WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Traditionally the New England Senior Golfers have venerated some of their members who have contributed significantly to the Association by naming our tournaments in their honor.

We’re all familiar with the tournament designations:  Jarboe, Swanson, Batchelder, Safford, and Connell, but who were these people?

Unfortunately, most of our current members never knew these men from our past.  As the Association aged and time passed these names remained attached to a particular tournament but the men had long since passed into history.

Some will point out that Parrin C. Jarboe was from Portland Country Club and a past president of NESGA or that Loyal Safford was also a past President and from Cohassett Golf Club but little is remembered of their accomplishments nor that of any of the other gentlemen.

This evolution is natural not only with the NESGA but with most institutions which honor one of their major supporters and then their memories are eroded through the passing years.

It would seem appropriate then that from time-to-time these institutions would reflect on this natural evolution and consider honoring a person of recent vintage whose contributions to that institution are current in the memory of its members.

With these thoughts in mind and having had been unable to answer the inquisition, “who was ___?” your NESGA Board of Governors has voted to re-name several of our tournaments.

Henceforth, and for at least the next five years:

• The July tournament, formally the Swanson, will be named the Nichols Tournament in honor of Barrett C. Nichols, Sr.;
• The August tournament, formally the Batchelder, will be named the Larson Tournament in honor of Clifton C. Larson;
• The September tournament, formally the Safford, will be named the Bishop Tournament in honor of Leon S. Bishop, and;
• The October tournament, formally the Connell, will be named the Coakley-Stimets Tournament in honor of our recent members Gael Coakley and Richard R. Stimets;

All of these new honorees have contributed in many significant ways to the NESGA as Presidents, Board Members, supporters of amateur golf, and especially as strong supporters of our Association.

It is our privilege to recognize and acknowledge their contributions and in this manner express our appreciation while their names are familiar to us all.