By Joe Morelli, Register staff


jmorelli@nhregister.com / Twitter: @nhrJoeMorelli


In 2006, Joe Louis Barrow Jr., the CEO of the First Tee, came to Alling Memorial Golf Course in New Haven to dedicate it as a First Tee facility.


Six years later, kids from New Haven continue to take up golf through the programs offered in the city’s school system and through the summer team programs. Between 100-125 students participate in one or the other. The First Tee is a grass-roots program designed to introduce children to the game.

While the numbers are still good, Mark Moriarty, the director of programs for the First Tee of Connecticut, would like to see those numbers go up.

“Our population decreases as they get older,” Moriarty said. “We want them to continue after school ends.”



CHECK OUT MORE ABOUT THE FIRST TEE

By Joe Morelli, Schools Sports Editor
jmorelli@nhregister.com / Twitter: @nhrJoeMorelli

For the second straight year, Bubba Watson is the highest ranked player in the Travelers Championship field.

In 2011, Watson was the defending champion and ranked 12th. One year later, he is the reigning Masters champion and is now ranked fifth. And he will be joined by some other heavy-hitters in what is a deep field set for the 2012 Travelers. The field was finalized Friday.

Seven players ranked in the world's top 18 will descend on Cromwell next week for the tournament to be held June 21-24 at TPC River Highlands. Travelers tournament director Nathan Grube admitted this is the deepest field in his eight years at the helm.

"It's pretty deep. It's better than last year's field statistically," Grube said.


Check out more about the field and see who will be playing in Cromwell next week.

Now you all know who to pick against this weekend:


1. Phil Mickelson: No man has more runner-up finishes in the Open. Lefty is long overdue to finally come through. His wizardry around the greens will come in handy here; ==


2. Steve Stricker: Tied for fifth place last time Open was held at Olympic in 1998. Still in search of first major.


3. Dustin Johnson: No player who has won the week before the Open has been able to pull off consecutive victories. Johnson could with his length — as long as he can keep it in the short grass most of the time.

Angel Cabrera, Y.E. Yang, Rory Sabbatini, Jhonattan Vegas and Camilo Villegas are the latest golfers to commit to the Travelers Championship, which will be held June 21-24 at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell.


Cabrera will be making his first appearance at the Travelers. The Argentinian has a pair of major championships to his credit, the 2007 U.S. Open and 2009 Masters.

Yang, who is making his third appearance at TPC River Highlands, made a name for himself by beating out Tiger Woods in the 2009 PGA Championship. Sabbatini is coming off of a tie for second at The Memorial two weeks ago and is also making his third appearance. He missed the cut in his previous two.

Villegas tied for 21st in his only appearance in Cromwell in 2006. He has three top 25 finishes this year. Vegas will be making his second straight visit to the Travelers, tying for 33rd last year.

Brent Dietz of Cedar Knob Golf Club shot a 3-under par 69 at Bull’s Bridge to claim the overall title in the CSGA Tournament of Champions.  

Dietz, a former CSGA Mid-Amateur champion, made birdies at the first, fourth, seventh and 14th holes.

 Defending champion, Ben Conroy (Eclub River Valley) earned runner-up honors with a  70.  Aaron Gross of New Haven CC finished third with an even-par 72.

In the Siderowf Division of senior champions, Glastonbury Hill’s Bob Spaniotis fired a 1-under 71 for a three-shot victory over Bill Torza (Timberlin) and David Czaplicki (Hamden Marketing).

By Joe Morelli, Schools Sports Editor
jmorelli@nhregister.com / Twitter: @nhrJoeMorelli

Click to enlarge

MIDDLEFIELD — Part of the golf course professional’s workload these days is trying to draw people of all ages to their existing facilities.

Building a new course is relatively unheard of. But a new nine-hole course will officially open on Saturday in Connecticut, a facility anyone of all ages should be able to play.

Lyman Orchards is adding The Apple Nine executive course, along with The Golf Center, to its already existing 36 holes, The Robert Trent Jones and Gary Player courses.


Check out more on the new course and golf center, complete with a video and a slideshow!