New Providence Boys' Golf Lags In Union County Conference Championships

To win a golf competition, it takes concentration, determination, and to everyone who isn't a golfer, a whole lot of skill.

While that recipe might be easy to list, throw in weather conditions and producing a winning game gets that much tougher as a team or an individual.

Such was the scene Thursday morning at the Suburban Golf Club in Union, host to the Union County Conference Championship. While the day brought gloriously sunny skies and favorable low-humidity temps in the 70s, it also brought along a fierce wind.

"The wind was tough and it was a tight course and the course gives you a lot of awkward distances off the tee, too," said New Providence golfer, Connor Barry.

Barry, who shot a 12-over-83, said he was close to his regular game despite the wind. "The coach said that my game management could have been a little better — shot selection and clubs, and that sort of thing," Barry said. "I was overly aggressive on some shots, but I think my short game made up for it."

His team mates were not so lucky. Senior Jason Scarpa, who shot a 15-over-86, did not want to speak to reporters after the five-and-a-half hour 18-hole course. 

"Jason was not happy, but he played well overall," said head coach Paul Miller. "I am sure he is disappointed."

Fellow senior Sam Wizon shot a 37-over-108, on the upper end of stroke counts.

"I don't want to say anything negative, but that's the way it goes," Miller said.
Wizon, for his part, was remarkably honest about his performance.

"I didn't have any control of my game," Wizon said. "I shanked a lot of shots — and it was not really the windy conditions — it was a lot of missed shots, lack of contact and a lot of missed puts. Everything that could go wrong did."

Other scores were Tim Bovery, who shot a 20-over-9.  As a team, the Pioneers shot 368, on the upper end of team scoring. "Jason Scarpa and Sam Wizon are seniors and we expected a little better score for each, but what can I say?" Miller said. "I don't remember Wizon ever shooting (108)."

The team, whose record is 4-8-1, is coming off a season in which they achieved a Group One State Championship in 2010. This marked the first time in 12 years the Pioneers had earned a Group Title.

This year has been substantially different.

"Last year, we won our conference so they moved us up to the upper division," Miller said. "Our problem this year is that they moved us into Central Jersey and out of North Jersey Group 1 and 2. If we stayed in North Jersey 1 and 2, it is conceivable that we would have won it."