It's fair to say that the morning weather could have been a bit more agreeable. For Saturday, October 7, the date of the annual Woodchuck Golf Club Championship, the mood of the rain and wind ranged between persistence and savagery. Such weather surliness, however, proved not to be a discouragement for a handful of golfers who braved the elements to take on the unique quirks and challenges of the six-hole layout in Spencer Potter's Waitsfield backyard. Among the hardy -- or foolhardy -- linksters was a representative of The Valley Reporter, advancing the cause of journalism by golfing on a morning in which a more appropriate activity would have been couch-surfing, with man's best friend curled at his feet.
He didn't last long.
It should be noted that the Reporter reporter did par every hole he completed. A deft up-and-down from off the green after an ingloriously errant tee shot resulted in a par three on the 104-yard opening hole. Unfortunately, another missed green on the rugged 157-yard second hole led to a mishit chip shot, with the ball ricocheting off a rock wall guarding the green and smacking the reporter on the back of his left hand. The rain intensified, the hand throbbed, club grips were ungrippably damp, and, after five shots, the reporter relinquished any dreams of winning the club championship. Waterlogged and battered, his day of Woodchuck golfing was done.
The weather mood moderated somewhat in the afternoon, as groups of three golfers at a time pursued the distinct honor of claiming the prized Woodchuck trophy, bequeathed upon the club champion. In this case, that champion was Alex Socinski, in the last group on course, arriving back at the clubhouse -- a.k.a., the home of Spencer and Mary Jane Potter -- just as the cocktail hour was beginning to pick up celebratory steam.
The result was not unexpected. Socinski had many things to commend his chances: he was the two-time defending Woodchuck champ, he was a golf professional, and he was at least a generation younger than virtually all of the remaining participants. His score of 22 tied the tournament record, a feat that was, given the sodden conditions, rather remarkable. Not too far in his rearview mirror was the tournament runner-up, Tom Mehuron.
More important, however: Socinski's effort, as well as Mehuron's and the combined effort of all the other golfers, was committed to a worthy cause. All event proceeds -- entry fees and donations -- would go to Free Wheelin' (mrvfreewheelin.org), providing free transportation for Valley seniors in need. This was in keeping with the spirit of Woodchuck Golf, where, throughout the summer, contributions to such local causes as the Valley Food Shelf and the Valley Community Fund are encouraged in lieu of greens fees.
As darkness descended and the evening's festivities gained momentum, the mood of the weather reverted to its morning irritability. The rain came pouring down, but no matter -- the championship had been won (or, in the case of the Reporter reporter, lost) and the season of Woodchuck golfing had come to an end. Appropriately, it finished in a way that put an emblematic final stamp on the summer of 2023 -- with the course virtually underwater.
