What are the odds?

As if getting a hole-in-one wasn’t a great enough stroke of luck, imagine the odds of a husband and wife making the first holes-in-one of their lives on the same course, nine days apart. That’s exactly what happened to Jim and Karen Brown, Okemo Valley Golf Club members from Ludlow, Vt., and Vero Beach, Fla.

“There’s a couple who should run right out and buy a lottery ticket,” said Okemo Valley Golf Club Head Professional Michael Santa Maria.

Jim Brown aced the fourth hole on Sept. 8. He used his 8-iron to make the 137-yard shot from the white tee. The feat was witnessed by Brown’s golf partners that day, Ed Gordon, Peter Cooney and Howie Cox.

On the following Wednesday, Sept. 17, Karen Brown shot a hole-in-one on the eighth hole. She used her 7-hybrid club to make the 122-yard ace from the gold tee. Sue Latta, Leslie Gordon and Judy Zilvitis witnessed the accomplishment.

Okemo Makes SKIING's "Best of the East" Top Ten

My October issue of Skiing Magazine showed up in the mail yesterday. The arrival of publications like this elicit feelings of delight that the start of ski season is close at hand and panic that the start of ski season is close at hand - so much to do, so little time.

What I found in the pages of Skiing favored the delight response more than panic. The magazine's first annual resort awards included Okemo in the Readers' Choice for Best of the East! I didn't even know they were doing a first annual resort awards. With dozens of categories of distinction, it was actually a little disappointing to see what little recognition eastern resorts received - but that's just the way it always is.

Upon closer inspection, I have to say I'm not all that disappointed that Okemo didn't place in the "best resort you've never skied" category or "best cougar hunting" category (and we're not talking catamounts here) or "best meat market." Although I think they missed the boat with their designation for "best actual meat market." With Singleton's and Lisai's located in Okemo Valley, we should win, hands down, in that division. Thankfully, a certain publisher of Ski Press Magazine knows his meat. Keep your eyes peeled for a Cheap and Steep feature on Okemo in a coming issue of that publication. Cheers!

Tick tock, tick tock

We're just minutes away from the official arrival of autumn as I write this blog entry. And that means we're that much closer to the start of ski season! The lifts will start turning in 54 days. Word of our season opening date made its way around the mountain late last week, so the countdown has begun.

There's plenty of time to enjoy the fall foliage between now and then. The colors are starting to become more prominent and I noticed a general reddish hue on the mountain as I made my way to work this morning. Peak fall foliage will likely be the second week of October. The color is right on schedule. Cheers!

Top 10 Reasons to Get Your Okemo Season Pass RIGHT NOW:

10. You gotta do something with all that money you’d planned on tossing into your Lehman Brothers account.

9. The liberal media elite doesn’t want you to spend your money at Okemo! The right-wing talk show lunatics don’t want you to spend your money at Okemo! (Really, whichever works.)

8. Your hot new ski jacket with the see-through season pass holder on the arm looks pretty stupid with your library card stuck in there.

7. You’re a Yankees fan, and you’ll need something to look forward to this fall.

6. You’re a Patriots fan, and you’ll need something to look forward to for the rest of the winter.

5. You’re a Mets fan, and… well… you’d like to get out of the house and away from the TV for a while. Say, until next April.

4. You want to ski and ride somewhere where constant, world-class snowmaking and grooming is a right, not an occasional privilege.

3. You like your money, and would like to keep more of it for the really expensive stuff, like, uh, gasoline.

2. If You Don’t Buy An Okemo Season Pass, The Terrorists Will Win.

And the number one reason to get your Okemo Season Pass RIGHT NOW:

1. Skiing thighs are sexy.


Best prices of the year END Monday, October 13. Don't say I didn't warn ya.