Ridgewood CC will test Connecticut Open golfers

Justin Foster is in his third year as head golf professional at Ridgewood Country Club and he is still learning the nuances playing the private course in Danbury.

Most of the other pros and amateurs playing Ridgewood CC this week won’t have as much preparation time. The 86th edition of the Connecticut Open begins Monday, for the fifth time at Ridgewood CC, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary..

The championship was supposed to be held at CC of Fairfield, but that club pulled out in 2018 because it was beginning a clubhouse renovation that would extend into 2020. Soon after, the Connecticut State Golf Association was able to secure Ridgewood CC.

It’s not a particularly long course, measuring 6,758 yards from the championship tees. But you need to have some experience at Ridgewood CC in order to succeed.

“I will be interested to see what the good sticks can do to the golf course,” said two-time winner Ken Green, both times at Ridgewood CC. “I love the golf course.

It’s a placement course. You’ve got some greens that will pretty much drive you nuts.”

Foster noted the importance of not only hitting to the proper “quadrants” of the greens, but also to manage your misses properly.

“You cannot get out of position by the green. Certain holes, you can hit it close to 5 feet and really be out of position where it’s hard to make par from 5 feet,” Foster said. “These are four of the hardest par

3s you will play anywhere and I’ve played pretty much everywhere. They are long and they are surrounded by trouble.”

Said Green, who turned 62 last month: “(Ridgewood CC) is unique in a sense where it gives you a lot of different shots, a lot of wedges that you have to place perfectly, or you can put a 3-putt in the bag. The par-3s are long, even for these guys.”

Reby Advisors has become the presenting sponsor of the Connecticut Open this year and next. The total purse has risen to $60,000 with the winner now receiving

$14,000.

Defending champion Rasmey Kong had to withdraw. Kong, a former standout at North Haven High, now resides and plays in West Palm Beach, Florida and has tried to qualify on Mondays for Korn Ferry Tour events.

All competitors this week must sign a waiver that if you are coming into Connecticut from a state with over a 10 percent positivity rate for COVID-19, you either quarantined for 14 days or received a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of departure from the listed state.

“Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make it to CT to quarantine for the 14 days or get a test in time for the event,” Kong said via text message.

But there are plenty of past champions and contenders in the field, including: Cody Paladino, the 2015 winner, returns as an amateur (7:20 a.m.); threetime winner Frank Bensel (2009, 2011, 2014, 7:30); Ridgewood CC member Max Theodorakis (8:00); 2016 champion Adam Rainaud and reigning State Amateur champion Chris Fosdick (8:50); a pair of two-time winners in Jeff

Curl (2007 and 2013) and Green, along with The Farms CC head pro Jim Hanlon (10:20).

Also competing: a pair of Connecticut Golf Hall of Famers in four-time winner Kyle Gallo (1998, 2000, 2004 and 2010) and Bill Hermanson (11:30); Mike Ballo from Westchester CC (12:50 p.m.); And 16-year-old amateur Ben James, who finished third third last year (1:00).

The top 40 and ties will advance to Wednesday’s final round.