Peter Gay: AAGA tourney is a gem | Columns | thesunchronicle.com – The Sun Chronicle
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Let me begin this week’s column by thanking the committee members of the Attleboro Area Golf Association for the invitation to play in this year’s championship tournament.
While I didn’t win, I also didn’t finish last, although I came closer than I would have liked.
I did learn a valuable lesson, however. Someone with a sore lower back and a painful right foot should put pride aside and no longer try to walk 18 holes. It wasn’t the sole reason for my poor performance, but it certainly didn’t help. Expect to see me riding in a cart should I ever get another opportunity.
The more than nine hours of time walking the Foxboro and Wentworth Hills layouts gave me plenty of time to collect my thoughts. Here are some of the many that took place inside this gray-haired head of mine during my two days of over-par golf:
• The future of the game is bright based on what I saw from the two players I was paired with both days: Chad Correia and Carol Pignato, the current AAGA boys’ and girls’ champions, respectively, who will be starting their senior years on Attleboro’s Holcott Drive next week.
Chad and Carol are not only much better players than this writer, they’re also fine and outstanding teens who are destined for great things in the years to come.
• Alan Greim has taken over the role of announcing players on the first tee, previously performed by the late Tony Calcia.
The former golf professional at Highland Country Club made players feel like they were teeing off in a PGA Tour event rather than a local amateur tournament.
• The AAGA honored the late Dr. David Ison with a large photo of the grandfather of Brett, Patrick and Davis Chatfield next to the leaderboard. “Doc” Ison was a fixture at the tournament whenever his grandchildren were part of the field, watching every shot from a distance with his wife Elisa.
I had the opportunity to be paired with Ison many times during the Thursday “Sweeps” at Highland Country Club and always enjoyed his company. He is missed by all who knew him.
The tournament isn’t the same without David’s grandsons (Davis turned professional earlier this month and Brett and Patrick now live outside the area). Maybe the trio can talk uncle Bud to represent the family next year.
• I spent a lot of time thinking about the elements of North TV’s live cablecast and streaming of Sunday’s final groups, the first time we’ve ever done so.
It was the first of many live sporting events we have on the horizon, including North Attleboro home football games live this season.
Jared Ware announced last week that he will be leaving us for a fulltime position at the NFHS Network, so viewers will be stuck listening to me on play-by-play. I will be joined by Del Malloy and former Red Rocketeer great Ethan Hamilton in the Community Field press box.
The games will be shown on our Community Channel and streamed on community.northtv.net. The streaming service will be free for cable subscribers in North Attleboro and Plainville who register at northtv.net to become North TV Insiders.
Those who have cut the cord or live outside of the two towns will have to pay a fee to view the games online. My hope is that the small fee for viewers who do not support us through their monthly cable bill will soften the blow of declining revenue we receive from Comcast and Verizon.
• I attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Attleboro High School on Tuesday and was thrilled when attendees were invited to tour the first floor of the new building.
Impressed would be an understatement.
The theater, including the marquee over the entry, reminded me of a structure on Broadway. The gymnasium, including the painting of the floor, is as good as any college facility. And I can’t imagine another high school’s fitness center that compares to the one located above the gym.
The school made me proud of being a resident of the city. Congratulations and thanks to everyone who was involved in making the dream of a new school a reality.
You can tour the school during an open house from 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Sept. 24. Even if you don’t live in Attleboro, make sure you mark the date on your calendar.
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