As you read this, I should be playing golf after a day of skiing. This is not happening in Maine but it could be. In the southern part of the state and along the coast golf courses open as soon as the snow disappears, sometimes in late March and almost always by mid-April. For the rest of spring courses will open as they thaw out and dry out with almost all open by mid May. Of course, there are those who can’t wait. March 12th I called a skier to see if he was up for a day of skiing the next day, a Saturday. He couldn’t make it. He was leaving later that afternoon for a weekend of golf on Cape Cod.

That’s the choice we face as the seasons overlap for a month or more.

If we head south there are mid-season conditions on many golf courses, but right here at home the choice is skiing forgiving spring snow in warm sunshine.

Or we could go out on the course knowing we’ll probably have to play winter rules, make sure our shoes are the waterproof kind, and expect to lose a ball or two in the fairway as they plug deep. Still golfers will be playing wherever courses are open and I will be among them, even though I might still sneak in another day on the slopes if conditions are right. It’s great to have choices.

And we will have choices. A few weeks ago I attended the golf show in Portland with the express purpose of securing opening dates from the clubs represented. Those representing Cape Cod were quick to point out that their courses were already open, some having operated most of the winter. To my knowledge no Maine clubs were open the next to last weekend in March, but several were getting ready. The first ads appeared for Bath and Boothbay, two courses near the coast.

Two courses with plans of being open by now were The Links at Outlook and The Ledges, both in the extreme southern tip of the state. A lot more were shooting for this week or next weekend. Dave Pollard at Spring Meadows said the target was mid April, which matches most local courses. The weather will determine opening dates. The frost went really deep this year and superintendents like to wait until it is all out of the ground before putting equipment on the fairways. Of course, the longer it takes to get the frost out, the longer it will take to dry out and drain. We’ll just have to be patient or head south.

While we didn’t get many definite dates on opening there was plenty of news coming out of the show and from phone calls. For example, the folks from Dunegrass were announcing their new GPS system.

Toddy Brook had a map of their next nine projected to be open in June of 2005. Owner/designer Robert Anderson pointed out how he had taken seven holes on the new nine from drawings of Donald Ross holes. Another booth had drawings of the new Brad Booth project at Burnt Mills in Wells. This private club has permits and is now officially under construction.

We talked with Mike Vella who is building the new course at Highland Green in Topsham. This new nine hole layout is scheduled to open this fall, but for the summer Mike said they will have free golf. It will be limited to 15 foursomes a day and advance reservations are required, but it will give those who wish a look at the new course. I walked a good part of it last year with Mike and it looks like fun.

In addition to local clubs, Myrtle Beach and the Cape, there were Canadian courses at the show. Owl’s Head was there from Quebec and from New Brunswick the folks from the Lynx at Kingswood Park were talking about their new clubhouse opening this season. One of the closest to us the Algonquin in St. Andrews, N.B., was on hand to promote their course across Passamaquoddy Bay from Downeast Maine.

Closer to home the new owners of Prospect Hill, Georges and Gwin Gendron are busy getting ready for their first season. The former Nordiques player and owner of Gendron Oil has hired a veteran Head Superintendent, Sean Abbott, and starting this week a full irrigation system is being installed with June 15 the target for completion. According to Mrs. Gendron this will allow better fairway definition with intermediate cuts of rough. The pro shop has already been totally renovated.

The new course at Sunday River is taking shape and according to Jason Harris of Harris Golf, which will operate the Trent Jones Jr. club, everything is on target to open nine holes, the range and the clubhouse in July. If the weather cooperates this summer we could play the entire layout this fall.

Skiers on their way from North Peak to Aurora could see the clubhouse with the outside nearly complete in mid-March.

Paris Hill has announced the appointment of Dan Falcone as Director of Golf. The veteran pro has worked at Point Sebago, Bethel Inn and Riverside.

Harvey LaMontagne who retired from Paris Hill CC will have his Golf Improvement Center set up at Point Sebago. There are more changes among Maine’s professionals and we expect to get them all in this space as the season progresses.
Dave Irons is a freelance writer who lives in Westbrook.