Lee Skillin and Jim Gorski celebrate on the 18th green after winning the 2023 Canasawacta Country Club member-guest tournament. The 2024 tournament gets underway this Thursday, August 1 and runs until Saturday, August 3 and could be anyone’s game. (Photo by Morgan Golliver)

NORWICH – The 66th annual Canasawacta Country Club member-guest tournament is officially underway on Thursday, August 1 and will run until Saturday, August 3.

The practice round begins today, Wednesday, July 31 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a putting contest at 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday’s shotgun starts will be at 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. while the final round gets underway at 7:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Country Club owner and Course Superintendent Tim Carson and his family have organized the tournament since 1984, but its inaugural start was in 1958 with Joe Rotundo and Henry Shearer as the first champions.

The annual tournament is one of the very few that runs for three days. Carson said he enjoys the tradition, and the all new and old players who take part.

“It is a tremendous social event for the community,” Carson said. “There are events happening every night and players can include their spouses or significant others.”

Some events include a cookout for players and their spouses at the clubhouse, lunches, cocktail hours, and of course, the awards dinner following the final round.