Mark Vinchesi Keeps His Eye On The Ball

Last week, as I drove by Great Brook Sports, I took a quick inventory of the facility as I never had before.  What I had always thought of as a driving range is actually much more.  With a batting cage, well-landscaped miniature golf, pro golf shop and virtual golf simulators, this place is Groton’s own miniature entertainment park.

The business opened in 1995. Mark Vinchesi, an educated and passionate golfer with an impressive resume, purchased it four years ago and has been savoring every minute since.   

Vinchesi grew up near Boston and attended college at Amherst.  As a college student, he and his dog, Casa, gained recognition as Frisbee champions and in 1978, Vinchesi became a record holder in the Guinness World Book of Records for keeping a Frisbee airborne for 15.2 seconds.  Casa became a renowned show dog, and together, they performed at half-times, the Big East and traveled summers with Dr. Johns Flying Frisbee Circus. 

After 16 consecutive weekends of rain in Amherst, and with an exercise physiology degree in hand, Vinchesi and soon-to-be wife Susan headed out west for the promise of bluer skies and two master's degrees. This is where he discovered golf. 

“I was about 25 when I became a golf nut, playing golf 36 holes a day, five days a week,” says Vinchesi.

His love of golf persisted as he managed resorts, from Turnberry Isle Resort in Florida to Doral Telluride Resort in Colorado.  But, with a budding family and busy work schedule, Vinchesi found little time to enjoy the game.

“I worked at some of the finest golf resorts in the country and played less than 6 rounds of golf in a year.  I never stopped loving golf, but I never had the time,” he says.  

A management position at the Norwich Spa, followed by consulting, brought the Vinchesi family back to the East Coast. 

“I was looking for a place to hit golf balls in the winter time (and Great Brook) was the only place that was covered and heated," he says. He got to know the owners and they had the business on the market.

"It was perfect!" Vinchesi says. "I always loved golf and I know a lot about the industry, retail and service.”

With the help of his sister, he raised enough capital to make an offer and several months later took ownership.

According to Vinchesi, the cost of building a recreational facility like this today is improbable, if not impossible.  It was purchased in good shape and has been outfitted and updated with the latest technology and computerized simulators.

Greak Brook enjoys helping the community as much as accommodating the golfer, he says. Vinchesi donates about 250 gifts a year, and agrees the company goes overboard because it finds every charitable cause worthy.

“I had a woman come in who wanted to rent the mini-course for an event, and she wanted to hold an event in memory of the loss of her daughter a year ago. We gave her the course for a night,”  says Vinchesi.  “I talked to her a little about how to get holes sponsored.  She made over $6,000 for her charitable event.” 

You'll find Vinchesi at work daily with shop dog, Bruin, by his side.  He reminisces about traveling to exotic places and working in spas, but much prefers running Great Brook Sports. 

"I’ve been able to find a vocation of something I love," he says. "So to me, it’s not work."