Golfing Highlights Column 5-6-11

Rain & Cold Gives Slow Start To Golf Season

The month of April certainly has not been kind to the start of this year's golf season.
Weather has been cold with lots of rain and golf courses we have visited were soggy with golf carts only allowed on cart paths.
Certainly not a good start for area golf courses but golf leagues are holding their organizational meetings and posting their schedules.
Some trees are budding and the grass is green and growing so its time to tee it up....hit it straight and long and enjoy our golf season.
Golfing Highlights is back for our tenth season and we will continue to provide you with a column filled with golf league statistics and standings, golf tournament information, golf trips and vacation news, new golf equipment, a tip each week from a local golf professional, Ed's Outlook, golf feature stories and a weekly review of golf courses in and around our area. Special attention this week goes out to all golf league secretaries and club professionals.....remember to get your weekly golf league highlights and standings to Ed Townsend, PO Box 116, Livingston Manor, NY 12758 or e-mail them to edwardctownsend@hotmail.com Visit out Internet Web Site at www.http://bght.blogspot.com

Welcome Back To
Pro Bob Menges
; We welcome back to our Golfing Highlights Column for his ninth year, Professional Robert Menges from the Swan Lake Golf & Country Club who will again entertain and hopefully educate golfers with his writing of the weekly "Golf Tip."
Bob, 42, started his golf career as an assistant pro at the Swan Lake Golf Club under then head pro Steve Eisenberg. From Swan Lake he and Steve moved to the Huff House at Tennanah Lake where Steve formed the Steve Eisenberg Golf Academy. The Academy and Bob Menges then moved to the school's locations at Eddy Farms near Sparrowbush and the Town of Wallkill Golf Course near Middletown.
Bob then took his first job as a head professional at the Tennanah Lake Golf Club and two years later became the head professional at the Swan Lake Golf & Country Club. He competed in local PGA tournaments, the local Pro-Am tournaments and the Metropolitan local tournaments.
Menges has been playing golf since he was 6 and remembers well starting out at the former Waldemere Golf Course at Shandelee above Livingston Manor.
Married to Kathy, who is a nurse, the Menges' live in the Jeffersonville area.
Menges noted that he will be giving private golf lessons and will conduct Junior Golf Camps during three different weeks this summer. The Swan Lake Golf Club presently has three leagues, Tuesday Men's, Wednesday Men's, Thursday Ladies and is planning a Friday Mixed league also.
Golfers may call Bob at 845-292-0323.

Golf Tip
By Robert Menges

Play golf To Stay Young.
The tip: In today's day in age, with modern medicine and advances in science, people are living longer and healthier lives. So many senior citizens are exercising and eating right to maintain an active life. Research shows that playing golf can add years to your life and keep the mind sharp.
I believe there is no other way to enjoy nature then being out on the course. Seeing the animals, hearing the birds chirp, certainly gives a sense of appreciation of life. Most golf courses afford gorgeous views, vibrant color and good old fashioned fresh air. There is no better way to spend a few hours with a group of friends while walking, talking and laughing your way around the course.
Everyone knows what a mental game golf is. One of the best ways to keep the mind sharp is to have one use your mind for the technical side of golf. Golf is the perfect sport for this because you are getting mental stimulation, you are counting strokes and analyzing your next shot.
In your search for the fountain of youth, let golf help you find your way. By getting exercise, stimulating your mind and having social interaction, you can stay younger and live longer.
Robert Menges is the head golf professional at the Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Mt. Hope Road, Swan Lake. He is available for private lessons and if you have a question or subject you would like covered, he can be reached at 845-292-0323 or via e-mail at menges@hughes.net

Ed's Outlook

We are seeing more and more the promotion of "Golf Packages" throughout various sections of New York State and South Carolina and sometimes get concerned that no efforts are being put forth to sell Sullivan County golf with hotel/motel and dining facilities all pitching in and working together to get golfers to visit and golf in our beautiful golf paradise.
Golfers can go to South Carolina in the spring and fall and find packages that offer golf, cart, two in a room motel accommodations and breakfast and dinner for between $70 and $80 a day.
We have started to see some dinner and golf and lunch and golf packages offered in Sullivan and Delaware counties but there has to be more of an effort to get motel/hotel owners, restaurants and golf courses all working on the same page for a total golf package that will attract golfers to our county courses from May through October.
The golf economy here could stand a booster shot and we believe golf packages would help.

