These guys keep up with the pace at Pequot
P equot Golf Club manager Margaret Tobin doesn't know what she'd do without them.
Ryan Tobin, Jacob Geary and Nate Delesdernier man command central — otherwise known as the pro shop — on a regular basis.
They're three local college-age kids working hard and enjoying life.
“I can't say too much about these kids,” Margaret said. “They're the energy of the club. They laugh. They have a good time. They play great golf.”
Ryan, who's the nephew of owner Bob Tobin, is an East Lyme High
School graduate. He went from UConn Avery Point to UConn.
Geary, a Stonington High School graduate, attends Salve Regina in
Newport. He's been working at the course for about three years, starting off as a “cart kid.”
Nate Delesdernier, who's from East Lyme, took classes at Eastern Connecticut State University last semester. He played soccer in high school but has become addicted to golf since working at Pequot.
Usually, two of them are on duty at a time. All three happened to be behind the pro shop desk during a visit on Thursday because it was golf pro Bob Hill's day off.
So who's in charge when Hill isn't there?
“We're all pretty much equally in charge,” Ryan said.
“We each carry our own weight,” Nate added. “We're a good team.”
There's plenty for all three of them to do even though the inside of the pro shop is closed to the public. They talk to golfers either through a window or step outside to help out.
Nate even stepped in to help out in the kitchen on Thursday, cooking some hot dogs and hamburgers.
Like other golf courses in the area, Pequot has been crazy busy the last few months.
At one point in the spring, about 250 golfers a day were showing up at the Stonington course when the Massachusetts courses were shut down and Rhode Island didn't allow out-of-staters to play.
Margaret never had to worry about her pro shop trio doing their job.
“We were going non-stop,” Margaret said. “Their energy was amazing. These guys were jumping back and forth from the desk to disinfecting carts to at times delivering carts out on the golf course. A phenomenal trio here.”
While they admit to an occasional
disagreement, they get along great. They exchange friendly banter and rely on their sense of humor to survive the times.
“It makes any job better when you have fun,” Nate said. “As long as you get the work done, you can have a good time.”
Short putts
• Matt Fuller of Great Neck Country Club and Josh Cameron of Shennecossett Golf Course qualified for match play in the 118th Connecticut Amateur earlier this week at Shorehaven Golf Club in Norwalk. Fuller earned the No. 12 seed after shooting 146 (74-72) in two rounds of stroke play while Cameron shot a 147 (76-71) to take the No. 17 seed.
Fuller bowed out in the first round of match play, losing to eventual champion and No. 21 Chris Fosdick of Timberlin Golf Club, 3 and 2. He played high school golf at Old Lyme.
Cameron won his opening match, beating No. 16 Kyle Roberts of TPC River Highlands, 3 and 2, before losing to top-seeded Bradford Tilley of Redding Country Club, 3 and 2.
• Pete Stefanski is a good guy and a heck of a golfer. He added another Elmridge Golf Course men's club title to his resume after winning the senior tournament last weekend. Ian Mackay was the runner-up while Lou Laudone finished third and Patt Whiston fourth.
In the first flight, Dave Morrone was the champion with Jim Bitgood taking second. Mike Classey took the second flight and Pete DiMaggio was second.
• Mahesh Krishnan shot a 73 to win the Stonington Country Club men's stroke play tournament last Saturday. Emmett Hannigan (77) and Jack Cannon (78) took second and third, respectively.
Steve Carlow (69) took first in the net division while Ray Trebiaacci (70) was second and Matt Lindauer (70) third.
In the women's stroke play event,
Jeanne Tingo finished first with a 76. Mary Hotchkiss (89) was second and Michelle Murphy (90) third.
Donna Dooley (69) won the net division with Val Camfield (71) second and Cathy Berte (72) third.
• The first round of President's Cup action is complete at Pequot Golf Club. Golfers that advanced include Chris Trisciuszzi, Hamish McArthur, Ronald Hantman, James McPherson, Bruce Rebello, Terry Smith, Lance Kupka, Mitchell Allen, Nate Gencarella, Peter Smyth, Marcus Cogman, Don Baron, Thomas Allen, Anthony Davison and Don Dias. Second round play is set for July 6. • Memberships are on the rise at Old Lyme Country Club, which offers something for the whole family to do. Besides golf, members also can take advantage of the pool and tennis courts.
“You're afraid that you're going to lose some people because your amenities aren't fully open, but it's worked the opposite,” pro Rob Barbeau said. “There's a real estate boom around here a little bit and we've got an attractive club with all the amenities here. … It seems like almost every day we're having inquiries about membership.”
Upcoming events
• Norwich Golf Course is running its junior club championship on the weekend of July 11-12.
• The 38th Connecticut Senior Open, a two-day tournament at Shennecossett Golf Course, tees off on Monday, July 13. Registration closes on Monday. This is the 23rd straight year that Shennecossett will host the event.
• Stonington Country Club is hosting a CSGA One Day tournament on Aug. 13. Registration is open until July 31.
• The 94th Norwich Invitational, the oldest running amateur tournament in the state, starts on Friday, July 17. For more information, contact the pro shop at (860) 889-6973.
• Please send golf results and items of interest to g.keefe@theday.com