POLAND SPRING – Donald Ross.

To anyone with even a passing knowledge of the game of golf, Ross’ name should at least sound familiar. To anyone in the know, his name might evoke a certain feeling of fear.

Ross was a turn-of-the-century golf course designer, and he had a tradition of making his tracks tough, but only by using the given natural surroundings.

Poland Spring had to have been one of his favorites – he rolling hills, the gorgeous views, all handed to him personally by Mother Nature.

“There isn’t a flat lie out here,” boasted Poland Spring reigning women’s champion Laura Young.

She was proud of that. She should be.

The greens are another feature here, and again, very “Donald Ross.” Traditionally, his greens use whatever earth is around them. He pushed the earth to the center, giving many of his greens a crowned look. And he always stuck them in some tight spots.

“There isn’t much room behind any of them,” Young said. “It’s all about course management out here.”

And then there are the views, which by themselves might be enough to knock some golfers off their game. Teeing off from the top of the fourth hole, golfers can see one of the Range ponds below. The fairway is tight, though, and a mis-step here could be dangerous.

Lining up a putt on the ninth green is tough, too, and from there, on a good, clear day, golfers can easily see all the way to Mt. Washington.

“We’re golfing until after there’s snow on Mt. Washington,” Young said. “When there’s snow up there, we know the season’s coming close to being done.”

But not so fast.

Last year, this track stayed open well into October, and this year, weather permitting, the year’s 11th month may be calling.