The field is set for the Country Club of Greenfield’s 79th Invitational Four-Ball, with 104 pairings and 208 golfers set to hit the course beginning Thursday for the opening day of the tournament. 

Mother Nature made her presence felt at the 78th Invitational last summer, with torrential rain pushing Friday’s round to Saturday morning. Country Club of Greenfield head professional Kevin Piecuch said he is hopeful the weather will hold up this year and the tournament can run as scheduled. 

As of Tuesday, the forecast showed potential rain on Thursday but Friday, Saturday and Sunday look to be clear. 

“It’s always a fun week,” Piecuch said. “The only worry is with the weather. If the weather works out, we should be good. Hopefully we’ll get lucky.” 

The tournament has the same format as in the past: Thursday serves as the qualifying round for all flights, match play begins on Friday and continues into Saturday before Sunday’s match play championship rounds. 

The top 40 teams will compete for a spot in the Championship Flight on Thursday, and the top 16 scores will qualify for Friday’s Championship Flight. 

Connor Piecuch, Kevin’s son, and partner Michael Bechard are the defending champions, having knocked off the father-son duo of Hugh Barber and Jared Barber in last year’s Championship Flight final.

Piecuch and Bechard are back to defend their crown, teeing off at 8:28 a.m. on Thursday while Hugh Barber and Jared Barber will get their opening round going shortly after at 8:36 a.m. Piecuch and Bechard are automatically penciled in as the No. 1 seed in the top flight as defending champs.

“They feel good,” Kevin Piecuch said of Connor Piecuch and Michael Bechard. “Connor has been busy with work and traveling a lot but Michael has been playing a bit. They’re back and they’ll be ready to go.” 

Plenty of other former winners will also return with their eyes set on taking the title from Piecuch and Bechard. 

Six-time champion Dennis Booska, who won the 77th Invitational Four Ball in 2022 with his son, Cody Booska, won’t be playing this year. Cody Booska will team up with Chris Bourbeau, and that pair tees off at 8:04 a.m. on Thursday.

Paul DeNofrio and Matt Grayson are seeking their third championship this week, teaming up together after winning the 2020 and 2021 Invitationals. They’ll tee off at 8:12 a.m. 

 David Donoghue and Sam Wolanske won the tournament in 2019 and will be looking to add another title when they tee off at 8:52 a.m. Thursday. Nate Burdick and Dave Kennedy, who won a pair of championships together in 2013 and 2015, will get their event underway at 7:56 a.m. Brodie Conant, who won the title in 2016 and 2017, is playing with his son, Drew, and will tee off at 7 a.m. 

Andy Lesenski has dominated the Country Club of Greenfield’s club championship tournament, having won it each of the last five years. He and his partner, Chris Austin, won the Invitational Four-Ball in 2011, and are in the mix every year. Lesenski and Austin tee off at 7:40 a.m. 

Joe Wilson, who won the 2018 championship with Chris Ferriter, will be playing with Ryan Ferriter this year. That pair tees off at 7:56 a.m. 

One new team to keep an eye on is the pairing of Thane Schinabeck and Kevin St. Laurent, who play out of the Ludlow Country Club. They’ll tee off at 8:20 a.m. 

“Like most years, it’ll be the same typical teams in the mix,” Kevin Piecuch said. “There’s a couple new teams who could make a run at it.” 

If the weather holds up, expect a strong week of play with plenty of talented pairings vying for the title. 

“I’m excited to have good weather for the guys,” Kevin Piecuch said. “That’s the biggest thing. Last year was all rain and it was difficult for everybody from the golf course, to the staff, to us in the shop to the players. We’re hoping to have a nice, smooth, uneventful weather weekend. That’s my biggest hope.” 

For a full listing of tee times and past champions, see Page B2.