The late Keith "Hammer" Hamlin, right, with good friend Robert Ratner on a vacation outing in October 2005.
2009 Hammer Tournament champions include from the left, Stewart Stevens, Chris Strack, Ed Roth and Terry Kelly. 
Well Known Liberty golfer Doug Rohrback with the ball he scored his first hole-in-one during the Hammer Tournament on the par 3 fourth hole. 
The Hammer Trophy sits sealed in this enclosure and is kept in the Pro Shop at the Sullivan County Golf & Country Club. Traditions & Lore Of The Hammer Outing
Golf tournaments are in most instances routine annual golf competitions that honor departed members of the community or benefit specific organizations but the lore and traditions of the annual Hammer Outing brings tournament golf to what could easily be called a look at a mystical golf course in Heaven where there is reality and faith combined for past "Friends of the Links."
The Hammer Outing is the realization of the thoughts and words of the late Keith "Hammer" Hamlin and the combined efforts of his family and many friends.
Keith was a well-known and highly respected contractor doing business as the Hamlin Construction Co. and loved the game of golf where he achieved the nick name of "Hammer" for the way he drove the ball down the fairway.
It was an expressed desire of Keith to hold an outing to share the many pleasant memories of past "Friends of the Links."
Having just completed it's third year of competition, the Hammer Outing is truly fulfilling Keith's desire.
The Hammer Outing as described in the Lore and Traditions of the Hammer Outing is an outing that takes place on the fields of play "that so many of us have walked, talked, and played upon together," and "shall be an outing of joy, not remorse, an outing of brother and sisterhood, an outing to renew old friendships."
As to the "past" Friends of the Link's the Lore and Traditions of this event tell the story of the man who asked his priest to find out if there was a golf course in heaven and the priest came back to him with good and bad news by saying there was a course in heaven and it was beautiful but the bad news was the man was teeing off at 7 a.m. the next morning.
The Lore and Traditions point out that it has been left to "The Hammer" to find that beautiful course in Heaven and that the mystical course is called the Valhalla Course located in the Land of Asgard (the highest heaven obtainable and reserved for only the most noble of men and women).
Keith, as would be expected, has a high seat on the governing board (Ting) at Valhalla and has let it be known that he has made arrangements for his past "Friends of the Links" to be admitted, as member, at this enchanting Links course.
The use of the word "Ting" comes from the fact that leaders of the villages in ancient times in the Celtic lands, The Isles, and parts of Europe held meetings to resolve issues of the day and these meetings were called (Tings) or things.
At the second annual Hammer Outing is was announced that Keith "has made it known that a players roster for the Valhalla Club at Asgarb is now being formed and it was decreed at a recent (Ting) that three past "Friends of the Links" are being called to the tee box at Valhalla," and that "these three players, along with Keith, will form the first of many foursomes to come. The foursome included Richard Benton, Bertram Eisenberg and Robert Mullen.
The second foursome called to the tee box at Valhalla and honored at this year's Hammer Outing included Richard Altbach, John "Jack" Coughlin, Thomas Kelly and Andrew Rorhback.
At each future Hammer Outing an additional foursome will be called to the Tee Box and honored as such and these players will be drawn from the roster of "Friends of the Links" that was established at the 1st annual Hammer Outing held October 8, 2007.
The Lore and Traditions point out that the word Asgard is described as "the highest realm in Nordic Lore, where the Gods dwell, the word Ting is the Nordic term for a council and Friends of the Links are honorable men and women who have shared the pleasure of golf together on earth.
This tournament has a unique trophy called appropriately "The Hammer Trophy" which is awarded to the champions but is immediately returned to its resting place, secured and sealed and kept in the Liberty Sullivan County Golf & Country Club Pro Shop. The trophy symbolizes the powerful nature that was Keith's. He is called by all those who knew him as a true gentleman and outstanding businessman.
The trophy presentation follows strict guidelines with the Hammer of Thor being removed from its place of stature, by a worthy representative (Keith's widow Susan Hamlin, presently performs this honor) and the trophy is presented to the chosen captain and teammates of the victorious team. The team, as one, shall hoist the Hammer skyward together and it will be held skyward until a toast, to all that have departed to play on the field of Heaven, has been offered.
The trophy is then immediately returned by the champions' captain to its resting place where it is secured and sealed, only to be removed at the next Hammer Outing.
Since the tournament is played at the nine-hole (alternating tees for the second nine) Sullivan County Golf & Country Club course, there are more players then available slots and golfers are accepted in the order their RSVP's are received.
The tournament format states that golfers submit their individual application with their current handicap and that teams are then established by the "Ting" whereby each foursome will include an A, B, C and D player based on handicaps and there are no established teams allowed to enter this tournament.
The Legendary Hammer of Thor was hoisted this year on September 26 by the team consisting of Terry Kelly, Stewart Stevens, Chris Strack and Ed Roth who scored 10 under using the best ball format.
Local well known Liberty golfer Doug Rohrback, whose dad, Andrew "Andy" Rohrback was one of the four departed golfers honored at this years event, surely had the mystical Valhalla Course foursomes blessings at this outing as he scored his first ever hole-in-one on the par 3 fourth hole. We won't describe this hole-in-one but when you see Doug I'm sure he'll tell you all about it and the direction the ball went towards the hole.
