August has not only been a successful month on the links for Casey Graham, a member of Hanover High’s Class of 2022, but also one that has brought things full circle.
Graham, a golfer heading into his senior season at Hobart College in Geneva, N.Y., won Montcalm Golf Club’s men’s club championship in a 16-man match play flight on Aug. 2.
He also, along with his foursome, finished with the lowest gross score (8 under par) at a tournament at the club on Monday, benefiting New Hampshire’s chapter of Gift of Adoption.
While winning in itself is nice, the standout performances had extra meaning for Graham, who was adopted as a young child and whose early days in golf trace back to the club.
Although the rising college senior became a member of the Enfield-based club for the first time this year, he is certainly no stranger to it. Graham previously worked for the club as a member of the grounds crew and in outside services a few years ago.
“Growing up around here — Hanover (Country Club) closed during COVID and that sucked, so finding a course to work at, one, was like a big deal for me back then, and just being able to play at a course like this was very special,” he said.
While he emphasized that being on the grounds crew had early hours and was hard work, “as soon as I got here, everyone was so nice,” he said. “It made me just want to play here and kind of master this course almost.”
Mastered it he did — at least for a weekend earlier this month — as Graham not only became the first former grounds crew member to win the title, but also — at 22 — became the youngest men’s club champ ever.
“It meant a lot to me because this is my first-ever, like, individual win,” he said. “Ever since I got the membership, all I wanted to do was win and just like do my best here and just get better.”
Steve Rogers, Montcalm’s general manager and director of golf, who recalled Graham working for him at bag drop, credited the young golfer with his preparations ahead of the tournament.
“He was working on his game extremely hard, and I think that paid off for him,” Rogers said.
“He absolutely, kind of dominated in my eyes. … For years here it had been the older clientele, the gentlemen that know the golf course well, (who) were kind of perennial winners, and then Casey came in. … It’s a great thing for the club.”
Graham kept his strong summer up heading into Monday’s tournament.
The event benefiting New Hampshire’s chapter of Gift of Adoption is in its 11th year at Montcalm and raises money for the organization, which provides grants to families in need who are in the final stage of adopting a child.
“We’ve completed adoptions for 90 children across New Hampshire and New England (as of last Dec. 31),” said Linda Boucher, the president of the New Hampshire chapter.
She also estimated that funds raised for the organization through this year’s tournament, in gross, “may have cleared $50,000.”
Graham, who also played hockey and baseball at Hanover High, competed in his first tournament without his father alongside around age 11, at the event Montcalm hosts for the adoption organization.
“It meant a lot,” Graham said of participating in the event. “That was like my first time playing here, and as soon as I played here for the first time, I just loved the course and wanted to come back here; I just never had the chance.
“The special thing about Gift of Adoption being at Montcalm is that it allows for money to be raised going toward a very special subject. … It’s a good cause; they help a lot of kids every year.”
As the summer winds down, Graham is turning his attention to his senior season at Hobart.
“It’s been kind of a realization summer, because I’ve gotten so much better this year and I’ve been able to get my handicap down — I’m a zero now,” he said, noting that he has been looking to improve on the mental side of the game.
Ultimately, Graham indicated that he is ready to hit the ground running and is confident that his squad has a shot at winning the Liberty League.
“I was about the No. 6, No. 7 seed last year — I just wasn’t at my best,” Graham said. “I just wanted to come home and grind my butt off this year, and I’m thinking I’m going to have a pretty good year.”
