Junior golfers scramble at Blush Hill Country Club
Sept. 3, 2022 | By Judi Byron
The course at Blush Hill Country Club was quite busy last Saturday and passersby may have noticed the golfers were much younger than the usual weekend crowd.
This summer, Blush Hill Country Club has seen a record increase in membership including in its junior members ages 17 and under. The club last weekend decided to recognize and reward the new members with a special day to celebrate that age group before they headed back to school.
They called it Junior Fun Day and it included a clinic with instructors, a round of golf, and lunch.
Eleven junior golfers ages 12-16 participated. PGA Golf Pro, Waterbury resident and Harwood Union Hall-of-Famer Jason Murray led the clinic. That was followed by nine holes of golf played in a scramble. Three teams were accompanied by one adult for each group: Harwood Union High School Golf Coach Brian McCarthy, Blush Hill Country Club board member Dick Patterson, and Murray.
A scramble is a common format for a golf tournament. Three or four players make up a team and each member hits their ball throughout. Whichever is the best of all the golfers’ shots, is where you start your play, beginning with the drive and ending with the putt for each holes.
There is camaraderie, not competition, and the players learn from those who play before them (where the ball breaks, for example) and also from the coach or golf pro in their group.
While some of the players have been at it a while, for many, this was their first year playing the game. More than one golfer spoke of getting into the game because of friends. Caleb, a young golfer spoke of how calming playing golf is, and the importance of skill.
For newcomers, learning the basics as well as golf course etiquette is important. Having a pro teach a small, focused group how to chip properly, for example, can take something that could perhaps be frustrating and turn it into a challenge to be mastered. Caleb noted that what looked easy wasn’t, and the importance of consistency.
McCarthy agreed. “It is a lifelong game. Learn the game and play forever!” he said. He took part not just because he was invited, but he knew it was a good chance of seeing current and future Harwood golfers on the course.
McCarthy, who loves the game, spoke passionately about the honesty and integrity that the game brings out in people. “There are no downsides to golf,” he said, except perhaps some frustration. “But if you can get past the frustrations in this game, you can do anything,” McCarthy added.
McCarthy and Patterson, as well as the juniors commented on golf bringing oneself into the moment where nothing exists outside of that little white ball.
Many of the young golfers on the course are soccer or basketball players who said they decided to try golf with friends. Murray said that is a big part of the appeal. “You can teach the kids about the game and about the swing, but it is really more about the camaraderie,” he said.
McCarthy agreed. “If you do it right, the relationships and the values will help you grow in so many ways that can’t be explained,” he said. “Everybody roots for everybody in golf, so it is win-win!”
Patterson grew up playing at the country club. He said he started when he was 9, caddying and working with his grandfather. He learned the game and some 60-odd years later, he is still at it. Patterson doesn’t highlight his accomplishments but plaques from Men’s Championships Awards bearing his name line a clubhouse wall.
You still find Patterson playing out on the course where he said he is thrilled “that some of these kids come every single day” this summer. He remarked on seeing one youngster riding his bicycle up Blush Hill with his golf clubs on his back.
That was junior golfer Jake Venafra, a freshman at Harwood this fall. In his first summer playing has logged more than 60 rounds of golf so far – and the season isn’t finished yet. This type of enthusiasm thrills Patterson as it reminds him of his own experience.
On this Saturday, the outing ended with an informal party after the scramble round. There were hot dogs, ice cream and sodas – and no rush to go home.
Established in 1941, the golf club aims to develop new players and to be affordable, said club Manager Patty McShane. For example, new members joining now for 2023 can enjoy playing for the rest of the 2022 season as a member. Junior memberships are available for age 17 and under based on their age on January 1, she said.
The club’s board hopes to do another such event next spring to kick off the 2023 season. “It’s a great way to get the kids back into golf,” said organizer and board Treasurer Susan Seymour.