The tournament schedule is already heating up at all levels. A check of the MSGA web site (www.mesga.org) uncovered some important reminders. The MSGA Scholarship Classics are a pair of spring/fall events. The spring tournament takes place Tuesday, May 25 at Waterville CC, with the fall rendition Sept. 28 at the Woodlands. The cost is $50 per player with carts extra.

Upcoming weekly events include May 21-22 at Bridgton Highlands, May 22 at Palmyra, May 28-29 at Point Sebago and May 29 at Lakewood. The web site is the place to check for information on entering these events.

Linking to www.wmsga.org we were able to check out the ladies’ Tuesday schedules which are underway. Next up are the Woodlands and Lake Kezar on May 18. One of the big events is the annual Tri-State competition set for June 15-17 at Boothbay CC.

Another link is the Maine PGA Chapter, which shows that group’s activities. Their weekly events take place Monday and your local professional is the one to see about participating in the Pro-Ams. Next up is the Footjoy Team Championship at Prout’s Neck on May 17.

The junior season doesn’t get underway until school is out. The first tournament is slated for Belgrade on June 21.

All juniors must pay a $10 MSGA fee to secure their card, bag tag, MSGA handbook and USGA Rules Book. They must also attend a certification clinic. These clinics cover rules, etiquette and care of the course. I talked with B.J. Wade, junior liaison for the Maine PGA and he has set a clinic at his Martindale Club in Auburn for May 24 at 5 p.m.

Clinics are also set at Augusta CC and Samoset a day earlier. Several more are in the works so juniors won’t have to travel too far to get their training. Juniors should contact the courses for details and MSGA for other clinics as they are scheduled.

Wade also pointed out that Martindale is hosting a junior event for the first time this summer as part of their expanding junior activity. In an effort to support our troops, the club is offering any junior under 18 with a parent serving in the military in the Middle East a free junior membership. There will be new member four-ball at the Auburn club May 23.

Juniors play in three age groups – 12 and under (9 holes), 13-14 and 16-17. The older groups play 18 holes but from different tees. The season prepares the players for the Maine Junior Championships at Val Halla, August 3-5 and the top six in the 15-17 age group qualify for the New England Junior Championships Aug. 15-17.

The kids aren’t the only ones getting some training. A coaches clinic sponsored by MSGA, Maine PGA and the Maine Golf Course Superintendents will take place Tuesday and Wednesday at the Samoset. The Maine Principals’ Association sanctioned these clinics for high school coaches as a way to make sure that group is up to speed on rules changes, etiquette and care of the course. In addition, they receive training in course markings, clubs and club fitting and coaching techniques.

There are plenty of other events coming up as well. We have two or three senior organizations and the Southern Maine women each with schedules of their own. There are probably even more groups I haven’t heard from. Add the local club tournaments and anyone looking for competitive golf can surely find it.

A number of events must be registered for in advance. One worth playing is the annual Camp Sunshine Tournament. For 20 years this camp has helped children with life threatening illnesses and their families by providing a place for them to be together with recreation, workshops, counseling and 24-hour medical support.

After last year’s event I had a tour of this facility, and it is fully equipped in every way, and the setting on Sebago Lake couldn’t be better. For information on the 10th Annual Camp Sunshine Tournament at Point Sebago, call Michael Smith at the Camp Sunshine office at 207-655-3800. Or check the website www.campsunshine.org.

For golfers in the market for new clubs, Wade will have a demo day Friday, May 21 at Martindale. Clubs from Titleist and Cobra will be featured, and fitting questions can be answered. This will be an opportunity to not only learn about the new clubs, but how well your own clubs suit your swing. Demo days are a great way to shop for new clubs. Not many golf shops have a full range where you can actually see how far the ball travels. A club might feel good hitting into a net, but there isn’t much feedback. Maybe I’ll visit Martindale next Friday.

A couple of books deserve some mention. Presque Isle’s John Corrigan’s second Jack Austin mystery novel is out and “Snap Hook” is a worthy follow up on his first, “Cut Shot.” Austin is a dyslexic PGA Tour Pro who solves crimes between and during his tournament appearances. Corrigan has the hero of these Spenser type novels from Maine and in one scene in the latest book, Jack Austin returns for a round at the Meadows in Litchfield. It’s an important piece of the story so I won’t reveal more, but if you like the Spenser novels and golf you should enjoy Corrigan’s work.

Another is “The Rules of Golf in Plain English.” Jeffery Kuhn, a trial lawyer and USGA rules official and writer and English language expert have translated the rules so we can all understand them. This is $11 well invested if you’re interested in playing the game the way it is meant to be played.

Dave Irons is a freelance writer who lives in Westbrook.

Copy the Story Link