Occupations Pro-Am
Set For June 10

The 2011 Pro-Am Tournament to benefit Occupations, Inc. will be held on Friday June 10 at The Golf Club at Mansion Ridge, a Jack Nicklaus signature course in Monroe, NY.
Occupations Inc., is one of Orange County's largest human services agencies serving nearly 14,000 individuals while improving the quality of life for people with disabilities by providing critical services and employment opportunities.
Golfers play 18-holes with a local professional and have the opportunity to meet PGA Pro Mark Lye and former major league all-star pitcher Rick Rhoden.
Reserve your foursome at 845-692-4454, ext. 101.

Tournament-Golf Events

May 4--Livingston Manor Baseball, Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Contact Adam Larsen 1-757-218-6707
May 15--2nd Annual Pars For Parkinson's, Tarry Bray GC, Call 434-2620May 17--Section Nine County Championship[, Swan Lake Golf & Country ClubMay 20--Marine Corp. GL, Lochmor GC, Call 434-1257
May 20--B.P.W. Chamber, Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Contact Susan Hamlin 292-2420May 21--Fallsburg PBA, Tarry Brae GC, Call 434-2620
May 23--New Hope Tournament, Grossingers CC, Call New Hope for information.
June 3--Jake Hulse Memorial, Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Contact Bill Hulse 292-0438
June 3--Monticello PBA, Lochmor GC, Call 434-1257June 5--New City FD, Tarry Brae GC, Call 434-2620
June 11--Jake Gunther Memorial, Tarry Brae GC, Call 434-2620
June 11--Jeffersonville Lions, Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Contact Doug Immoor 482-5094
June 17--LGA Junior Tournament, Roscoe Twin Village Golf Club, Contact 607-498-5829
June 17--Riveredge Knights of Columbus, Tarry Brae GC, Call 434-2620
June 18--Town of Callicoon Republican Party, Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Contact Bonnie Hubert 482-5390
June 24--Mamakating Lions, Tarry Brae GC, Call 434-2620June 27--Bull Pen Tourney, Tarry Brae GC, Call 434-2620
June 28--Sullivan County Community College Tourney, Grossingers CC, Call the college for information
July 9--Cornell Co-Op, Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Contact Sean Welsh 292-2420July 10--TVGC Memorial Tournament & Dinner, Roscoe Twin Village Golf Club, Contact Chuck Husson 607-498-5557
July16--Single Golfers of Long Island, Tarry Brae GC, Call 434-2620
July 17--Falls Lions-Alan Steingart Memorial, Tarry Brae GC, Call 434-2620
July 17--Liberty Booster Club, Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Contact Deb Simpson 807-1996
July 22--Scotch Twosome Tournament, Roscoe Twin Village Golf Club, Contact 607-498-5829
July 23--Liberty Elks, Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Contact Harry Fox 482-5331
July 29-- Middletown St. Josephs Church, Lochmor GC, Call 434-1257
July 30--Monticello FD, Lochmor GC, Call 434-1257July 30--Dave Curreri Memorial, Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Contact Joe Curreri 252-7358
Aug. 6--Rock Hill Ambulance Corp, Lochmor GC, Call 434-1257
Aug. 7--N.A.M.I., Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Contact Al Beatini 754-8752
Aug. 11--Sullivan County Realtors, Tarry Brae GC, Call 434-2620
Aug. 12--Wurtsboro St. Josephs/ Knights of Columbus, Tarry Brae GC, Call 434-1257Aug. 13--Monticello Rotary, Lochmor GC, Call 434-1257
Aug. 14--St. Georges Church, Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Contact Bill Moloney 482-5625
Aug. 20--Ramsey Vol. FD, Lochmor GC, Call 434-1257
Aug. 25--Sullivan Correctional, Lochmor GC, Call 434-1257Aug. 26--Mahwah Elks, Tarry Brae GC, Call 434-2620
Aug.27--Liberty P.B.A., Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Contact Devon Brust 807-3786
Sept. 10--Trevor Simpson Memorial, Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Contact Bob Simpson 439-5034
Sept. 10--Otisville Hunting Club, Tarry Brae GC, Call 434-2620
Sept. 10--Twin Village Gof Club Annual Dinner, Contact Chcuck Husson 607-498-5557
Sept. 18--Bethel Lions, Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Contact Al Frangipane 583-6540
Sept. 18--Rock Hill FD, Tarry Brae GC, Call 434-2620
Sept. 24--Bloomingburg FD, Tarry Brae GC, Call 434-2620

This column is written by Ed Townsend, a consultant to the amateur and professional sport of golf and to several golf writers association. If you have a topic that would make good reading or have league standings or tournament information, Ed can be reached at 845-439-8177 or by email at edwardctownsend@hotmail.com For a much more expanded version of this golf column, please visit our Web Page at http://bght.blogspot.com We also provide coverage on Facebook.