North Shore Golf Summer 2020 V2

NORTH SHORE GOLF <<< 7
There was a waiting list back then;
club bylaws cap full-members at 300.
Membership had slipped to about 150
last year, but now it's close to 200 and
climbing. Those who were introduced
to the game of golf here as kids now
have families and kids of their own,
and they see many benefits to being a
part of this important resource in their
close-knit community.
"Now that the club's future is more
certain, we've had an influx of young
members," said Noonan. Olympic
hockey captain and gold medalist
Mike Eruzione, a town resident, is an
honorary member.
Tony Dello Iacono, club treasurer,
said the cost of membership is
affordable, and the addition of
payment options make it easier for
members to budget.
Dello Iacono said a full single
membership is $2000, payable
upfront or $200 a month for 10
months. A family membership is
$3000, payable upfront or $300
a month for 10 months. A social
membership is $300, which includes
one round of golf per month. A
junior membership is also $300,
which includes a summer golf camp
and access to the course most days.
"Junior memberships are flourishing,"
said Noonan.
New pro Ed Montone, 28, a 2009
Winthrop High School graduate. is
one of those kids who was introduced
to the game of golf here. He grew
up in town, and his dad, Andrew,
had him playing here at age 12, with
cut-down clubs. Ed was a member of
the high school golf team, serving as
captain his senior year.
Montone succeeds longtime PGA
pro Jim Bruce, who served Winthrop
GC members well for 20 years.
Montone earned his degree in
Professional Golf Management at the
Professional Golfers Career College
(PGCC) in Orlando, Fla. In 2011, he
began working at The Clubhouse Golf
and Entertainment, the indoor facility
in Middleton that introduced the golf
simulator to many North Shore players.
When Bob Green, the longtime
Tedesco CC pro who retired at the end
of last season, offered him an assistant
pro job, Montone was thrilled. He
had a lot of responsibilities at the
Marblehead club, where he worked for
three years, and it prepared him for
Winthrop Golf Club head professional Ed Montone
marks off hazards along the course.
A man chips into a green at Winthrop Golf Club.
this head pro position.
“Bob Green is the best mentor I
could’ve asked for,” said Montone.
“He was head professional at Tedesco
for 40 years. I learned so much. He
got me ready for this opportunity.”
Assisting Montone in the pro shop
are Jackson Allard, Andrew Dove
and Ben Weed, who all worked in
Tedesco's bag room.
New course superintendent Sam
Hasak also came over from Tedesco,
where his father, Peter, has been
director of greens for 33 years.
Last summer, the Winthrop GC
board reached out to Peter Hasak.
The course was in rough shape.
Winthrop's greens were basically dead.
They needed help. A plan was put in
place to revive the greens, and Sam
Hasak, who was on his dad's staff for
six years, worked magic 3-to-5 days
a week last fall. Sam, a Masco grad,
was hired full-time over the winter. In
addition to saving the greens, fairway
ruts, drainage problems and irrigation
issues have been dealt with. Members
say the course is in its best shape in
many years.
Sam praises his dad for constant
support and guidance, on the course
We're very lucky.
This is a unique nine
holes … and the course
is so close to downtown
Boston. Sea breezes
can make it challenging.
– Rob Noonan
and off.
Sam Hasak and his crew of one —
Geoff Lounsbury — work out of 12
shipping containers on the course,
adjacent to the new high school
football field, which necessitated the
tearing down of the maintenance
shop. Some members who possess
certain skills enthusiastically help out
Sam and Geoff. One active volunteer,
member Adam Grein, is a mechanical
engineer in MIT's Nuclear Reactor
Laboratory. "He can fix anything,"
said Hasak with a smile.
Ferrara said the club's relationship
with the town is strong. The club took
back running the clubhouse, which
was recently renovated, and Leilani
Bernal, an employee for 13 years, was
appointed to improve the menu and
run the dining/functions operation, to
generate more revenue. The concession
business had been subcontracted out.
The par 35, 3016-yard (men)/par
36, 2742-yard (women) course is two
blocks from the ocean and across from
the new Winthrop High School.
"We're very lucky. This is a unique
nine holes … and the course is so close
to downtown Boston. Sea breezes can
make it challenging," said Noonan.