We’re into October, but a check of the schedule shows plenty of golf left. MSGA weekend tournaments continue through the end of the month with Point Sebago and Waterville next weekend, Poland Spring and Augusta on Oct. 17 and 18, Nonesuch River and Samoset the 24th and 25th, and Falmouth Country Club on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.

The MSGA’s annual meeting is set for this Thursday at Martindale. Members of other golf organizations should check their Web sites for other events this month.

What we can count on at some point in October are falling leaves. In another week or so, we’ll have to contend with leaves hiding golf balls. Freshly mowed fairways are seldom a problem, but leaves in the rough can place a premium on hitting fairways. One pro I spoke with pointed out that it’s time to put away those yellow and orange balls that blend in with the foliage. My golf bag contains nothing but white balls, so that’s not a concern, but even a white ball can end up under a leaf and be completely hidden.

Most of us handle this problem by adopting a leaf rule for our matches. It may not be allowed in MSGA matches, and while the USGA allows us to move a ball from an aeration hole and clear those plugs around the spot, they don’t have a leaf rule. In our group, we keep it simple. If we see the ball land where it would normally be easily found and the leaves hide it, we simply drop without penalty. It may not fit the rules, but it keeps play moving, and at the end of the match it evens out. How you handle it is up to you, but don’t let a few leaves scattered about the course spoil a great time of year for golf.

Most club championships around the area have been decided at this time of year. The winners are eligible to play next June in the annual Maine Golf Hall of Fame Tournament of Club Champions.

Here are those in the area we know of to date, men and women: Norway CC, Todd Smith and Barbara Olson; Martindale, Kenny Knauer and Neila Nelkie; Fox Ridge, Jay Novella and Linda Pontbriand; Maple Lane, Armand Metevier and Sherrie Coughlin; Fairlawn, Gordon Ross and Alex Bouchles; Bridgton Highlands, Jim Thombs and Cindy Choate (her seventh in a row); Bethel Inn, Brady Chapman and Cindy Globush; Lake Kezar, Nick Whitney and Ellen Muller; Naples, Jim Semple and Kathy Comeau; Paris Hill, Matt Sowell and Kathy Lamontagne; Oakdale, Marshall Todd and Dianne Johnson; Poland Spring, Ralph Barajas and Laura Young; Springbrook, Sid Cohen and Ashley Golden; Turner Highlands, Jimmy Lessard and Emily Allen; Sugarloaf, John Ober and Linda Baril; Spring Meadows, Owen Lennon (no ladies entered).

Bill Gilroy told me there where no ladies at his course, but Steve Samson won the Apple Valley Cup, and Blaine Davis won the senior title. At Province Lake, the title was undecided, as players had a tough time getting together for the matches. We do know that either Pete Collins or Bob Hurlburt will be the champion as soon as they can get in that final match.

There are still some special events to come, even as some courses have announced their closing dates. Scott Hoisington told me Sugarloaf’s last day will be Oct. 19, with the Fall Finale on the 18th. Five-player teams will compete in a partial scramble. After selecting the best drive, each player will play in, and the best two balls will make up the team score. The fee is $55 per player for non-members, $35 for members, with the proceeds to benefit the Sugarloaf Junior Golf Foundation.

Dave Irons is a freelance writer who lives in Westbrook.