Family reopens Old Lyme driving range as '100 Acres'
Old Lyme — While Mark Erwin was growing up, he visited the 100 Acres Restaurant and Driving Range, run by the Montanaro family and later named Cherrystones, when his family took trips to nearby Sound View Beach along the shoreline.
He and his younger brothers would hit balls on the golf range, while their parents watched from picnic benches.
"I always thought this was a great place for a driving range," Erwin said.
Erwin, who works as second assistant golf professional at Wethersfield Country Club, liked the idea of running a family business with his wife, Sharon, and children Paige, 7, Logan, 9, and Mason, 12, just like the Montanaros did.
"My kids are at the age where I think this would be a really good family business for them to grow up in," he said.
On May 1, the Erwin family, who live in Essex, re-opened the former Cherrystones Driving Range and decided to name it the 100 Acres Driving Range in honor of its roots.
100 Acres
100 Acres once encompassed a restaurant, driving range, "pitch and putt golf course," and apartments, and dates back to the late 1930s. In 1972, Andy Montanaro purchased the property from owner Joe Tarala, and the Montanaro family ran the restaurant and driving range, said Jeffrey Montanaro, his son. In 1984, the Montanaros renamed 100 Acres as Cherrystones.
Six years ago, the Montanaro family subdivided the property and sold the restaurant parcel, he said. Cherrystones To Go, a seasonal restaurant, owned by Scott Champagne and Lisa Floridia of Otter Cove in Old Saybrook, that serves fried seafood, hamburgers, hot dogs, fish tacos, lobsters, and ice cream, stands on the restaurant property. The Montanaro family and investors continue to own the adjacent driving range property and had since leased it, but the range did not open last year, Montanaro said.
Mark Erwin said golf requires a lot of time and effort, and people can't really practice the sport in their backyards, so he's excited to reopen the driving range, which features 15 tee boxes and a grassy hitting area, in Old Lyme. He said people in town have shared his enthusiasm.
A spot for youths
Erwin, whose uncle introduced him to golf when he was a teenager and who worked for about 25 years as assistant golf professional at Quarry Ridge Golf Club in Portland before joining Wethersfield, said he loves teaching golf. He is providing both personal and group lessons on the 275-yard long and 225-yard wide range.
Erwin is reaching out to local parks and recreation offices and hopes in the future to host youth clinics because he believes the sport has a lot to offer to young people.
"Once a young person gets involved in golf, it's like no other sport," Erwin said. Golf offers youths a chance to exercise and be outdoors, all while practicing an individual sport, he said.
While on the golf course, youths also realize they are responsible for their own conduct.
"It's really a special thing," Erwin said. "The way you conduct yourself out on the golf course tells a lot about yourself as a person, and I think from a young age it builds character."
Plans are also in the works to create senior clinics to get people back into the game, he said.
His family is looking forward to their first season at the driving range.
"I love it," said Sharon Erwin. "For the kids, it's great. Whenever we work, we're just hitting balls all day."
Montanaro said it's nice to see the range open and looking so beautiful.
"I'ts been a shoreline destination for years," he said.
The driving range at 218 Shore Road is open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. A small bucket is $8; a medium bucket is $12, and a large bucket is $15. Individual lessons, which run 30-40 minutes, are $40 per lesson. Price of group lessons depends on the number of people. Discounts for kids and seniors are available.
More information is available at https://www.facebook.com/Cherrystones-Driving-Range-811091132416442/ or by calling (860) 304-0591.
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