2009 Preseason primer

Hello and welcome to the first edition of The Golf Report with Jason Edson. The report will focus on course conditions, informative articles, interviews, and even highlights from recent rounds. We'll also be discussing the ever-important items of cigars, grilling, and other golf related activities (including the future article on keeping your wife happy while playing a lot of golf). As you can see, this report will have everything the local golfer needs.

In today's issue, we will be discussing snow melt on local courses and driving ranges, as well as rumors about openings and costs. Not all information is known about all locations, so a hint or two might be dropped to someone who lives or works in the area. Please keep in mind that this is a super-size first edition of The Golf Report, but there is a large amount of data to share in the preseason edition. at this point, I know what you're thinking - enough babbling, give me the information!

Important note - Rumors continue to swirl about course openings, and here's what The Golf Report knows. Several courses in South Hadley and below are open, but the report has yet to confirm that any courses or driving ranges north of South Hadley are open.

Courses

Confirmed opening!!! The Ludlow Country Club, a private 18-hole course in (you guessed it) Ludlow has 9 holes open, and The Golf Report could be playing there as early as this Friday.

The Meadows - Rumors are flying around this course. After a couple ownership changes, the bar is looking nice and a sign outside says "Join before March 31 and save." The rumor is a $500 yearly membership with a 50% off sale. Unfortunately, they never answer the phone to find out the truth behind the rumors. The Golf Report might be taking a drive by soon to judge snow cover and to knock on doors.

Oak Ridge - The course closest to The Golf Report still has approximately 40% snow cover throughout the course, but the carts are lined up and ready to go. Their website still isn't listing 2009 rates. Not a favorite course of The Golf Report with it's 2-5 holes packed into a small space and only one par three.

Thomas Memorial - The only one to post it's 2009 rates. $12/$18 (9 holes/18 holes) weekday rates ($15/$22 weekend), $650 membership includes USGA handicap. A course only played once by The Golf Report, it was found to be very enjoyable but packed so tightly together that a bad golfer on the course can lead to several injuries in other groups. No report available on snow levels, perhaps a reader that lives near the course could deliver a field report to be published in the next edition.

Northfield Golf Course - Due to not being in the area with any free time, there is nothing to report on the favorite course of The Golf Report. Fear not - information will be gathered before the next edition!

Driving Ranges

Sammy K's - still about a 30% snow cover on a traditionally wet driving range. The Golf Report will be going to the store to look at some hybrids and will quiz the owner, but this range opens late and unless there is a long period of favorable weather it could be close to a month before opening. The Report knows of a certain reader who works near the range who can provide much needed data.

The Golf Report knows of driving ranges on Route 202 in Orange and in Winchester as well as a Chip 'n Putt in Winchester. Two other readers are known to live/work near these. A field report would be very welcomed and will be communicated to the rest of the group in the following edition.

Cigars/Grilling/Beer

A quick update for Cigars in this edition. The humidor is stocked, and after a sample on Sunday The Golf Report can confirm high-quality and proper humidification over the past several months. This will be a good year for smokes.

Grilling season could be here, and The Golf Report is debating a test run tonight. Anyone knowing a good place to buy quality cedar planks for cooking is requested to contact the Report with information.

Barely worthy of note in beer is that Bud Light has a new can design. Too bad that the company decided to improve the can instead of improving the taste.

That's it for the first edition of The Golf Report with Jason Edson. Feel free to forward on to others and let the Report know if there is anyone to add to the publication list. A special thanks goes out to Chris for supplying the logo up top which effectively sums up the skill of the readers. Want to be a contributor? E-mail me something and I might (ok, I probably will) put it in

Copyright 2009. "The Golf Report with Jason Edson" is trademarked, all rights reserved. Member of the Edson Group Family of Companies. Various other legal mumbo-jumbo goes here. Do people actually read these? Free golf tee to the first person who calls me out on this - Sorry, someone already won. Blah Blah blah. Want to be a contributor? E-mail me stuff and I'll include you!