If you are a Maine golfer, and you possess an appreciation for Maine golf history, the book “The Game Has Come to Stay, An Illustrated History of Maine Golf 1894-present,” is must reading.

Nancy Storey, executive director of the Maine State Golf Association, which financed publication of the book, recognizes that this publication might not be for every Maine golfer, but she pointed out that golf has been a significant part of Maine life for more than a century. Better yet, during that period, golf has developed financial prosperity in the state, because it has been a tourism attraction going back to the late 1800s.

“Golf became an additional amenity for people who came to Maine,” said Storey, whose idea it was for the MSGA to create and finance the book. She personally edited all 144 pages of this publication.

The 100-year anniversary of the MSGA is chronicled in the book, which she proudly described as a perfect gift to anyone who is absorbed with Maine golf history.

“It can be a Christmas present for the golfer who has everything,” she said with a smile. “Mark Plummer (13-time Maine Amateur champion) has purchased one copy to be given as a wedding present for a golf friend.”

Michael Moore, a member at Riverside who was photo editor of the book, took a more analytical approach to “The Game Has Come to Stay.”

“When you produce something, you think (afterward) about what could have been done better,” said Moore, who has been MSGA secretary since 2013, and is chairman of the MSGA marketing committee. “We used the centennial publication of the Massachusetts Golf Association as the direct inspiration for our book. It is a fine product.”

Massachusetts, which has more than twice the golfers Maine possesses, published its 280-page centennial “A Commonwealth of Golf — A Centennial Tribute to the Game and Its Players,” in 2003, 100 years after its association was created.

Moore credits Storey with selling the MSGA on printing the centennial.

“She would not take ‘no’ for for an answer,” he said, lauding Storey’s persuasiveness, and then adding: “We also could not have done this without the photo contributions of many Maine golfers.”

Credits on the book’s contents and quality belong to John Galluzzo, the author, and the MSGA book committee — Storey, Moore and Romeo Laberge, who is Maine’s foremost golf historian. Among things it contains are: an introduction (1894) and nine chapters of periods of years from 1895 to 2017, along with a champions list and letters from current MSGA president Joe Alvarez, and past U.S. President George H.W. Bush.

The Maine centennial hard copy is available for purchase online at MESGA.org. Information can be obtained by telephoning 207-829-3549. A purchase would make for a merry Christmas, happy birthday, a wonderful Mother’s or Father’s Day or a wedding gift. Probably it would not be sufficiently romantic for Valentine’s Day.

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At the MSGA Senior Amateur Aug. 22-23, Martindale’s Rich Tremblay carded an 87-84—171 to finish 16th in the 55-59 age bracket. The tournament was at The Woodlands for Day 1 and at Falmouth Day 2.

Dale Brown of Fairlawn (84-89—173) and Neil Mayo of Martindale (86-87—173) tied for fifth in the over 70 division, one shot ahead of Paul Pelletier of Martindale (87-87—174), who was seventh. David Kroll of Naples (77-77—154) won the 65-69 net and tied for third in gross competition. Three Martindale other players were in that age group — John Collins (85-87—172) 11th, Bob Blanchette (84-94—178) 15th and Ron Blanchette (95-85—180) 16th.

The overall winner was Mark Plummer of Augusta (73-71—144), who captured his fifth Senior Amateur crown (2007, 2008, 2011, 2012), on top of 13 State Amateur titles.

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Staci Creech of Bangor Municipal, who has won the Maine Women’s Amateur championship the last three years, qualified Aug. 22 for the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, which will be played Oct. 7-12 at the Quail Creek Country Club in Naples, Florida. Shooting a 77 in a sectional qualifier at the Blue Hills Country Club in Canton, Massachusetts, Creech became one of six women to earn a berth in the national tournament.

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In the MSGA Mixed Championship Aug. 20 at Rockland, Will and Kristin Kannegieser of Martindale finished third in gross competition with a 71. Leslie Guenther and David Stonebreaker of Norway were tied for fourth in gross and fifth in net (73/65).

Paul Pelletier of Martindale and Tina Sweetser of Spring Meadows (80/63) were tied for third in gross and eighth in net. George Daddona and Linda Kelley of Summit Springs (86/67) tied for seventh in gross and eighth in net.

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The MSGA tournament schedule this week slows down a bit, with the Weekly Tour Sept. 1-2 at Norway. The US Kids are conducting an event today at Riverside.

Bill Kennedy

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