Western New England prep golf is humming along this spring. The season is broken up into a few different competitions. Teams play head-to-head matches where six players compete, and five scores are counted over nine holes. In rare cases, teams compete in match play against one or two other squads. Then there are a collection of stroke-play tournaments where numerous teams play nine or 18 holes. These larger tournaments become more prevalent in May, namely the Western New England Invitational at Bulls Bridge Golf Club in South Kent, Conn., which Brunswick won in record-setting fashion last week.
On May 24, the Kingswood Oxford Invitational at Gillette Ridge Golf Club will host 23 teams vying for another prep school trophy to cap off the year. In addition, the Suffield Invitational in April, won by Choate-Rosemary, and the Coppola Cup, won by Avon Old Farms, help teams test their skills in a tournament setting.
Over the years, the scores in the nine-hole matches have slowly lowered. A score of 200 for five players was usually a victory. Now, the top teams are regularly shooting in the 190s.
The Founders League has nine teams, but there are a collection of other schools that are also involved in the golf season in western Massachusetts. There is no real regular season or standings. Supremacy is gained in the end-of-season tournaments.
Let's meet some of the schools and players in Western New England's prep school golf scene.