First Tee of Maine executive director Ron Bibeau will not say he is disappointed about the turnout at the Second Annual Fox Ridge Classic on Aug. 22, but Bob Allten of Poland, who has participated in both, will tell you that 10 teams playing in support of Maine’s greatest kids golf program is not nearly as supportive as it should be.

Allten, 68, is a retired St. John’s County (Fla.) high school principal and assistant to the superintendent of schools there. Prior to becoming an administrator, he was a chemistry and marine biology teacher who coached football, basketball and track, so he has been working with young people most of his adult life. In addition, he paid a lot of attention to the First Tee of St. Augustine (Fla.), where he lived, spending summers since 1959 at his family’s home in Empire Grove.

“If clubs are interested in growing the game, we need to get their members to support programs that do that,” said Allten, who plays out of Fairlawn. First Tee of Maine touches 20,000 kids a year with its summer club and winter school indoor programs, so the message is out.

“The national statistics I have read show that golf growth needs to come from young people and women,” he said. “First Tee incorporates good character development and golf skills in its programs. First Tee is a tailor-made for making better golfers and people. So how can we not support it?”

In terms of Fox Ridge Classic participation by clubs, the individual breakdown on the Aug. 22 event was: Fox Ridge 17, Martindale 10, Turner Highlands four and Fairlawn four. Riverside, Nonesuch River, Falmouth and Poland Spring each had one participant.

“There was a lot of stuff going on,” Bibeau said. “Two other tournaments that day.”

And yes, First Tee of Maine does conduct five other fund-raising events, but none of them take place in the Lewiston-Auburn corridor, which the second most populated area in Maine.

Last year’s slim support of the event was understandable because it was not decided to run the inaugural Fox Ridge Classic until June.

“We got a pretty good headstart this year,” Bibeau said. “Getting players to come for the first time is what we need. And giving them an awareness of what we do is the key.”

If each of the 39 players in this year’s event (Bibeau was the 40th) can persuade one new player to play in 2017, that will be the ticket for a successful Fox Ridge Classic future. For the sake of making Maine kids golf better, that is a more than worthwhile challenge.

*****

Several area golfers competed in the 84-man Maine State Golf Association’s Senior Amateur Aug 23-24 at Biddeford-Saco, with the best score being posted by Martindale’s Doug Craib (79-74—153), which placed him in a tie for 13th overall and fifth in the 65-69 age group.

In the 55-59 division with total score, overall finish, age group finish was Rich Tremblay of Martindale (89-98—187, 77,24 ). In the 60-64 age group it was Tim Flaherty of Sunday River (83-81—164, T50, 16). In 65-69, Paul Pelletier, Martindale (79-83—162, T39, T11); Ron Blanchette, Martindale (80-83—163, T44, T12); David Stonebraker, Norway (82-81—163, T44, T13); Stephen Berry, Poland Spring (83-81—164, T50, T16); Ricky Plummer, Summit Springs (81-83—164, T50, T16); Bob Blanchette, Martindale, (82-86—168, T59, T19). In over 70, Dale Brown, Fairlawn, (83-87—170, 65, 5) and Neil Mayo, Martindale (88-87—’75 68, 6).

*****

Jesse Speirs, the first Mainer ever to qualify for the Web.com Tour, had his best tournament of the season Aug. 18-21 in the Knoxville (Tenn.) News Sentinel Open at the Fox Den Country Club in Knoxville. He finished 20th in the field by carding 68-65-68-68—269 and won a season high $7,150.

Having made his seventh cut in 17 tournaments, that boosted Speirs in the Web.com Tour money ranking to No. 134 with a season total of $17,464. He is playing Aug. 25-28 in the WinCo Foods Portland Open at the Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains, Ore.

*****

Heading into Labor Day, the MSGA schedule for the upcoming week includes an Aug. 29 Mid-Week Tournament at Augusta, a Sept. 1 Senior Tour event at Bridgton Highlands and the Weekend Tour competition Sept. 2-3 at Norway.

Copy the Story Link