Technology offers new ways to enjoy golf and learn how to play it
When Mica Stark was a young golfer in the ’80s, he was limited in how he was able to get his regular golf fix. Growing up in Goffstown, he could play nine or 18 holes on a local course, where a teaching pro might be available for a lesson.
To find out about top amateur New Hampshire golfers, Stark relied on local newspapers, and that’s about it. In 2024, golf options have become plentiful, and he is on the forefront of the movement.
Stark hosts the “Granite State Golfers” podcast, which features interviews with top local golfers. He began his podcast in May 2022 and has already published nearly 50 episodes, each lasting about 20 minutes.
“I love listening to podcasts, especially golf content, and one of my favorites is ‘Chasing Scratch,’” Stark said. “I’m also in the communications field. And golf has always been important to me. This way I can marry all of my passions.”
In the months following the COVID shutdown, Stark took a course that covered all aspects of podcasting. He knew he wanted to focus on golf interviews, which he workshopped through the duration of the course.
Granite State golf fans can now hear directly from top golfers, including the legendary Bob Mielcarz of Concord, a New Hampshire Golf Hall of Fame inductee and nine-time winner of the New Hampshire Amateur. Stark has an interesting and informative interview with Mielcarz in episode 5 of the podcast.
“It’s human nature for people to share their stories,” Stark said. “I’m talking to people who have had success on the golf course and want to talk about it. This will be recorded in history. People can always hear from Bob Mielcarz or Dana Harrity, the most decorated female New Hampshire golfer ever, who I interviewed in Episode 20.”
Listeners can also learn from Stark’s regular “What’s in the Bag” segment. In each episode, he has his guests go through the different clubs they have in their bag and why they like them. It’s a plethora of information that makes for a worthwhile listen.
The Durham resident, now 50, is an accomplished golfer, owning a low, single-digit handicap. In July, he was on the leaderboard at the club championship of his home course, The Oaks in Somersworth, which has also become a sponsor.
“I didn’t have a plan to chase sponsorship. Then I struck up a conversation with Peter Harrity, who owns The Oaks, and things worked out. I’m appreciative,” Stark said.
Mica Stark hosts the “Granite State Golfers” podcast, which features interviews with top New Hampshire golfers. Since beginning his podcast in May 2022, the Durham resident has published nearly 50 episodes, each lasting about 20 minutes. (Courtesy photo)
Matt Thompson works with client Ryan Koch. Thompson and his wife, Teresa, operate Thompson Affordable Golf Lessons and the YouTube series “Tee-Time with the Thompsons.” (Courtesy photo)
In August, The Oaks in Somersworth opened up The Pavilion, which offers indoor golf with tracer technology to help players refine their game. (Courtesy photo)
Taking the game indoors
Harrity is spearheading a different prong to the golf entertainment landscape. In early August, The Oaks opened up The Pavilion, which is changing the way people enjoy swinging golf clubs by using computer simulations and tracing software.
“Since COVID, golf has been a booming industry,” Harrity said. “We’ve seen an increase of about 50%. I’ve been in the business since I was 23 and never seen as many amateur golfers going to venues other than the golf course.”
Harrity’s foray into indoor golf follows a national trend. At Topgolf, which has dozens of locations across the country and worldwide, patrons eat, drink and play golf at indoor bays, offering a popular date-night attraction. (In its 2024 second quarter results, parent company Callaway Topgolf cited “softer than expected traffic” to Topgolf venues, however, and a potential spinoff of the chain.)
Think of how bowling is designed. When the player hits their ball, tracer technology will show the ball path on a nearby monitor, which provides a video-game sensation. It only takes an hour, not the four-hour commitment for 18 holes, a length most clubs insist on for weekend play.
Harrity has brought a similar concept to The Oaks with Toptracer.
“Plus, you don’t have to go into the woods to chase errant balls,” Harrity said with a laugh.
Harrity is an active member of the National Golf Course Owners Association and saw that the golf entertainment model is what courses are adding to provide increased revenue. He felt that southern New Hampshire was ripe for the idea.
The first phase for The Oaks was opening up the Toptracer in the fall of 2023. There are 10 bays which are roofed, providing an indoor/outdoor experience similar to Topgolf. Phase Two is the recently completed patio adjoining Toptracer, which features a food truck and revamped driving range.
“Food and beverage are important for the entertainment golfer,” Harrity said. “It can’t just be the golf.”
It was a hot, early August afternoon at The Oaks’ Toptracer, and two couples were enjoying a double date. Televisions were showing the Olympics and Jimmy Buffet’s voice was telling the crowd about the cheeseburger he ate in paradise. Almost like a day at the beach or park.
“We really enjoy coming here,” said Dylan from nearby Barrington. He had just hit a long drive, and his girlfriend Taylor was about to hit. “It’s fun to play the games and laugh when we hit a bad shot. We’ve come a few times this summer and loved it. It’s a fun way to spend an afternoon.”
The Oaks has regularly been one of the Seacoast’s best public golf destinations. Harrity talked about a six-year plan to make the 18 holes an even better tract.
“We want to be a place where every type of golfer can enjoy themselves. People are thrilled to have options.”
Lessons for beginners
If someone is interested in learning to play golf, it can be daunting to start out. The sport is often considered Ralph Lauren, not Wrangler. And the newbie would need to find their way into a country club to find a teaching pro. Matt and Teresa Thompson are out to change that. They are the couple behind Affordable Golf Lessons and the YouTube series “Tee-Time with the Thompsons.”
Affordable Golf Lessons (AGL) is a community with the slogan “Beginners Learn to Play.” Matt Thompson is a teaching golf professional who isn’t based at a golf club. He travels to various New Hampshire driving ranges where he meets golfers for lessons. In addition, AGL members can access free teaching videos that the Thompsons created. Teresa is a former schoolteacher who uses her education background to package a golf video curriculum for beginners, which is part of the Online Learning Center housed on the website.
The Thompsons organize weekend beginner golf leagues around the central and southern part of the state. Teams are formed, and nine holes are played, all in a low-key format that provides a round of golf without high-stakes pressure of scratch handicappers playing in back of you.
“We try to make it so everyone can enjoy this great game,” Matt said. “Especially women, who can be sometimes seen as an annoyance at some clubs. We go through golf etiquette and rules, trying to appeal to the social golfer.”
Pembroke Pines Country Club was full of warmth on Sunday mornings this past winter. This was home to the winter league hosted by the Thompsons. The six teams play on their own simulator, using a scramble format, which limits the frustration a beginner often faces. Season standings are kept, and a winner is declared. However, you’d never know which team was the best. Every group was high-fiving teammates and giving shouts of “next time” when the ball was duffed.
“I work in an office during the week,” said Jeff, who is in his 50s and returning to golf after a 30-year absence. “This is a physical challenge along with some fantastic people. I love it. During the year, I take lessons with Matt. He’s a great teacher.”
Teresa can be heard behind the camera during filming of the summer leagues, which can be seen on their YouTube channel. If you are looking to watch the next Tiger Woods, go somewhere else. This channel is real golfers filled with positivity on a different New Hampshire course each week. It’s easy to root for them as they work their way through nine holes.
Golf remains a popular sport, and New Hampshire golfers are embracing technology to enhance the experience.
