GolfMagazine

As general chairman, Sheehan estimates he’s
volunteered thousands of hours. But then he joked,
‘The best decision I made was to not keep count.’
“Ollie and I met here at Salem, I carried his bag as a caddie,”
said Sheehan, a Rowley resident. Upon his graduation from
Boston University Law School in 1977, Cook and Jack
McNiff, also a Salem CC member, hired the young attorney
to their Peabody law firm. Sheehan rose to partner. He is now
a shareholder in the Peabody firm of MacLean Holloway
Doherty & Sheehan.
“I learned from the best, Ollie Cook,” said Sheehan. As
general chairman, Sheehan estimates he’s volunteered
thousands of hours. But then he joked, “The best decision I
made was to not keep count.”
“It was 2009 when we started discussions with the USGA
about coming back to Salem,” said Sheehan, who carries a 6
handicap and was club champ in 2006. “The 2001 event was
very successful, and by 2009 nice changes and improvements
had been made to the course, the greens the practice area, the
clubhouse and more.”
The contract between the United States Golf Association
and Salem CC was signed in 2013, “and we’ve been getting
ready ever since,” said Sheehan, with a smile. The executive
committee has been meeting regularly, as have 43
chairpersons who report to the committee. Sheehan and
his committee members have attended various USGA
championships every year since 2013 and learned from the
hosts, including last year at Scioto Country Club in Ohio. Gene
Sauers won the title and will be at Salem to defend.
The executive committee is comprised of Andrea Bruno
(Hospitality), Joe Mahoney Jr. (Accounting and Finance),
Andy Campbell (Corporate Hospitality Sales), Dan Doherty
(Championship Services), Wayne Guyer (Player Services),
Walter Nugent (Scoring Services), Mike Tripoli (Spectator
Services), Steve Freyer (Volunteer Services) and Sheehan
(General Chair).
The Committee meets regularly with Executive Director
Eddie Carbone of Bruno Event Team, SCC General Manager
Greg Cincotta and SCC Vice-President Ron Mini, who serves
as the liaison with the Board of Governors.
When discussing the improvements to the golf course,
Sheehan is enthusiastically giddy. “Bringing the greens back
closer to Donald Ross’ original design has added a shot-anda-half
to your score every round. A higher premium has been
placed on the short game.
“The 16th and 17th greens are a little smaller. Jack Nicklaus
was tricked by the 16th in 2001. (The Golden Bear bogied the
hole and his troubles around the green may have cost him the
title.) The hole is not the same now,” and Nicklaus’ decisionmaking
back then would likely not come into play with the
new configuration.
“The championship 9th and 18th holes have also been
lengthened significantly, making the placement of the ball off
the tee more important,” added Sheehan. “Salem is a secondshot
golf course. Staying below the hole is paramount.”
Matt Sawicki, director of championships for the USGA, said
“Salem Country Club has been a phenomenal partner
with the USGA. Ollie Cook, the chairman when the 2001
championship was held here, and Bill Sheehan, chairman of
this championship, and I have become good friends.”
Sawicki said the USGA has been impressed by the club’s
commitment. “You need a great course to host a championship.
This is one of the best. The club did everything needed to
prepare for it. As a golfer, I love the course. The first time I
came up here I was blown away. The club restored it back to
the way it was, the way Donald Ross designed it. Its strength
is on the greens. If you have no short game, chip or putt,
you’re in trouble. But it’s a course you can play every single
day and have fun. It’s a special place.” l
NORTH SHORE GOLF