North Shore Golf Summer 2021 web

26 >>> SUMMER 2021
Longtime Ferncroft Country Club
member Christine Veator is the 2020
Mass Golf Volunteer of the Year.
A member of the Mass Golf Board
of Directors for the past 10 years, Veator
was the 10th recipient of the Andrew J.
Blau Volunteer of the Year award since its
inception in 2012. Whether it be serving
as a rules official, serving on numerous
committees and state boards or lending
her expertise and knowledge to ensure the
successful transition of the merger between
the former Women’s Golf Association of
Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Golf
Association, the Middleton resident has
dedicated herself to making golf a better
game for all.
What was your reaction when you learned
you won this prestigious award?
I was speechless ... which doesn’t happen
often. I just love what I do and want
everyone to know how great working with
Mass Golf is.
How did you get started playing golf?
I was born in Gloucester and grew up in
New Hampshire, but nobody in my family
played golf. After graduating from Plymouth
State, I worked in the insurance industry and
I often thought a lot about doing something
fun when I retired. But I had thrown myself
into my career, so after watching all of the
men go off and play golf and the wives were
always left behind so I knew I had to learn. I
decided when I was 40 to take up the game. I
took lessons from a pro at Brae Burn and got
hooked. My gift to myself after getting my
MBA was joining Ferncroft.
What’s the best part of your game, what
was your lowest handicap and what’s your
favorite course?
My woods and driver, absolutely. And
handicap-wise, I would say the best I ever got
down to was about a 12, which I was proud of
considering Ferncroft is such a penal course.
Ferncroft is definitely my favorite course. It’s
so challenging and it beats me up some days,
but I never get tired of playing there. Every
round is different depending on the wind.
What motivated you to start volunteering?
After retiring 10 years ago, I was looking
for something to do that was completely
different than what I had done during my
career. I knew I had to do something. I
always checked off the volunteer box when
renewing my annual WGAM dues, and one
day Mary Golden asked me if I’d like to go
on the board after serving on the finance
committee. I was appointed treasurer and did
that right up to the time we merged with the
9
with
Christine
Veator
BY ANNE MARIE TOBIN
PHOTO: DAVID COLT/MASS GOLF