Deadline for golf tournament listing for Golf '12 is April 1.
Officially, he passed on as William Peter Butcher.
But to most in the local golf community, he was better known as the “Club Doctor” and “Surgeon General.”
Bill Butcher died last week at age 60, leaving behind a reputation as one of the best at his craft – club repair and club making.
“This was very sad news, especially with the golf season now upon us,” said Cindy Johnson, owner of Fran Johnson’s Golf in West Springfield. “Bill was an integral part of our local community and golf was such a big part of his life, for his entire life.”
The Springfield native was a longtime PGA golf professional who left his mark in golf repair and club making.
“He was a gifted club repairman and club builder,” friend and colleague Bob Bontempo said. “He was a true professional and friend of golf.”
Butcher started in the business as an assistant pro under Bontempo at Orchards Golf Club in South Hadley, before taking the head pro position at Cohasse Country Club in Southbridge from 1979-92. He later worked under Bontempo at the Family Golf Center in Granby and had been at Fran Johnson’s since 2000.
“I think there were two chapters, his life as a club pro and then him coming to the Western Mass. area and doing what he did with golf repair,” Johnson said. “And we called him the surgeon general here because he had an engineering background and there wasn’t a golf repair that he couldn’t fix or take care of. He never said no.”
Butcher grew up across the street from Franconia Golf Course in Springfield, won an age division title at the Massachusetts Junior Amateur in 1969 and turned professional soon after.
Butcher also coached at the high school level and was active in fund-raising for Jimmy Fund and Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
TEE PARTY: Longtime area golf professional Francis Kringle of West Springfield will be the guest of honor at the 66th Western Mass. Tee party, set for May 3 at Tekoa Country Club in Westfield.
The ninth-year head pro at The Blandford Club is best known for being head pro at Crestview Country Club in Agawam from 1978-96.
He has worked as an assistant pro at Wyckoff CC, has been active in custom club-fitting and spent a brief period in golf course design/construction. His father, the late Frank Kringle, was a Western Mass. Tee Party honoree in 1965.
The Tee Party, which includes golf and an evening banquet, is considered the unofficial kickoff to the local golf season.
For more information, visit http://www.wmassteeparty.com/
HAMPDEN CHANGE: Hampden CC, sold at auction in January, plans to open in mid-April as a private operation.
Major facility renovations are under way or planned, and head pro Billy Downes and superintendent Dave Rafferty return.
For more information, call the pro shop at (413) 566-8010 or visit www.hampdencc.com
COURSE UPDATES: Two local golf courses changed hands last week.
The Northampton CC clubhouse and rights to its nine-hole layout were sold at auction Tuesday for an unnamed price to Robert Berniche, while Crestview CC in Agawam was sold to David Fleury last Monday. It was reported that Crestview plans to change from a private facility to semiprivate.
Meanwhile, Hickory Ridge CC in Amherst is scheduled to go to foreclosure auction Thursday.
Holyoke CC was sold during the off season to local businessman Eric Suher.
OPEN COURSES: Western Mass. public golf courses already open include: East Mountain Country Club (568-1539) in Westfield; Edgewood GC (568-6926) in Southwick; Mill Valley Golf Links (323-4079) in Belchertown; Oak Ridge GC (789-7307) in Feeding Hills; Shaker Farms CC (562-2770) in Westfield; Southwick CC (569-0126); and St. Anne CC (786-2088) in Feeding Hills.
Westover GC (547-8610) in Ludlow plans to open Monday, Agawam Municipal GC (786-2197) opens Wednesday.
GOLF ’12: The Republican’s “Golf ‘12” section will be published April 8.
The section will include a calendar of charity tournaments and outings. Information (outing name, course, date, contact info) can be emailed to rheld@repub.com or faxed to (413) 788-1259.
Deadline for submission is April 1.
GOLF NEWS: Westover GC is searching for a new superintendent. Contact Westover’s business department at (413) 583-8456 . . . The Western Mass. Golf Show returns to the radio air waves Saturday. The show airs every Saturday, from 7-8 a.m., on WEEI 105.5. Co-hosts are Jay Nomakeo, Steve Magargal and Russ Held . . . “In The Bunker” with Daril Pacinella plans for an April 13 start on Springfield’s ESPN affiliate WHLL 1450 AM. The show runs Fridays from 4-5 p.m. . . . Follow all The Republican’s local golf news via twitter @RussHeldGolf.
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