On a bucket list of two, it is one down and one to go for Fairlawn members Rachel Therrien of Sabbattus and Susan Gordon of Auburn.

Their golf friendship began in 1992 at Prospect Hill where they played in a women’s golf league With other league members, they would go on golf trips to Cape Cod, Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head and Florida. In 2004, Therrien and Gordon realized that they had played in several states, and decided they would try to get on a course in all 50 states.

Their travels took them to their final destination last month, when they spent nine days in Hawaii playing in Maui at Wailea’s Emerald Course and in Oahu at the municipal course in Pali. That begged the question: “Nine days in Hawaii and just two rounds of golf?”

“We did a lot of other things,” they said. “We even saw the sun rise.” They did not say whether they were just getting home for the sunrise, or if they were arising for it.

This adventurous twosome has put on a strong run during this decade to complete the mission. Last year, they flew to Alaska to play, and on the way back to the U.S. mainland were on courses in Washington, Montana, Idaho and Oregon. In 2012, they did Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Missouri and Iowa. In 2011, it was New Mexico and Oklahoma. They did six states in six days in 2010 — Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana.

Their experiences are varied. On one trip, they played Death Valley in California at 200 feet below sea level, and the next day in Utah and 3,800 feet above sea level. On another trip they were on West Wind in Ogallala, Neb., where they encountered sleet, rain and snow during the 18 holes. They were the only players on the course, and were given a round for free.

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Therrien recorded a hole-in-one when they played in Audubon Park in New Orleans, which is one of three aces in her golf career — the other two at Fox Ridge. They agreed that the most prestigious courses they played were Wailea, Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor, Mich., and Couer D’Alene in Idaho, which is world renowned for its floating green.

Both women worked in law offices, and they have won local tournaments as teammates at Fox Ridge and Fairlawn. Therrien was women’s club champion at Fox Ridge in 2005 and 2007, and at Martindale in 2009.

Gordon, 67, is a graduate of Edward Little High School and the University of Maine at Orono. Therrien, 58, was graduated from Lewiston High School.

As golf friends of 22 years, the bucket list has their next goal as interesting and probably not as expensive. They want to play every golf course in Maine, which is 127 of them by count of the Maine State Golf Association To this point, their records indicate that they have been on 25 with 102 to go.

A lot going on

Maine Family Golf Day is today at courses throughout the state. The Maine State Golf Association’s website is listing 20 courses as participants, but it might be more by the time the day’s activities are completed. Fox Ridge, Poland Springs, Springbrook, The Woodlands, Bangor Muniipal, Val Halla, Waterville, Traditions, J.W. Parks, Natanis, Gorham, Boothbay Harbor, Riverside, Sanford, The Ledges, Purpoodock, Diadema, Nonesuch River and Dunegrass are the participants. Information on the day is available online at juniorgolfmaine.com and thefirsteemaine.org. … The MSGA has its weekly tournaments Friday and Saturday at Province Lake and Saturday at Northport. There is no senior competition this week and junior events will be later this month — once school is out of session.


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