New Hampshire Golf: Laconia CC's Cilley working on a first
May 6—No golfer has won the New Hampshire Golf Association's Thomas J. Leonard Jr. Player of the Year award in three consecutive seasons, but Laconia Country Club's Jim Cilley can become the first to do it this year.
Seven golfers have been in position to win the NHGA Player-of-the-Year award in three straight years since it was first presented in 1993 (Bob Mielcarz), and all seven came up short in Year No. 3.
"I may fall to the back of the pack this year, but it would be nice (to win it again) since I'm pretty sure no one has won three in a row," said Cilley, 41. "Hey, I like it anytime my name's in the paper — as long as it's for a good thing."
The NHGA also recognizes a Women's Player of the Year, a Junior Player of the Year (male), a Junior Player of the Year (female) and a Senior Player of the Year. Last year's other winners:
Women: Kat Bordeau
Junior (male): Sam Maurice
Junior (female): Julianna Megan
Senior: Craig Steckowych
Golfers earn player-of-the-year points based on their finish in certain NHGA and NEGA events, as well as qualifying for USGA events.
"I start really thinking about it right after the Stroke Play championship ... right after the first week in August," Cilley said. "At that point you've had the (State Am), you've had the Four-Ball, you've had the Players (Invitational) — and a lot of the USGA qualifiers happen at that point too. At that point, you kind of know because there aren't that many things left you can play in and get points. To me, that's when I look at it so see if I'm in the running and what has to be done if it's possible.
"I think it would be difficult to win the Player of the Year without winning anything, and if you win the State Am that gives you a leg up ... especially if you play in everything else. Winning one of the big four or five tournaments is going to certainly put you in the running."
Others who have won the Player of the Year award in consecutive years: Phil Pleat (1996-97), Craig Steckowych (2000-01), Danny Arvanitis (2002-03), Nick MacDonald (2010-2011), Joe Leavitt (2014-15), Matthew Paradis (2016-17) and Pat Pelletier (2018-19).
Cilley had the points lead entering the New Hampshire Mid-Amateur last year and was able to fend off Ryan Kohler for the Player of the Year title when he and Kohler tied for second in the Mid-Am.
"It is competitive," Cilley said. "I know that Ryan knew he was jockeying with me for it last year. I don't know that it's competitive at the start of the year, but when you get down to the end ... it becomes competitive then if you still have a chance."
Rules question
Question: True or False? A player may repair damage to the putting green made by animals, such as hoof indentations?
Correct Answer: True.
Source: USGA Rule 13.1c (2)
Local collegians in NCAA regionals
The Southern New Hampshire University men's golf team is seeded No. 5 and the Franklin Pierce men earned the No. 7 seed for the NCAA Division II East Regional, which will be played Thursday through Saturday at Iron Valley Golf Club in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. In addition, Saint Anselm's Drew Semons is one of four golfers who were selected to compete in regional competition as an individual.
The top three teams and the top two players not with a team from each regional will advance to the finals, which will be held May 22-26 at Avalon Lakes in Warren, Ohio.
The Franklin Pierce women's golf team is seeded 13th out of 15 teams for the East Regional, which will be held at Creek Golf Club in Springfield, Illinois. The Ravens won their fourth consecutive Northeast-10 championship this season.
Kish tops in Pro-Am
Danny Kish of the Atkinson Resort and Country Club took first place in the professional division of the 2023 Granite Links Pro-Am, which was played April 25 at Granite Links Golf Club in Quincy, Mass.
Kish shot a 2-under-par 69. His round included four birdies.
New Hampshire calendar
May 9-Sept. 9: Match Play Championships (Pease, Beaver Meadow, Sky Meadow, Montcalm, GC of New England)
May 16: Stroke Play Series (Candia Woods)
May 17: Women's Weekly "B" (Exeter)
May 18: Women's Weekly "A" (Hoodkroft)
May 21: Spring Four Ball (Keene)
May 23: Women's Weekly Combined (Rochester)
May 25: President's Cup (Maplewood)
May 27: Club/Mixed Club Team (Derryfield)
May 28: Mixed (TBD)
May 31: Women's Weekly Combined (Indian Mound)
June 3-4: Players Invitational (Baker Hill)
June 5: Stroke Play Series (The Oaks)
June 6: Spring Fling (Windham)
June 8: Tournament Series (Lake Sunapee)
June 12: Four Ball Championship (Owl's Nest)
June 12-14: NEGA Women's Amateur (Manchester, Conn.)
June 12-14: Women's Tri-States (Martindale CC/Auburn, Maine)
June 13: Women's Weekly Combined (Hooper)
June 20: State Am Qualifier (Passaconaway)
June 22-24: New Hampshire Open (Bretwood)
June 24: State Am Qualifier (Bretwood South)
June 25: State Am Qualifier (Beaver Meadow)
June 26: State Am Qualifier (Maplewood)
June 27: Women's Weekly Combined (Breakfast Hill)
June 28: Women's Weekly Combined (Blackmount/North Haverhill)
June 28: State Am Qualifier (Breakfast Hill)
June 30: State Am Qualifier (Concord)
July 6-7: Women's Team Championship (Canterbury Woods)
July 10-15: 120th NH Amateur Championship (Manchester)
July 16: Mixed (Loudon)
July 17: Parent-Child Championship (Stonebridge)
July 18-20: NEGA Amateur (The Woodlands, Falmouth, Maine)
July 19-21: Junior Championship (Beaver Meadow)
July 19: Senior Legend Classic (Lochmere)
July 21: Women's Weekly Combined (Newport)
July 23-24: Senior Team (Mount Washington)
July 31-Aug. 2: Women's Amateur Championship (Montcalm)
Aug. 7-9: NEGA Junior Amateur (Mt. Washington Resort)
Aug. 8: Women's Weekly Combined (Pease)
Aug. 8-10: Stroke Play Championship (Ridgewood/Atkinson Resort)
Aug. 15-16: Women's Mid-Amateur (Ridgewood)
Aug. 20-21: Mid-Amateur Team (Mount Washington)
Aug. 20: Mixed (Mount Washington)
Aug. 22: Women's Weekly "B' (Bretwood)
Aug. 24: Stoke Play Series (Hoodkroft)
Aug. 29: Women's Weekly "A" (Derryfield)
Sept. 5: Women's Weekly Combined (Den Brae)
Sept. 6-7: Senior Championship (Canterbury Woods)
Sept. 11-12: NEGA Senior Amateur (Fox Hopyard/East Haddam, Conn.)
Sept. 21: Stoke Play Series (Kingswood Gold)
Sept. 26: Fall Classic (Keene)
Oct. 2-4: Mid-Amateur Championship (Rochester)
Oct. 8: Mixed (Kingswood Golf)
Oct. 16: Tournament Series (Cochecho)
Oct. 18: Stroke Play Series (Newport)
Oct. 23: Corporate Challenge (Concord)
Oct. 30: Tournament Series (Laconia)
