[Ed. note: The first round of the 2010 Goodboys Invitational will be played at Sagamore-Hampton G.C. in North Hampton, NH. Described as a wide open tract designed to allow the Goodboys limber up and and get acquainted with their games and their partners for the weekend, we asked long-time Goodboys observer and golf expert J. Gaylord Pellrine for his impressions of the course and what the Goodboys can expect.]

“Sagamore-Hampton Golf Club is daily fee golf at it’s best – something the Goodboys will find both welcoming and reassuring for what promises to be a very long weekend. The 18-hole layout has been carved from 130 picturesque acres of land in New Hampshire’s seacoast region, on rolling hills that will enable big hitters like “Crusher” Spielberg and “Killer” Kowalski to “let the big dog eat”, while still requiring precision shot-making like you typically might expect from the likes of “Doggy Duval” McLaughlin and “Vegas” Clark.

“Sagamore-Hampton combines a perfect blend of both wide open and tree-lined holes, a manageable number of hazards for golfers like “The Great White Shank” Richard and “Cubby” Myerow to avoid, and an overall golfer-friendly feel. The front nine is a sprawling, wide-open stretch featuring generous fairways with some tricky greens to navigate. The back nine has a more wooded feel that requires straighter tee shots; however the greens are a bit easier to navigate. While the par 4s & 5s offer enjoyable challenges, it is the par 3s that will likely show their teeth – especially since the Goodboys will likely be playing from the 6041 yards / 122 slope-rated back tees.

“I expect most of the Goodboys to make their handicap at Sagamore-Hampton on the tournament’s first day. It’s a good thing: they’ll need that as preparation for the challenges that will likely face them the remainder of the weekend. A wonderful choice by Goodboys Exec-Comm for the first day of play.”