Granite State Golfers

Episode 10: Julianna Megan

Julianna Megan won the state am last week at Concord Country Club at age 17. As a rising senior at Pinkerton Academy, Julianna has recorded some big tournament wins. We discuss her final few holes of the state am, a recent tournament she played in at Pinehurst, how she is approaching her college search process and why her 60 degree wedge is her favorite club in the bag. I really enjoyed talking with Julianna and I hope you enjoy the conversation! 
Song is Good Vibe by Ketsa is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Episode 9: Matt Schmidt

With the men's and women's state ams now complete, we talk to Matt Schmidt, the executive director of the NH Golf Association. We talk about all that goes into organizing these big state tournaments. We also cover his journey into golf administration, the growth of golf over the past few years and what the NHGA is working on for the coming years. Enjoy the show! 
Song is Good Vibe by Ketsa is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Episode 8: Lauren Thibodeau

At age 11, Lauren captured her first of SEVEN straight NH girls junior championships. A state record. She went on to win a couple NH state ams and now plays for the University of Louisville. Lauren has also faced considerable adversity and we start the conversation about some of her recent medical challenges. Her story is inspiring and I hope you enjoy the conversation. 
Song is Good Vibe by Ketsa is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Episode 7: Brandon Gillis

This episode features Nashua, NH native Brandon Gillis who won the 119th NH State Am last Saturday (July 16). Brandon made it to the finals last year and returned to the finals this year after facing a challenging field through match play. We discuss the victory as well as his time playing golf at Wake Forest (with some names you might know!) and URI. He shares what clubs he is currently playing and he tells us why he loves golf so much (love his answer). I hope you enjoy the conversation. 
Song is Good Vibe by Ketsa is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Episode 6: Phil Pleat

Phil Pleat is the most decorated male golfer in NH history, with over 20 statewide wins. We cover his early years of golf in Portland, Maine as well as his early years competing in NH golf tournaments. Phil offers some great tips and insights for golfers who are looking at playing competitive golf. It was an honor to speak with Phil and I hope you enjoy the conversation. We recorded this a few days before the start of the state am. 
Song is Good Vibe by Ketsa is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Episode 5: Bob Mielcarz

This episode features Bob Mielcarz who is a true legend in New Hampshire golf. He has won the state am more than any other male golfer - NINE times spanning four decades (and he has won the club championship at Concord TWENTY times.) Wow. I've had the good fortune of knowing Bob about 15 years and it was getting to hear some of his stories that sparked the idea for Granite State Golfers. I hope you enjoy the conversation!
 
Song is Good Vibe by Ketsa is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Episode 4: Jim Cilley

This episode features Jim Cilley who was NH Golf Association's 2021 Player of the Year. He has won many tournaments including the NH Mid Am and NH State Am. Born and raised in the Lakes Region, Jim has a great recall for the names of people who helped him along the way. Jim was a lot of fun to talk with and I hope you enjoy it! 

Episode 3: Craig Steckowych

Ep. 3 features Craig Steckowych, known by many in the NH golf community as Steck. He has had a remarkable golf career, missing only two cuts in 30 years of the NH Am. We covered his early years of playing golf at Derryfield (and biking with his golf bag) to the tournament win he is most proud of and his love of competition. I hope you enjoy it.