Belchertown, Granby play for Division 2 state golf championship
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The Granby and Belchertown golf teams will have to shake off some rust when the State Division 2 Golf Tournament starts today.
Both teams were unable to practice last week due to the devastating snowstorm. Each attempted to squeeze in a practice round over the weekend at Juniper Hill Golf Course in Northborough, the new site of the championship.
The state tournament was scheduled to be played at Hickory Ridge Country Club in Amherst, a course very familiar to Granby and Belchertown. The storm, however, left the course unplayable and tournament officials moved the site late last week.
"We have not yet practiced," Orioles coach Dave Wright said on Friday. "We will have a practice round there on Sunday. Everybody will see the course for the first time on Sunday."
The Rams and Orioles finished first and second respectively at the sectional championship. Matt Iczkowski of Granby earned medalist honors, while Max Boch of Belchertown tied for second. Both should be considered contenders for top honors at the state tournament.
But just like the Orioles, the Rams did not practiced last week.
"There is no course in Western Mass. that is ready for golf," Burke said Friday. "A lot of them I'm hearing are just closing up because of the storm."
Burke and the Rams were optimistic about the tournament. Granby had scheduled a practice round at Juniper Hill on Saturday.
"I don't think anyone has an advantage. As far as I know it's a neutral course," Burke said. "We're not going to have great expectations because of the fact that the kids haven't had that chance to play all week. Some of the teams we're going up against, Duxbury and Concord Carlisle, their courses were OK. They were able to play all week."
The weather forecast for today projected to be so playing conditions should be fair. Burke felt his team responded well to the very windy playing conditions at the Western Mass. tournament.
"Whatever the conditions may be, they are the same for everybody." Burke said.
Duxbury and Concord-Carlisle are two top-notch teams according to Burke. Duxbury had four players shoot 77 or lower in its sectional tournament.
