on Tuesdays and
Thursdays at 5 p.m. to pick stones for an hour or so. All members
were encouraged to participate. The wheelbarrow folks would get
their fill and dump the stones/rocks in holes in or near the fairway
that was being worked. In fact, the mounds on the approach to
hole 13 were created by those stones! The building of the last 4 ½
holes were supervised by the construction committee and the soil
was screened by a machine. Some of us would watch the soil flow
through this machine and marvel at the number of stones
removed by the process, recalling the number of stones
handpicked by the “Army of Stonington Country Club.”…This
story gives a good idea of the typical early SCC member – doing
what needed doing, with little recognition or fanfare. There are
several examples here: the Friday night golf and dinner events
needed ice, as members brought their own booze; so a member
went to New Jersey, returning with an ice machine and presented
it to the club; another member wallpapered the upstairs powder
room by herself. This same member organized Oktoberfest every
year and had beef flown in from Iowa. … One story I remember
especially well. When some of us began play in August 1992, to
start play on the front nine, the hole 2 red and white tees were
where the blue tees are currently placed. There were complaints
that playing from those tees made it all too easy to hit into the
water on the left. So in 1995, the greens crew built the current red
and white tee boxes. But, another problem arose: golfers playing
hole 1 were hitting into members on the new hole 2 tee. Solution:
purchase and plant hedge-type plants that would provide
protection for those hitting from hole 2 tee playing either the red
or white tees. Volunteers then bought plants and borrowed tools
from the greens crew, dug holes, placed the plants in a row, filled
in the holes and added abundant water. Just then one of our
members, a horticulturalist, arrived on the scene and announced
that these plants were placed too close together and if not
replanted further apart would die. The volunteers, exhausted by
their efforts, nonetheless picked up their shovels and replanted
those plants – once again demonstrating the spirit of the club’s
culture!
Other recollections of early members:
The front nine was much more difficult due to the fact that all the
mounds were thick with high grass and there were a lot more trees
to the left of hole 6. The high grass provided good shelter for mice
and deer ticks resulting in several cases of Lyme disease and
Babesiosis. Since most of us were beginner golfers and our balls
invariably ended up in those mounds, we developed a dance
known as the “mound stomp.”
………………..
At the start of the club’s operation, there was a Treasurer, but no
auditor to review the books periodically. Because we were initially
a cash business, that was OK. But when we had to begin investing
members’ money, we needed a CPA for a more formal accounting,
and one of our members volunteered.
…………………
The club’s first members held parties at the Mystic Shipyard and
were encouraged to bring guests as prospective members. I
remember there were phone banks at the Bank of Mystic used for
marketing purposes, and that on occasion we would meet at the
Hilton.
………………..
Jon Kodama put on clambakes and cookouts. I learned from him
that putting burgers on the grill frozen was the “secret.” He was
always supportive and generous. … Also, I remember a bell was
rung every time a member joined.
………………..
Memorable dinners in the early days were the “Italian Nights.” At
the time, there was no kitchen at the clubhouse, and a bunch of us
girls from Westerly cooked the dinner, brought it to the clubhouse
and served it to a room full of members.
…………………
I remember a celebration dinner at Misquamicut Golf Club
honoring the Founding and Charter Members. That evening, after
several rounds of drinks, quite a bit more money was raised – in
the form of debentures – towards the course completion. Also,
there were a number of area golfers who wanted to wait until all
eighteen holes were constructed before joining, so we had to do a
bit of arm twisting.
_____________________________________________
Ben Jackson, SCC Teaching Professional, 1993-2005
In 1993 while teaching in Florida, a golf associate had a friend who
was a Founding Member of a brand new nine-hole private club
opening in the Stonington area. They were seeking a professional
to establish the instructional program and operate a golf school.
Although committed elsewhere, I agreed to come, primarily
because I had never spent time in New England. I promised them
four months, and that four months turned into 13 years.
