AMHERST — A course record that stood for 41 years at Amherst Golf Club was bested last week, and it perhaps couldn’t have been done by a more fitting member with familial ties to the course.

Belchertown’s Michelle Morgan, the course’s 2024 women’s club champion, turned in a women’s course record of 1-over-par round of 73 at AGC after shooting a 1-under 35 on the front nine and a 2-over 38 on the back on the par-72 course. Morgan’s husband, Jay, at one point held the men’s course record (63) before their son, Jesse, claimed it from his dad with a 62 in the final round of the 2003 men’s club championship.

Now the two course records belong to the Morgan family, a group that has won countless club championships at Amherst over the years.

When Michelle Morgan – who started last Friday playing casually with her husband and their daughter Merideth – walked in the clubhouse to show AGC head pro David Twohig her scorecard, he informed her the exciting news.

“I didn't know it was a course record until I showed Dave my scorecard,” Morgan said. “When I had bogeyed 16, I was just trying to make sure that I had two nines under 40 – which is sort of what my goal is when I play. Really I was just playing along.”

Merideth gave up after the front nine, but Michelle and Jay weren’t going to stop after Michelle’s 1-under start. So the two continued onto the back nine – which is the same set of holes at the 9-hole Amherst Golf Club.

That entire back nine couldn’t have been more poetic for Morgan, who turns 72 on New Year’s Day. It was the game of golf that connected her with Jay back in the day – their second-ever date was on a golf course in New Jersey, where Morgan hesitantly admitted she shot a 140 – and he was there alongside his wife as she shot a number that hadn’t been reached since changes to the course were crafted to make it more difficult.

Sue McClellan shot a 73 back in 1983, but the tees have since been moved back and the course rating has increased. According to Twohig, now in his 46th and final season at AGC, Morgan now holds the record.

“Our head pro said this was the record, so I’m relying on him. He’s been here for a long time and he knows what he’s talking about,” Morgan said.

Holes 10, 12 and 16 resulted in bogey for Morgan, and she headed to the 18th and final tee box without a birdie on the back nine. Anyone that has played at Amherst Golf Club knows No. 18 (or nine) is nearly impossible to birdie, and even walking away with a par feels like a win.

But Morgan stepped up and hit a dart to three feet. The easy uphill putt was all but a formality and she walked off the green with a round of 73.

“It's a hard one for the women,” Morgan said of the 18th. “There aren’t too many women that can hit the green, but I put it underneath the hole and had probably a three-footer birdie… I was really happy to finish that way. And again, I knew it was one of my low rounds, but I didn't realize that it was any kind of a club record at all.”

Morgan became a member of AGC in 1978, and she played when she could during her free time from her job in the athletics department at Amherst College. During her 44 years at the school, she coached five different teams – including golf. She credits her diverse athletic background to having three brothers and playing whatever sport they did growing up, tackle football being Morgan’s favorite.

But it wasn’t until after she retired six years ago that she became the golfer she is today.

Her driver is as consistent as it gets, and although she confessed a few poor approach swings each round put her in tough spots, Morgan’s short game is extremely polished.

The putter has saved her strokes all year long.

“I’ve played quite a lot since retirement, and I guess I’m just coming into my own,” Morgan said.

The game of golf means more to Morgan than just mastering it herself. Her gig now is providing private lessons to golfers out of her backyard, which measures in at 16 acres. Teaching the game not only helps others, but it’s helped her as well. During her lessons, each swing is broken down, and explaining the intricacies of what makes a good one has become beneficial to her own play.

“Golf is just something that is a passion of mine, because it's just a fabulous game,” Morgan said. “And it teaches you something either about the game every time you go out, or it teaches you something about yourself. So I'm very passionate about the game, and I'm very passionate about imparting my knowledge to others who want to get better too.”

A fantastic round always leaves the golfer wanting more. So when Morgan finished on Friday with her coveted 73, she couldn’t wait to tee it up the next day.

That is, until she made an eight on the first hole. She couldn’t help but laugh.

Morgan still proceeded to card an impressive 76 on Saturday – playing the next 17 holes even par.

“It’s typical that you go out and shoot a great round, and you're thinking you can repeat it, right?” Morgan said. “And then I made an eight on the first hole. But I was able to recover and still shoot a good score so I was proud of myself for fighting back.”

So what’s the next goal for the 71-year old? To shoot her age before the year ends. Stay tuned.