There are always great minds behind outstanding events like this and several of the organizers include Keith's widow Susan Hamlin, his son David Hamlin and long time friend Robert "Rat" Ratner.
Golfing friends and families with names of departed golfers and those having memorabilia can send the information to thehammer@thehammerouting.com
The Hammer Outing is the realization of the thoughts and words of the late Keith "Hammer" Hamlin and the combined efforts of his family and many friends.
Keith was a well-known and highly respected contractor doing business as the Hamlin Construction Co. and loved the game of golf where he achieved the nick name of "Hammer" for the way he drove the ball down the fairway.
It was an expressed desire of Keith to hold an outing to share the many pleasant memories of past "Friends of the Links."
Having just completed it's third year of competition, the Hammer Outing is truly fulfilling Keith's desire.
The Hammer Outing as described in the Lore and Traditions of the Hammer Outing is an outing that takes place on the fields of play "that so many of us have walked, talked, and played upon together," and "shall be an outing of joy, not remorse, an outing of brother and sisterhood, an outing to renew old friendships."
As to the "past" Friends of the Link's the Lore and Traditions of this event tell the story of the man who asked his priest to find out if there was a golf course in heaven and the priest came back to him with good and bad news by saying there was a course in heaven and it was beautiful but the bad news was the man was teeing off at 7 a.m. the next morning.
The Lore and Traditions point out that it has been left to "The Hammer" to find that beautiful course in Heaven and that the mystical course is called the Valhalla Course located in the Land of Asgard (the highest heaven obtainable and reserved for only the most noble of men and women).
Keith, as would be expected, has a high seat on the governing board (Ting) at Valhalla and has let it be known that he has made arrangements for his past "Friends of the Links" to be admitted, as member, at this enchanting Links course.
The use of the word "Ting" comes from the fact that leaders of the villages in ancient times in the Celtic lands, The Isles, and parts of Europe held meetings to resolve issues of the day and these meetings were called (Tings) or things.
At the second annual Hammer Outing is was announced that Keith "has made it known that a players roster for the Valhalla Club at Asgarb is now being formed and it was decreed at a recent (Ting) that three past "Friends of the Links" are being called to the tee box at Valhalla," and that "these three players, along with Keith, will form the first of many foursomes to come. The foursome included Richard Benton, Bertram Eisenberg and Robert Mullen.
The second foursome called to the tee box at Valhalla and honored at this year's Hammer Outing included Richard Altbach, John "Jack" Coughlin, Thomas Kelly and Andrew Rorhback.
At each future Hammer Outing an additional foursome will be called to the Tee Box and honored as such and these players will be drawn from the roster of "Friends of the Links" that was established at the 1st annual Hammer Outing held October 8, 2007.
The Lore and Traditions point out that the word Asgard is described as "the highest realm in Nordic Lore, where the Gods dwell, the word Ting is the Nordic term for a council and Friends of the Links are honorable men and women who have shared the pleasure of golf together on earth.
This tournament has a unique trophy called appropriately "The Hammer Trophy" which is awarded to the champions but is immediately returned to its resting place, secured and sealed and kept in the Liberty Sullivan County Golf & Country Club Pro Shop. The trophy symbolizes the powerful nature that was Keith's. He is called by all those who knew him as a true gentleman and outstanding businessman.
The trophy presentation follows strict guidelines with the Hammer of Thor being removed from its place of stature, by a worthy representative (Keith's widow Susan Hamlin, presently performs this honor) and the trophy is presented to the chosen captain and teammates of the victorious team. The team, as one, shall hoist the Hammer skyward together and it will be held skyward until a toast, to all that have departed to play on the field of Heaven, has been offered.
The trophy is then immediately returned by the champions' captain to its resting place where it is secured and sealed, only to be removed at the next Hammer Outing.
Since the tournament is played at the nine-hole (alternating tees for the second nine) Sullivan County Golf & Country Club course, there are more players then available slots and golfers are accepted in the order their RSVP's are received.
The tournament format states that golfers submit their individual application with their current handicap and that teams are then established by the "Ting" whereby each foursome will include an A, B, C and D player based on handicaps and there are no established teams allowed to enter this tournament.
The Legendary Hammer of Thor was hoisted this year on September 26 by the team consisting of Terry Kelly, Stewart Stevens, Chris Strack and Ed Roth who scored 10 under using the best ball format.
Local well known Liberty golfer Doug Rohrback, whose dad, Andrew "Andy" Rohrback was one of the four departed golfers honored at this years event, surely had the mystical Valhalla Course foursomes blessings at this outing as he scored his first ever hole-in-one on the par 3 fourth hole. We won't describe this hole-in-one but when you see Doug I'm sure he'll tell you all about it and the direction the ball went towards the hole.
There are always great minds behind outstanding events like this and several of the organizers include Keith's widow Susan Hamlin, his son David Hamlin and long time friend Robert "Rat" Ratner.
Golfing friends and families with names of departed golfers and those having memorabilia can send the information to thehammer@thehammerouting.com
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