NJSGA Has Opening Day Celebration; Unveils New Video
Officials representing the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and board members of the New Jersey State Golf Association ceremoniously cut the ribbon for the new NJSGA Headquarters at the Galloping Hill Golf Course in Kenilworth on the evening of April 23.
Frank O’Brien, NJSGA president, presided over the “Opening Day Celebration” and welcomed 150 invited guests who also viewed the NJSGA’s new 10-minute video entitled “All Things Golf in New Jersey,” which includes narration by CBS Sports; Jim Nantz, a New Jersey native.
Taking part in the ribbon cutting were Christopher Hudak, Freeholder Chairman, and freeholders Bruce Bergen, Linda Carter, Sergio Granadas and Alexander Mirabella and Union County manager Al Faella, former county manager Bruce Devanney , and county surrogate James LaCorte.
NJSGA former presidents who took part in the ribbon cutting and who helped facilitate the move to Galloping Hill included Robert Cronheim, Tom McGovern and John Murray, and current president Frank O’Brien.
Guest speakers included Hudak, Ed Batta, on behalf of the NJSGA Caddie Scholarship Foundation, McGovern, on behalf of the NJSGA Youth Foundation, and Beverly Harrison of the LPGA/USGA Girls Golf of Greater Newark.
O’Brien made a special presentation of plaques, inscribed with copies of the original minutes from the first NJSGA meeting on April 17, 1900, to the six of 10 remaining founding clubs.
Accepting the plaques were Chris Field of Essex County C.C., Silvo Ingui of North Jersey C.C., Norman Lewis of Morris County G.C., Pat O’Keefe of Plainfield C.C., Keith Phillips of Montclair G.C., and Rick Wolffe of Baltusrol G.C.
“We consider this the home of golf throughout New Jersey,” Hudak said. “We are so proud the New Jersey State Golf Association has chosen Galloping Hill to host the 2016 State Open, the first time the State Open will be played at a public course.
“On behalf of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, we look forward to many more years of working with the New Jersey State Golf Association,” Hudak stated.
