It was sad to read about the demise of golf at Birch Plain in Groton, “After decades as golf course, Groton land returns to farming,” (Sept. 9). 

I became a member when it opened as Trumbull Golf Course years ago under the excellent care of the late Armondo Baldelli. It began as nine holes and then expanded to 18. Mondo spent hours keeping the course in fine shape. 

I played many a round there and it was there I achieved my only hole-in-one. Oddly enough it was on the eighth hole using an eight iron. 

Many people would look down on the course as a dinky par three, but it wasn't all that easy. 

The Day once considered it newsworthy when it ran a big story about a local golf pro shooting a par round. 

My own brush with local fame came one day when I arrived at the 17th tee and was informed by the group's scorer that I was at one under par. Mental jitters quickly arrived and a double bogey and a single bogey put me back with the mere mortals. That's golf. 

May the course prosper in its new role.

David Carlson

Groton