It was a Spartan beginning—the course was just growing in, and
practice facilities were all but nonexistent. What grass existed on
the practice tee was soon chewed up and remained that way that
first season. There was no irrigation, no water and no system of
reseeding. Problems were numerous, but so were teaching
opportunities, and it was the attitude of the early membership that
won my heart. Improvements began in 1994, yet still water had to
be hauled from the clubhouse by the tubful to hand clean range
balls. Also, a “chit” system was used for purchasing buckets small, medium and large – a daily bookkeeping nightmare! There
was no phone at the “little house on the prairie” and, at the time,
cell phones were not ubiquitous, so we had to go up to the
clubhouse constantly to respond to calls for lessons.
Barbara (Humphreys) and I made Connecticut our home in 1995,
and I gave eight to ten one-hour lessons per day to members and
non-members, many who ultimately became members. We
worked diligently, and so did the membership. Early on we were
selling potential and it worked. I handed many, many players
their first golf club. We developed some fine players, helped grow
the club and we’re proud of that.
Linda Drake, Club Manager 1994 to present
How did I get to Stonington Country Club? My family owned a
golf shop in Groton at the time the club was being developed. One
of our early members asked if the shop would supply some simple
“golf necessities” at SCC when it opened. And then, of course, they
needed someone to sell the merchandise and greet the
membership. They were not ready to invest in a golf pro yet. I
found myself at the club many days, while other family members
were at the Groton location. I enjoyed meeting all the members
and learning the golf business from the private club side. Ian
Camfield taught me how to put together tournaments and figure
out handicaps, along with much, much more. The Golf Shop was
then to the left as you come in the front door of the clubhouse,
where the bar is now. … The following summer, Ian asked if I also
wanted to provide a “sandwich and soup” operation out of the very
small kitchen, which was off the informal bar - to the right of the
living room. It was very “bare bones” in those days. Only 3 or 4
people a day would stay for lunch, and I often could run back and
forth between the kitchen and Golf Shop.
There were probably about 75 members at the time, and a very
active social committee organized events – such as the “rock
picking” parties on Thursdays at 5 in the afternoon, along with
cookouts and cocktail parties on the back lawn. Friday night
“Twilight Golf” was always a favorite.
I began working with Ian in the office starting in August of 1993.
My duties were primarily membership sales, helping with events
and bookkeeping. We were accepting a lot of new members in
those early days, and it was a busy time.
I was appointed the Club Manager in 1994. I joined the Club
Managers Association of America, and began the long process
towards Club Management Certification, which I attained in 2005.
… It’s been a pleasure to work alongside so many talented
individuals on the various committees and Boards.
Current Club Management
Linda M. Drake, CCM – Club Manager
-
Grew up in Shrewsbury, Mass.; A.S. from Johnson & Wales
University; B.S. from Albertus Magnus College; CCM- Certified
Club Manger, 2005; came to SCC in 1992, manager since 1994;
mother of two grown daughters, lives in Mystic
Michael Marino, CGCS – Superintendent
-
Grew up in Coventry, R.I.; B.S. in Turfgrass Management –
Urban Horticulture from University of Rhode Island; came to
SCC in 2004 from Manchester (Conn.) Country Club; lives in
Pawcatuck with wife and two children
Patrick Peterson – Assistant Superintendent
- Grew up in Mystic; B.S. in Agronomy from University of
Connecticut; prior to coming to SCC in 2006, interned at Lake of
Isles; lives in Groton with wife and four children
Michael Myskowski, PGA – Head Golf Professional
-
Grew up in Newington, Conn; B.S. in Accounting from
University of Connecticut; PGA status attained April 1994;
numerous golfing seminars and schools throughout career;
came to SCC in 2006; lives in Groton with wife Joanne
Gabe Carr-Harris, PGA – Assistant Golf Professional
-
Grew up in Pleasantville, N.Y.; B.S. in Professional Golf
Management, PGA of America; Associates Degree from Three
Rivers Community College; came to SCC in 2010; lives in
New London
Jon Kodama - Food Service Provider
-
Grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii; graduated from Yale
University; began in restaurant business with Steak Loft in
1973, Dock & Dine 1987, Go Fish in 1996 and Ten Clams in
2002; joined SCC in the early ‘90s, left in 2007 and returned
as food service provider in 2009; father of two sons and a
daughter, lives with wife Diane in North Stonington
Stonington Country Club - 1992
Stonington Country Club - 2013
1988-2013
396 Taugwonk Road
Stonington, CT 06378
www.stoningtoncountryclub.com