Hole in One!

Playing a memorable Turkey Bowl at Cream Ridge Golf Course.

- By Francis X. Gallagher

Cream Ridge Golf Course has been a perfect spot to meet clients and friends from New York and Philadelphia. Just off Route 195, it is close to home and fairly easy to get to. Over the years we played many Turkey Bowl tournaments on Black Friday, awarding a corresponding trophy. This get-together has taken place since 1994, when Antero Palo, formerly of Finnair, took the first trophy. This year, a ringer took the prize: Steve Montgomery of Yardley, Pennsylvania.

We had a nice turnout, as it was a beautiful fall day, with some father-and-son combos from the Advisory Board playing. Chris and John Ottaunick, Carlos and Chris Cappuccio, Wayne Tallman and guest, and Jim and Kieran Bolger were among the players, and Steve Montgomery brought his two sons for an intro to the day’s festivities.

Cream Ridge has been accommodating with tee times, as the day after Thanksgiving can be busy or desolate, depending on weather. We secured four foursomes for morning tee times and later gathered in the parking lot for a socially distanced celebration with beer and high-end cheeses and snacks. Unfortunately, the restaurant was closed, but throughout the pandemic we have found tailgating a great alternative. We played from the white tees — not exceptionally long, but Cream Ridge has some tricky holes, for sure. My group included three players — myself, John Ecklund and John Kelley — and we teed off first, as we were designated to set up the tailgate.

HOLE 1

520 yards, par 5