BROOKLINE — Certainly, there’s pressure on Cody Booska at this week’s 111th Massachusetts Amateur Championship.
But in a way, the 23-year-old Greenfield resident finds himself on a bit of a vacation.
It’s a father and son vacation, really. While Booska was grinding his way to a 1-over par round of 72 at The Country Club in Brookline, his father, Dennis, was with him every step of the way. Dennis Booska, an accomplished golfer himself, was on the bag serving as caddy as Cody put himself into a tie for 13th place following Round 1 action on Monday.
“Not a lot of people get to have their dad out here on the bag, so it’s special,” said Cody. “I give him one tournament a year (to caddy) and this is it. We had a blast. We take this week as a little vacation for me and him so it’s always a fun week for us.”
Dennis has played in the Mass. Am before, even qualifying for the coveted match play portion of the event when it was held at Essex Country Club in 1993. Monday marked the beginning of Cody’s seventh trip to the Mass. Am, and he’s reached match play twice, including a quarterfinal run in 2017.
“He’s made it a bit farther than I have,” Dennis said with a laugh. “But for me to be here, to get to do this every year, it’s awesome. It’s extra special with this year’s tournament being (at The Country Club). The history here, for us to get to be on the course is great.”
Cody put himself in solid positioning to earn another match play spot. One more good round on Tuesday and he’ll find himself as one of the 32 in the field moving on.
“I thought he played great,” said Dennis of Cody’s Round 1 performance. “From tee to green, he was awesome. We’re just trying to attack fairways and greens and hopefully make a couple putts. But he’s striking the ball well so far.”
Cody said having his dad on the bag is comforting, especially in the high-pressure environment that comes with playing in the biggest amateur tournament in the Bay State.
“We think the same out there,” Cody said. “We know that if I start to get a temper, it bothers him and vice versa. We’re good at balancing each other, I think. It’s fun having him out here.”
Dennis said he doesn’t try and say much to Cody as caddy, other than offering him some sage wisdom here and there.
“I don’t say a whole lot, I just try and pick him up when he needs it,” Dennis said. “It’s my job to help keep him in the moment. If he does that, he’s fine.”
The Country Club has hosted three U.S. Opens, and it will host a fourth in 2022 when the USGA’s biggest event comes back to Brookline for the first time since 1988. All that history was not lost on the local golfers who competed in Monday’s opening round.
“Probably one of the more nerve-wracking first tee shots I’ve ever hit,” South Deerfield’s Jonathan Elkins began. “Just knowing what tee shot that is — the first at The Country Club. So many great players have hit that shot. So it was nice to get that one down the middle and get off to a good start. Calmed the nerves just a little bit.”
Count Cody Booska among the players impressed by the historic course.
“Doesn’t get much better than this,” he said with a smile following his round. “The course was immaculate. The greens are just quick enough to make you think. It was awesome. I had a blast out there.”
South Deerfield’s Jake Zaranek, who will get the opportunity to play another historic course next month when he tackles Pinehurst Resort (N.C.) for the U.S. Amateur, said his first-ever competitive round at The Country Club on Monday was memorable, to say the least.
“On the 17th hole we were talking about all the history that’s happened on that hole… it’s just really cool to be here and some of the people who have played here, all the history here is unbelievable,” he said. “Walking into the clubhouse is one of the coolest things, too, all the pictures and memorabilia. Just a really cool place to play a golf tournament.”
Greenfield’s Jake Willis was impressed with his first time on the course.
“It’s immaculate, he lauded. “It was a little nerve-wracking to be out there to start but I loosened up as the round went along.”
Zaranek will be one of the first players on the course this morning, as he tees off at 7:30 a.m. for his second round. Booska tees off at 8:14 a.m., while Andy Lesenski (8:25 a.m.), Elkins (9:09 a.m.) and Willis (9:20 a.m.) follow.