The Nor’easter That Never Was

At least not here...

The Nor’easter was supposed to start Friday night and continue until around 2:00 AM Sunday.

We were hearing about heavy rain and wind gusts that could reach 60 MPH. And to be fair, those things DID happen.

New York, New Jersey and many of the coastal towns throughout the Northeast got hit. Rhode Island got hit pretty good, as did southeastern Massachusetts and the Boston area. There was even a surprise band of heavy rain that rolled through Connecticut just south of the Massachusetts border.

But here in the Pioneer Valley? Pretty much a non-event.

Of course, weather forecasting is a lot like when a city has to decide whether to cancel school because of an approaching snowstorm.

Cancel school? We get three inches. Keep school open? We get 15. Sometimes you just can't win.

That's one of the reasons we have a simple rule at BJG: IF THE COURSE IS OPEN, WE PLAY. It takes the guesswork out of it.

Now listen, based on everything I was hearing during the week, I was buying into this Nor'easter.

I got my house and yard prepared for the storm. I waterproofed my rain suit, gloves and hat. Hell, I even waterproofed my golf shoes.

Saturday was spent pulling together all of my wet-weather gear AND my cold-weather gear. I wasn't taking any chances.

I even considered moving the AMC Championship and Legends of Tomorrow to the following weekend. My biggest concern wasn't necessarily playing in the rain. It was having guys drive a long way Sunday morning only to arrive at Chicopee and find out the course was closed.

But Rey, James and Adam quickly reminded me that the show must go on.

And so it did.

In the end, we didn't get much rain or wind Friday night. Saturday stayed dry until around 6:30 PM, and even that rain only lasted about an hour. There was probably some drizzle overnight, but the mighty Nor'easter never really arrived. At least not here.

SUNDAY MORNING

We would have six golfers competing in the second round of the Fed Up Cup Playoffs — The AMC Championship — with Matt deciding to sit this one out.

We would have only two golfers competing in Legends of Tomorrow, with six others deciding not to play.

I arrived at Chicopee Country Club around 6:15 AM. It was dark, barely drizzling and there was a little wind.

Then I saw it. Ten golf carts lined up and ready to go and the starting-hole assignments were posted on the board.

CHICOPEE COUNTRY CLUB WAS OPEN AND READY TO PLAY.

While I waited for the other seven golfers to arrive, I tried to figure out what I was going to wear, what I was going to pack in the cart and what gear I was going to leave in the car.

At the time, I honestly thought those might be the most important decisions I would make all day. As it turned out, it rained for maybe 15 minutes, we had about six decent gusts of wind, and that was about it.

What we ended up with was a cloudy but surprisingly nice day for golf.

Group One: James, Magic Mike, Adam and Iron Mike — starting on Hole 18.

Group Two: Joe, EJ, Rey and Joe V — starting on Hole 17.

And with that, the AMC Championship was underway.

FRONT NINE — AMC CHAMPIONSHIP

1st Place: Iron Mike — 38 (40)

2nd Place: Magic Mike — 43 (48)

3rd Place: Adam — 45 (47)

3rd Place: EJ — 44 (56)

3rd Place: James — 44 (50)

6th Place: Joe — 50 (60)

The course was in beautiful condition, and the greens were FAST.

Iron Mike jumped out to an early lead with a 38. Behind him, things were much tighter. Magic Mike sat in second with a 43, while Adam, EJ and James were locked in a three-way tie at 44.

Only one stroke separated second place from the three golfers sitting in third.

Then there was Joe. Four 8s on the front nine pretty much told Joe that his chances of winning the AMC Championship were over.

But this wasn't the time to give up. There was still golf to play.

BACK NINE — AMC CHAMPIONSHIP

1st Place: Iron Mike — 36 (39)

2nd Place: EJ — 40 (52)

2nd Place: James — 40 (47)

2nd Place: Joe — 40 (51)

5th Place: Magic Mike — 41 (47)

6th Place: Adam — 42 (45)

Iron Mike wasn't letting anybody back into this thing. He followed his opening 38 with an even better 36.

But behind him, things got interesting. This time EJ, James and Joe tied for second with 40s. Magic Mike was only one stroke behind them, and Adam was only two back.

And after shooting 50 on the front and 40 on the back, Joe could only think... What might have been?

FINAL — AMC CHAMPIONSHIP

🏆 1st Place: Iron Mike — 74 (79)

🥈 2nd Place: EJ — 84 (108)

🥈 2nd Place: James — 84 (97)

🥈 2nd Place: Magic Mike — 84 (95)

5th Place: Adam — 86 (92)

6th Place: Joe — 90 (111)

There would be no drama for first place. Iron Mike wins the 2026 AMC Championship by TEN strokes.

But the battle behind him couldn't have been much closer. EJ, James and Magic Mike all finished at 84, creating a three-way tie for second place and punching their tickets to the 2026 BJG Fed Up Cup Championship.

That leaves Adam and Joe on the outside looking in.

Iron Mike, EJ, James and Magic Mike are the FINAL FOUR.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

LEGENDS OF TOMORROW — LOSERS OF TODAY

Let's not forget we had another championship taking place. The 2026 Legends of Tomorrow!

Neither Joe V nor Rey had recorded a win in 2026. That was about to change.

Normally, this event would be a battle for ninth place. But with so many golfers deciding not to play, Joe V and Rey were essentially battling for seventh place in the final 2026 standings.

And more importantly... One of them was finally going to get a win.

FRONT NINE — LEGENDS OF TOMORROW

1st Place: Joe V — 39 (45)

1st Place: Rey — 39 (48)

After nine holes, absolutely nothing separated them.

Joe V and Rey were locked in a battle, and neither one was looking to go home empty-handed.

BACK NINE — LEGENDS OF TOMORROW

1st Place: Joe V — 38 (44)

2nd Place: Rey — 40 (50)

The difference in this entire match basically came down to one hole. On the 17th, Rey made a 9. Joe V made a 7. Two strokes.

And when the final scores were added up...

FINAL — LEGENDS OF TOMORROW

🏆 1st Place: Joe V — 77 (89)

2nd Place: Rey — 79 (98)

JOE V IS OUR 2026 LEGEND OF TOMORROW!

AND THEN THERE WERE FOUR...

Congratulations to Iron Mike, EJ, James and Magic Mike for advancing to the 2026 BJG Fed Up Cup Championship.

There is no rest for the weary.

The Fed Up Cup Championship is scheduled for Sunday, October 4, 2026. It was scheduled for Southampton CC, but they are having a shot gun and it is full.

After NUMEROUS phone calls this morning, the only golf course that would answer the phone, had a morning tee time or was not already closed for an event was Ledges Golf Course in South Hadley. I currently have 3 tee times with the first tee time being 8:09.

Please let me know ASAP if you plan on playing so I know if I need to cancel a tee times.

Respectfully,

Broken Joe

Commissioner