By any standard, Tom Burns had a pretty darn good run at Panther Valley Golf & Country Club this summer. 

In June, Burns won the club’s Senior Championship for the fourth time, including the past two years, and in July he nailed down the President’s Cup title. Although he came up short in trying to qualify for the Club Championship that couldn’t put a damper on an otherwise solid championship run. 

“You always want to win the club championship,” said Burns, a member of Panther Valley since 2004. “But I know that’s not easy. For an amateur golfer that’s a lot of pressure. It can be grueling. Whoever wins the club championship they are definitely the club champ. They’ve earned it.”

Burns’ wins in the Senior and President’s title matches were almost carbon copies, he said. He started with great opening rounds. While not necessarily easy matches, that gave him a nice cushion enroute to the victories although he did get some pressure from good friend and golf partner Joe Larkin for the Senior championship. 

The retiree (he worked for M&M/MARS for many years), plays about 3 or 4 rounds a week these days, and while he recognizes he doesn’t have the power of younger guys, he is very happy with his “tee to green game. I could do better around the greens,” he admitted. “For me to compete with the younger guys my short game has to be right on.”

Dan McCarthy, PGA at Panther Valley, noted that “Tom Burns represents everything you want to see from a golfer.  He plays a very solid game, he has a fabulous golf swing that when his rhythm and tempo is right, there aren’t many people out there who hit it better.  He has a creative short game that bails him out when he’s not in tip top form.  When all aspects of Tom’s game are there, he is dangerous!”

Burns, who has lived and worked in Chicago, Mexico and Canada, moved to the “Valley” in 2003. He currently lives in Montville. Of his work career, there were many highlights – and challenges. His biggest challenge was to establish a pet food division plant for M&M/MARS in Mexico. It took a good three years, but he got it built, opened, and ran it before coming back to the states. 

In his early 30s he started to play golf regularly. He has played golf courses all over, yet he feels that Panther Valley is the one that makes him feel most at home. 

“The course is always in great shape,” he said. “The course is what keeps me here. And the guys are fantastic. I play with a lot of them. They’ve got a great pro here, too, in Dan McCarthy. He’s got a special rapport  with the members. He’s always giving helpful advise. Just a real good guy.”

McCarthy may say that Burns is capable of being “dangerous” on the golf course, but he’s anything but when it comes to personality.

“The thing about Tom is, he’s an even better human being,” McCarthy said. “He is invited to play in my foursome anytime!”

For more information about Panther Valley Golf & Country Club, visit www.panthervalleygolf.com.