Grandson's birthday present: a hole in one
Andover resident and avid golfer Brian Townson, 16, made his first hole in one on Friday, June 26, 2009 in the mist and fog at Mere Creek Golf Club, Brunswick, Maine.
Brian was playing golf with his grandfather Gary Twohig of Orr's Island, Maine, and his grandfather's friends who are all over the age of 75, according to his mom, Kristen Townson. His grandfather's 76th birthday was June 20.
But Brian did something his grandfather — and most golfers — have never done.
Brian scored his thrill on the course's par 3, 144-yard fourth hole.
The shot he took was witnessed by his proud grandfather and his golfing friends who are local Mere Creek regulars. Everyone signed the score card and Brian kept the lucky ball.
Kristen Townson reports that Gary Twohig said, "What a birthday present, to spend the day with my grandson and see his face when the ball dropped in the hole. Nothing could be better."
Pro golfer comes home
Professional golfer Rob Oppenheim has been chilling out at his family home on Alonesos Way, just steps from Indian Ridge Golf Course where he perfected his great swing. Now a full-time resident of Orlando, Fla., he said he looked forward to coming home to Andover during the month of June "for the good weather."
Instead, it's been rainy every day, slowing down the greens. But he seems to be handling the dismal weather quite well. Oppenheim just won the Massachusetts Open held in Belmont last weekend. Its qualifying event was held at Indian Ridge.
"When I heard that, I just had to play this one," he said.
Oppenheim stayed at his Andover home for the qualifier and returns to Andover for two more weeks later this month when he tackles golf tournaments in Maine and New Hampshire.
"I grew up here, have lots of friends here. Andover will always be my home," he said.
- Judy Wakefield
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Julie Scolnik of the Andover Chamber Music Series just recorded a CD, Bejeweled: encore gems for flute and harp, with harpist Franziska Huhn. She calls it "a collection of beautiful, poignant classical movements including works by Satie, Faure, Ravel, Donizetti, Grieg, Liebermann, and others... This compact disc is a treasury of alluring miniature pieces that have special meaning for me. There is a personal story behind each one - the moment when I first discovered it and claimed it for my own."
It is available at three Andover stores: Night and Day at 63 Park St., dresscode at 2 Elm Square and Andover Optical at 42 Main St.
It costs $15, and there are discounts for multiple copies.
Free movies roll
The Summer Arts Series at Merrimack College's Rogers Center is ready to launch with events sponsored in part by Tambakos Film Series and local cultural councils.
All events are free charge and start Wednesday, July 8, with a showing of the classic movie "The Apartment," with commentary at 6:30 p.m. and a screening at 7 p.m. Film commentary is brought to you by Arny Klayman.
Andoverites get on their bikes
On Aug. 1 and 2, 44 residents from Andover will ride in the 30th annual Pan-Massachusetts Challenge, the nation's pioneer charity bike-a-thon that claims to raise more money than any other athletic fundraising event in the country. The residents will be among the more than 5,000 cyclists who will ride with the collective goal of raising millions of dollars for lifesaving cancer research and care for adult and pediatric cancer patients at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund.
