Getting Psyched For Dudley: A Day With Stich

Today is a Wednesday; grey skies here in Hamden are far from threatening but are just cool enough for second thoughts about only wearing a t-shirt. After a long Mother's Day weekend and plenty of hours logged at the restaurant, I've found this cozy day off to be a pleasant change of pace. Yesterday was exhausting, but for all the good reasons. It was a day I won't forget--a highlight of my time here in Connecticut. 

I rose early to watch the first rays of sun light fire in the clear morning sky. Donning my newly acquired New Haven CC shirt and Nike golf shoes, I set off from Fernwood Road--first a quick detour to Dunkin Donuts for a bagel and an iced coffee (always iced, no matter what time of year), and then onto the crowded Wilbur Cross parkway heading west. I was glad I got an early start, because despite the crawling traffic in Fairfield County, I found myself in Easton, CT with time to spare. There was no reason to be late for what lay ahead. I was meeting Rollie Stichweh, or "Stich," as we know him in the Storey family. Stich is one of my grandfather's closest pals, and their friendship dates all the way back to the summers they spent together as boys at Camp Dudley. My grandfather went to Williams to play soccer and basketball, and Stich became the quarterback at Army, competing against Navy's Roger Staubach. They have both done a tremendous amount for Dudley. As a Storey grandchild, I know that I'll be keeping an eye out for Stich's grandkids at camp this summer. 

I had no trouble finding the Stichweh's home in Easton, and I had the privilege of touring their beautiful place before we set off for our day of golf. Stich is a member at the Connecticut Golf Club, about which I'd heard plenty of good things. The club is slightly more exclusive than New Haven, for example, so with fewer rounds being played, the course is always in excellent condition. Stich made sure to explain how the the club was founded by the same man who helped to fund the Empire State Building. It began as a place for gentlemen to play golf, and remains true to this goal today. I noticed no frills, as it seemed all efforts went into maintaining a top-of-the-line golf course. 

Looking across the pond to the par-three eighth green carved out of the hillside 

As you can see from the photo, the course was constructed on a far from flat piece of property. I can only recall three holes without severe elevation change, and even those had fairways that tilted steeply from one side to the other. Every par three featured a downhill tee shot, with the fifth and tenth holes spilling over cliffs to reach the greens. There's something to be said for elevated tee boxes, for they certainly create exceptional views of the holes. And like Yale, as well as some of my other favorite golf courses, for most of the round there's not a house, telephone pole, or car in sight--just pure golf. Though it might not be my favorite layout ever, it was one of the best conditioned courses I've played, and for sheer fun value, playing the Connecticut Golf Club with Stich is hard to beat. 

While we were eating turkey club sandwiches and clam chowder in the clubhouse (one of the best chowders I've ever had, by the way), a member walked up to Stich to say hello and noticed the Camp Dudley logo on Stich's jacket. The member said his wife was looking into summer camp options for their eight and ten-year-old boys, and that Dudley had come up. Little did he know that he was talking to a former Camp Director and a current camp counselor who just happens to be the nephew of the Director. He was able to score a five-minute conversation about the joys of a summer at Dudley, and we also convinced him that visiting Westport while camp is in session is the best way to get a feel for the Dudley atmosphere.  

My crew from last summer out hiking in the Adirondacks

As I talked about camp, I realized that this summer can't come soon enough. I'm loving this spring in Hamden, but it's been nine months since I gave final goodbye hugs to my Dudley friends to embark on the greatest adventure of my life. I can't imagine myself now without everything I've learned and experienced in these nine months, but with only one month to go until I report to Westport, I absolutely cannot wait to be back at camp. 

What I've come to understand, however, is that every time I connect with a Dudleyite--from buddies over in Germany to longtime family friends like Stich--I keep camp alive. Right now, no campers are bunking in the cabins on the shore of Lake Champlain, but Dudley is alive all over the world. I was so fortunate to share this for a day with Stich, and hopefully we've found a new family to join the Dudley tradition. Thank you to Stich, I had a blast, and I hope to see you up in Westport this summer!