News from Goat Hill: Investing in the next generation
As another summer rounds the bend, the Shelter Island Country Club’s (SICC) Owen N. Dickson Junior Golf Program has completed its fourth successful season up at Goat Hill.
This year’s five-week program, which began on June 26, welcomed 32 young golfers ranging in age from 7 to 16, a mix of returning and new faces. Each Thursday, participants gathered to learn the fundamentals of the game, including driving, chipping, putting, and fairway play. They not only practiced skills but also had the opportunity to play the course in individual and team formats, getting real experience in course etiquette and strategy.
Behind the scenes, the program is entirely volunteer-driven. Special thanks go to Father Peter DeSanctis, Bill Hannabury, George Goodleaf, Charlie Pensa, Ginny Gibbs, Chick Grubb, and Linda Springer — as well as the many additional volunteers and the staff at the pro shop — all of whom provided coaching, support, and mentoring along the way.
“We were blessed to have 32 young golfers, returning and new, along with our great group of volunteer coaches and awesome staff at our pro shop,” said Club President Linda Springer, who is also the program’s lead coordinator. “One of the moms told me her son is now ‘hooked’ on golf and even bought himself a set of clubs at a yard sale. Knowing we’ve sparked that kind of passion warms my heart.”
While the junior program may only run for a few weeks each summer, SICC has made it a year-round mission to make golf accessible and affordable for younger players. This year, the Club doubled down on that commitment with a range of initiatives aimed at encouraging youth participation.
Shelter Island’s junior golf program is one of the most affordable in the area. Greens fees for program participants are just $5, and any junior golfer under 18 can play a round for just $10. In addition, the Club has expanded its definition of “junior” to include college-aged residents. New this season, local students enrolled in college can purchase a junior membership for just $200, which includes free greens fees and cart rentals for only $15, a deal that’s hard to beat on Long Island. To sign up, students must show a valid driver’s license and college ID.
It’s all part of a broader effort to support the next generation of golfers and to ensure that the game — and the community that surrounds it — remains accessible and welcoming. Although the Owen N. Dickson Junior Golf Program has wrapped for the year, it continues to have an impact as junior golfers continue to play the course, improve their game, and build confidence in a sport that can last a lifetime.
We look forward to seeing these young players around the course in the weeks to come, and even more so to welcoming a new group of junior golfers when the program returns next season.
A weekend ace at the Goat
It wouldn’t be one of the busiest weekends of the season at the Goat without a hole-in-one. With the course sending out golfers by the hundreds each day and the weather showing off its full-summer form, it was the perfect backdrop for something special. On Saturday, Aug. 2, Chris Franchini of Pelham, N.Y., landed an ace on the fourth hole, sinking a 5-iron from the white tees.
It was only Chris’s fourth time playing here and he was out with a group of seven hometown friends visiting the Island for the weekend. The ace was a perfect shared moment, one he and his crew won’t soon forget. After finishing his round, Chris called family and friends to share the news and send the photo.
Then, he returned to the 1901 Grill and bought a round for everyone sitting at the bar — a perfect ending to a picture-perfect weekend.
