Article by CSGA Volunteer Patrick Murphy
(June 20, 2022) – We recently had a chance to catch up with Dan Murphy ahead of this year’s 120th Connecticut Amateur at Ridgewood Country Club. Murphy, the winner of the 2022 Two Man Championship, reached the quarterfinals of the Connecticut Amateur in 2020. In May the 30-year-old member of H. Smith Richardson Golf Course played in his third U.S. Amateur Four-Ball.
CSGA: You are coming into the Connecticut Amateur after competing in the 2022 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball last month – tell me about that experience and what are some things you can take from that tournament and apply to the Connecticut Amateur?
Dan Murphy: The U.S. Amateur Four-Ball was an incredible experience due to the hospitality of the Country Club of Birmingham. I learned a few things like there is always room to improve, but if I can play well at that level then I should be able to do quite well in CSGA Events.
CSGA: You played in the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball with your brother Tim. How cool is it to play a USGA event with your brother? Does it make it easier or harder to play a team event with a sibling?
DM: Personally, I think it’s easier, but that’s just because of the way Tim and I play golf. Our strategy is always super aggressive and when it works, it works well.
CSGA: You guys have had a lot of success together. You obviously have some golf skills in the family, do any other family members play the game and/or compete at your level?
DM: My mom and Dad both play golf, but the true star of the family is my 94-year-old grandfather who can still shoot his age to this day and has more hole-in-ones than any of us can count. Tim is the only one who plays or has played at a competitive level, and I’m still trying to convince my wife to play!
CSGA: You’re teeing it up in the Connecticut Amateur again this year – what have you learned over the years about competing in this event that might help you perform better in 2022?
DM: What I’ve learned is that you can’t win the event in the stroke play portion, so you have to do whatever it takes just to make it to match play. Don’t push it too hard during stroke play and try to play outside yourself.
CSGA: Speaking of stroke and match play, you have competition experience in both – is there a format you prefer?
DM: Personally, I prefer match play because you can get away with things that you wouldn’t normally try in a stroke play event. I enjoy being able to hit driver, a strength of mine and have a little more fun on the course.
CSGA: Do you have any prior experience at Ridgewood CC? If so, do you see any similarities to your home course, H. Smith Richardson GC, that might help you throughout the competition?
DM: I’ve played Ridgewood CC a handful of times including in the 2020 Connecticut Open and at a U.S. Amateur qualifier. Some similarities I see between Ridgewood CC and Smith Richardson are a few demanding tee shots and the greens are similar in slope and speed.
CSGA: You work in the golf industry, what do you do and has it helped your game to be around golf day in and day out?
DM: I actually work at the Country Club of Fairfield and have for the last 11 years. I’m a member of the grounds staff. What this might help me with in terms of my game is I notice things that other people might not, such as mowing patterns and other small course details. It’s pretty interesting to see how other courses do things compared to how we do it at Fairfield.
CSGA: So you must really love the game. How did you first get introduced to the game of golf and how long have you been playing?
DM: I first got introduced to the game of golf by my grandfather. I believe I started around the age of five or six. I grew up playing in various events from the Connecticut Junior Amateur, to the Borck Junior, and also a handful of AJGA events. I played in high school at Fairfield Prep but chose not to play in college.
CSGA: Where did you grow up learning and playing the game as a junior?
DM: I grew up playing at Brooklawn Country Club where my family was a member for the majority of my childhood. The staff there including head pro Brad Worthington is the reason I love the game and stuck with it.
CSGA: What’s your proudest accomplishment in the game of golf?
DM: My proudest accomplishment in the game of golf was making it to final qualifying for the U.S. Open last year, although the three U.S. Amateur Four-Ball’s come pretty close!
CSGA: What is your most vivid memory on the golf course in your 25 years of playing the game?
DM: My most vivid memory on the course would be making an 80-foot putt on the last hole of U.S. Amateur Four-Ball qualifying in order to get a spot in Tim and I’s first U.S. Amateur Four-Ball together. I believe it capped off a 29 on the back nine at Hudson Valley.
CSGA: What’s your dream foursome (including yourself)?
DM: My dream foursome may be different from others, but luckily every year I get to play with them all when we take a trip together. The group includes six guys who are all playing in the Connecticut Amateur this year. They are my brother Tim, Jamie Sheltman, Rick Dowling, Rick Hayes, Coleman Davis, and Mike Kennedy. The group also includes Connecticut Section PGA champion Geoff Gelderman. If I had to throw some of the greats in there with those guys, they would be Tiger Woods and John Daly.
CSGA: What about your top three bucket list courses that you haven’t played?
DM: Augusta National, Pine Valley, and Pebble Beach.
CSGA: What is your favorite course that you have played anywhere and what is your favorite in Connecticut?
DM: My favorite course is Punta Espada in the Dominican Republic or Ekwanok Country Club in Vermont. My favorite course in Connecticut is a toss-up between Shorehaven Golf Club and The Stanwich Club.
CSGA: What’s in the bag? Give me a rundown of every weapon in there.
DM: Callaway Epic Speed: LS Triple Diamond 8.5 degree driver, Taylormade SIM Max 19 degree hybrid, PXG 3 iron, Honma Rose Proto 4-10 Irons, Callaway JAWS 50, 56, 60 degree wedges, SIK FLO Armlock putter and Taylormade TP5x golf ball.
CSGA: This was great, Dan. Thanks for your time and good luck at the Connecticut Amateur!
DM: Thank you!
About the Connecticut State Golf Association
The Connecticut State Golf Association functions as an extension of the USGA and provides stewardship for amateur golf in Connecticut. Founded in 1899, it is the country’s oldest state golf association and conducts over 60 Championships, Qualifiers, and One Day Tournaments throughout the year.
