A sensational month of Maine golf is on the horizon.

It starts July 10-12 with the Maine Amateur Championship at Belgrade Lakes, where 55 exempt players along with 77 qualifiers will comprise a field of 132. Belgrade Lakes, once named among the top 100 public courses in the nation, clearly is a special track.

This event, which is the Maine State Golf Association’s premier amateur event, is in its 99th year.

At the Portland Country Club from July 17-19 will be the 89th New England Amateur Championship, which comes to Maine every six years, as it rotates among the six New England states.

Two prestigious women’s championships are on tap in July.

The 82nd New England Women’s Golf Association Championship will be July 9-11 at The Woodlands and like the New England Men’s Amateur, it is played every six years in Maine.

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July 23-25 are the dates of the Maine Women’s Amateur Championship at Rockland. This event will be run by the Maine State Golf Association in its first year as the official Maine association of women’s golf. A new champion will be crowned, because Staci Creech, who won the title the last three years, has moved out of state.

Thus far, the MSGA taking over the operation of women’s events has been a huge success, according to all of the women polled.

Four big-time golf tournaments in one month adds up to significant golf activity in The Pine Tree State.

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Poland Spring was host to a Maine Amateur qualifier June 21, during which 23 players qualified for the Maine State Golf Association Amateur Championship on July 10-12 at Belgrade Lakes.

Area qualifiers were: Bill Gates of Norway (76), Larry Moss of Poland Spring (76), Matthew Simard of Martindale (77), Edwin Pirranen of Poland Spring (77), Mike Brennan of Norway (77) and Joseph Bryant of Martindale (78).

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At the MSGA Four-Ball Championship on June 23, held at Sable Oaks, Brian Bilodeau and Jace Pearson of Martindale (131) tied for third place, and defending champions Joe Baker of Martindale and Mike Doran of Sable Oaks (132) finished fifth. The winning score was 129.

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The MSGA Junior Tour this week has three events — July 2 at Hidden Meadows, July 3 at Brunswick and July 5 at Fairlawn. A Senior Tour competition will be July 5 at Sable Oaks, and the Weekend event will be July 6-7 at Turner Highlands.


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