Before long, Merrimack Valley Conference linksmen will be hitting the courses around the league, aiming for low numbers and timely performances. Here are some matches we have circled on the calendar before the league championship in October.
Chelmsford will be rolling into its 2025 season with momentum after taking the crown at last season’s MVC championship at Mt. Pleasant. And the Lions will look no further than North Andover — who the Lions beat by three strokes at the MVC meet — in their second match of the season to defend their title. Chelmsford Country Club is a scorable course, which should yield a handful of low marks between two talented teams. Chelmsford, posting an impressive 10-2 record last season, endured a season-opening loss at the hands of the Scarlet Knights last fall.
While the Hillies mustered a 2-10 record as a team last fall, they managed to place second at the league championship, falling just short of Chelmsford by two strokes. And while their record doesn’t show it, Haverhill found itself deadlocked in a handful of close matches last season, including both of its meetings with Billerica. The Indians took both competitions, first playing to a 12.5-7.5 win before pulling out a 10.5-9.5 decision, which sets the table for an interesting pair of matches this season. This edition will mark Haverhill’s third match of the season and first on the road, where the Hillies will look to avenge their fate last season at the Country Club of Billerica.
While Dracut had a down year on the links last fall, the Middies were able to find success against Methuen, taking both contests by slim margins. After completing a 10.5-9.5 victory at Hickory Hill early in the season, Dracut completed the season sweep at Merrimack Golf Course with another close decision — this time walking away with an 11-9 win. Methuen will be on the road for this September matchup and will undoubtedly look to flip the script from last fall.
Mt. Pleasant Golf Club will be the site for this MVC battle. A private course, Mt. Pleasant is one of the nicer clubs in The Valley, presenting an open layout that doesn’t penalize missing fairways as much as other courses. And this September matchup will present an opportunity for Tewksbury to get back on track following a 4-8-1 campaign a year ago. Both teams split their season series, with Tewksbury coming away with the 15-5 win on the road. Look for Lowell to put forth a valiant effort to defend its home course this time around.
This late-season meeting at the challenging Atkinson Country Club will pit a pair of longtime league rivals as the MVC championships approach. Andover (11-2) and Central Catholic (13-2) were impressive on the links last fall, splitting their season series. Central Catholic took the first match by a narrow 10.5-9.5 decision before Andover sought revenge in a 15-5 romp on its home course. The Golden Warriors will certainly face a challenge on the road — Atkinson is known for its fast greens and unforgiving misses — but Andover nearly pulled the upset on the very stage a year ago. Look for this October duel to be no different.
