Golf is a quiet sport, even when there are 44 teenagers on the practice green, plus their coaches.
That was the scene Sunday morning at the Vineyard Golf Club, which played host for the sixth time for the Vineyard Invitational. The annual tournament featured 11 high schools this year, each one sending their top four golfers. The three low scores count for each team as they vie for the lighthouse trophy, created especially for the tournament.
Actually, there are two lighthouse trophies: one to stay at the clubhouse, the other going home each year with the winning team. Nauset High School won the event two years ago (last year’s event was canceled due to Covid) but now the lighthouse was up for grabs again.
The golfers warmed up with some putting, with nearly all the players aiming for holes dotted around the practice green. Nick Ben David also practiced aiming at tee he had stuck into the green, a tip his father Gary Ben David taught him. Mr. Ben David is a scratch golfer and multiple winner of the Farm Neck Club Championship. When he talks golf, people listen — even his teenage son.
“That way the hole will seem as big as a bucket,” Mr. Ben David said.
Mr. Ben David also recently helped out with his son’s swing, he said, which had developed a flat trajectory of late.
“I had him stand with his back to the wall then take a step forward and swing. A flat swing will hit the wall on the take-away.”
The four-man Vineyard squad was rounded out on Sunday by Jacob Silvia, Jake Glasgow and Richie Combra. Most of the golfers have been playing for about four or five years, they said.
Jacob Silvia said he got his start playing with his dad and planned to look for safe shots during his round.
Jake Glasgow said he didn’t think much of the sport when looking at it from afar. “I thought it would be dumb at first,” he said. “But then you get the bite.”
He said he planned to play well by avoiding the tall grass and not taking it too seriously.
The team is 6-2 thus far in the season, the losses coming from Sandwich and perennial rival Nauset High School. The loss to Nauset came off-Island, and according to coach Doug DeBettencourt the teams usually split the matches, with the home team winning. But on Sunday, even though the tournament was held on the Vineyard, it was not their home course. The team practices and plays all their matches at Farm Neck Golf Club so the Vineyard Golf Club would be unfamiliar territory for the young team. The biggest difference would be the greens, said head pro Eri Seguin.
“The greens are slower here because we are organic,” he said. “They are not as slick or as fast as they are probably used to.”
Mr. Seguin was instrumental in bringing the tournament to the Vineyard Golf Club. Previously he had worked at a course in Vermont that hosted a similar type of high school event and so when he arrived on the Vineyard he approached the board of directors for the club.
“We are lucky to have a board of directors who allow us to do this,” he said. “This is now a centerpiece tradition.”
After getting the okay form his board, Mr. Sequin took the idea to Coach DeBettencourt.
“He said, yes, yes, yes,” Mr. Seguin recalled.
Just before tee-off, Mr. Seguin addressed the students as the head golf pro, welcoming them to the course. Then he put on his dad hat, he said.
“Today is a special day. It is fun. Yes, there will be a winner and second places, but above all else remember to enjoy your time here.”
In his remarks Coach DeBettencourt likened his remarks to perhaps that of a grandfather.
“Take care of the place,” he urged.
Golf pro Mike Abate let the golfers know a bit about the terrain, including a local nuisance: skunks. Due to the organic nature of the course which means no pesticides, skunks were having a field day with the grubs on the fairway.
“You will see some degree of damage on the fairways from the skunks,” Mr. Abate said. “You can move the ball and find some area of relief.”
And with that the golfers all headed out to their respective tee boxes. It would be a shotgun start, full of threesomes and in some cases caddies.
A little over four hours later the results were in. The winning golfer was Redmond Podkowa of Bishop Stang High School, with a score of even par, 72. He led his team to victory too, with a combined Bishop Stang score of 222.
The Vineyard squad tied for second place with Bishop Feehan, both schools coming in at 246. Richie Combra led the way with a 79, Jacob Silvia shot 82, Jake Glasgow 85 and Nick Ben David 86.
“I’m pleased with the showing and it is nice we tied for second place,” Coach DeBettencourt said. “There were 44 kids and Richie tied for sixth place overall.”
Coach DeBettencourt also praised the Vineyard Golf Club and everyone involved in the day.
“They treat the kids like its a private membership tournament,” he said. “They feed them before and after too. It was a perfect day.”
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