Author chronicles 90 years of Gardner golf history

>In the introduction of his new book about the 90-year-history of Gardner Municipal Golf Course, Jay Gearan answers the question some may have about why he didn’t wait until the 100th anniversary.

>There’s a good reason. Gearan is 74 years old and he wasn’t sure he’d be up to writing such a book 10 years from now.

>“I’m hoping to be around and I could do an updated version,” he said. “However, life throws curves.”

>Ninety years is a long time, however, and Gearan had plenty to write about in “A Course Called Gardner, Celebrating 90 Seasons.” He refers to the nine chapters in his book as “the front nine” so there’s always the possibility that he’ll update the book with the back nine.

>Gearan has played Gardner for 65 of its 90 years and he’s written about the course for 45 years. He was a longtime T&G correspondent and still contributes to The Gardner News. Last winter, he spent a lot of time reading archives in the library.

>Gearan can also play. He won the Gardner senior club championship in 2020 and he was thrilled when his son, Michael, captured his third men’s club championship this year.

>The book begins with how Gardner opened nine holes on May 2, 1936, as a Works Project Administration project,  a federal program that President Franklin D. Roosevelt created to provide jobs throughout the country during the Great Depression. Mayor James Timpany hit the ceremonial first tee shot.

>On May 2 this year, Mayor Michael Nicholson hit the first tee shot to mark the 90th anniversary.

>“He’s not even a golfer,” Gearan said, “but he practiced and hit the ball right down the middle.”

>To help celebrate the opening of the second nine holes in 1967, Paul Harney came up to play. Harney, a Worcester native who won six PGA Tour events, was the head pro at Pleasant Valley CC in Sutton at the time. Gearan discovered that Harney hit a 300-yard drive with a persimmon wood on the par-5 fifth hole and reached the green in two, an accomplishment that few manage to do with the improved equipment of today.

>In 90 years, Gardner has had only six head pros, Chris McGrath, Dan Donovan, Yvon Bourque, Mike Egan, Ben Egan (Mike’s son) and Dan Berry. Officially, Berry is the pro shop manager. During that time, there have been just five superintendents, Donovan, Laurie Blacquiere, Steve Zoldak, Mike Hermanson and Bill Frank.

>One of the chapters contains tips from Egan on how to play each hole.

>Another chapter is about Bob Menne, a Gardner native who won the 1974 Kemper Open. Gearan was surprised to see how little reaction there was in Gardner to Menne’s PGA Tour victory.

>“There would have been a parade today,” he said.

>Other chapters include those on the club’s staff, the Delay Memorial Championship, the men’s and women’s club championships and past golfers.

>The self-published 104-page paperback book has about 100 photos.

>The book is available for $20 online on Amazon and thetroybookmakers.com or at the golf course pro shop or John’s Sport Shop in Gardner.

Story ideas welcomeYou can suggest story ideas by reaching me at the email listed below. Comments are also welcomed.

>—Contact Bill Doyle at bcdoyle15@charter.net.

>This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Author chronicles 90 years of Gardner golf history