Dan Barrett feels a strong connection to eastern Connecticut.

This is where he grew up, living in Lisbon.

This is where he went to high school, graduating from Norwich Free Academy in 2002

This is where he learned to play golf, as a teenager sometimes spending 12 hour days with his friends at then Pautipaug Country Club in Baltic, and became a three-time all-state performer for the Wildcats.

This also is where Barrett wants to raise his young son, Mason.

So after living out of the area for a few years, he moved home here and took his first head golf professional position. He's in his first season at Cedar Ridge Golf Course, a quaint and popular par three course in East Lyme.

"I was homesick at the time, so I came back...," Barrett said. "I have a three-year-old son. I have so much family here. We decided we would come back so he could grow up around everybody."

He's also found a family at Cedar Ridge. It didn't take long for Barrett to settle in at his new job because everyone has made him feel right at home.

"I'm really enjoying it," said Barrett, standing in the Cedar Ridge pro shop on Tuesday. "It's a great atmosphere and all the people are pleasant. It's a great place to be."

After graduating from Campbell University in North Carolina with a degree in professional golf management, Barrett figured that he'd eventually settle in Florida or California. He spend a few years in Florida teaching golf.

He eventually moved north, working as an assistant pro at Clinton Country Club before landing at Cedar Ridge.

Barrett is attempting to build up Cedar Ridge's junior golf program. A summer camp is already underway, running on Monday and Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to noon up until Aug. 15. About 20 kids are participating right now, with spots still available for ages five to 17.

The clinic offers 45 minutes of instruction and then nine holes of golf.

"All the kids are having a real good time," Barrett said.

When asked about his son's interest in golf, Barrett proudly reports that Mason is already hitting the ball 25 to 30 yards.

"He's whaling it," Barrett said. "Everything he sees me do, basketball and golf, he wants to do."

For more information on the junior golf camp, call the Cedar Ridge pro shop at (860) 691-4568. Down the road, Barrett plans to offer clinics for women, senior citizens and young adults.

Short putts

• Black Hall Club assistant pro Adam Rainaud, a two-time Connecticut PGA player of the year, had a good run this week at the 49th PGA Professional Championship at the Turning Stone Resort in Verona, N.Y.

Rainaud made the 54-hole cut and then saved his best round for last, firing a 3-under 69 on Wednesday. Through 10 holes, he stood at 4-under and had an eagle on the par 5, 5th hole that carries 548 yards. But he lost some ground after recording bogeys on the 11th and 14th hole before recovering with a birdie on the final hole. He finished the tournament with a respectable even par 288 (71-73-75-69).

• Michael Smyle and Bill H. White combined to capture the Stonington Country Club member-member tournament on June 18. Miggie O'Brien and Linda Olisky won the women's event.

In an 18-hole stroke play tournament on June 25, Eric Briggs earned low gross honors with a 73 while Jeanne Tingo shot an 80 to finish first in the women's competition.

• Shennecossett Golf Course in Groton crowned its member-guest tournament champions last weekend. In the net division, Jon Morosini and Anthony Kargul combined to fire a winning score of 62. Juan Grisanti and Chuck Potter placed second with a 63.

In the gross division, Cliff Taylor and Greg Mattern formed the winning duo, shooting a 68. Bill Ernst and John Martello finished second with a 69.

• Graham Aird of Old Lyme and Jack Ognisty of Pawcatuck were the top local finishers at the Connecticut Junior PGA Championship earlier this week at the Yale University Golf Course. Aird finished with a two-round total of 161 (79-82) and Ognisty fired a 160 (83-77).

Ognisty and his Stonington High School teammate Jack Glenn have signed up to play in the 75th Connecticut Junior Amateur on July 11-14 at Watertown Golf Club.

• Alex Jenkins of Black Hall Club and Nick Hedden of Great Neck Country Club in Waterford qualified for the 87th New England Amateur Championship. The event will run from July 19-21 at Hartford Golf Club in West Hartford.

• Several golfers recorded a hole-in-one in recent weeks.

At Stonington Country Club, Scott Gavitt accomplished the feat using a No. 4 hybrid on the 189 yard, second hole. Steve Dolan, Kevin Johnston and Kevin Beverly were there to celebrate with Gavitt.

Three golfers had aces at Pequot Golf Club. Chris Mitchell and Michael Coombe both had a hole-in-one on No. 12, with the former using a pitching wedge and latter an eight iron. Dennis Costello's trusty driver helped him record his ace on the 178-yard, ninth hole.

Playing in the Electric Boat Athletic Club League at Shennecossett, Peter Smyth gripped a pitching wedge and notched his ace on the 120-yard, 12th hole.

Around the region

• Lake of Isles in North Stonington will host a qualifier for the 82nd Connecticut Open Championship on Tuesday. James Lathrop of Pequot, Nick Hedden and Andrew Cavasino of Great Neck Country Club, and Dave Jones, Michel Painchaud, Tony Susi and Phillip Krick Jr., of the Mohegan Sun Country will be in the field. Robert Taggart Jr., Steve Chevalier and Jason Guyot will represent Lake of Isles.

• The Connecticut PGA Pro-Assistant Championship will be Tuesday at Black Hall Club in Old Lyme. The last time a Black Hall duo won the event came in 2005 when pro Andrew Campbell and Kevin Cloud took first at The Club at River Oaks.

• Norwich Golf Course and Malerba's Golf Driving Range will host the Wildcat Junior Golf Clinic in July. Registration will take place from 8:30-9 a.m. on Tuesday at the golf course. The clinic dates are as follows: Tuesday, 9-11 a.m., NGC; July 12, 9-11 a.m., Malerba's; July 19, 9-11 a.m., Malerba's; July 26, 5:30-8 p.m. NGC. Each player needs to bring clubs.

• The 90th Norwich Invitational will tee off on Friday, July 15, and culminate with the champion being crowned two days later. It is considered the oldest running amateur golf tournament in the state. Entry deadline is July 13.

• For the 19th time, Shennecossett Golf Course in Groton will host the Connecticut Senior Open. The 34th annual event will run July 18-19.

• Shennecossett will run its men's club championship qualifier on July 23-24.

• Please send any results or hole-in-ones to g.keefe@theday.com