The Lewiston and Edward Little golf teams are beginning new eras this fall.

Both have new coaches. At Lewiston, Erik Tiner is replacing Tom LeBlond, who led the Blue Devils for 11 seasons. Nate Pushard is taking over for Mathew Mallett as the Red Eddies’ coach.

But perhaps the biggest change for either program this fall is Lewiston’s home course. After a longtime partnership with Martindale, the Blue Devils are now based at Fairlawn Golf Course in Poland.

“It’s great to get out here on beautiful days like this, and play golf at a nice course with your friends,” junior Carter Mercier said.

Fairlawn opened in 1963 and hosted Blue Devils’ home matches in the 1960s and early 1970s.

Fairlawn has given the Lewiston players junior memberships, which will run through Aug. 19, 2025.

“They’ve got a great deal out here at Fairlawn,” Tiner said. “They’re going to be able to play all year, all next summer, spring. Hopefully, they take advantage of that.”

The players are noticing differences between the two courses.

“Martindale is a lot of uphill, tight, and this course is flat ground and more open,” senior Ben Junkins said.

Fairlawn allows the players to dial in their yardage because there are less elevation changes, particularly on the front nine.

“It definitely helps us because it makes sure we hit the ball better,” junior Aizyk Laliberte said.

Fairlawn is 6,317 yards from the tips, while Martindale plays 6,538 yards from the back tees. However, the Lewiston players say Fairlawn plays longer.

“I feel it’s longer because of how flat it is,” Mercier said.

Tiner said the back nine provides challenges that will benefit the Blue Devils.

“Fairlawn is really two different courses on the front and the back, and we’re going to be rotating back and forth,” Tiner said. “So, you know, their front nine, a little bit easier, it’s a little bit more open … the back nine has some different elevation to it. It’s a little bit tighter.

“So, you know, the first practice round we played … the kids were averaging 45 to 47, or something, for the six kids. They played the back, and it was a couple of strokes up, right? The good thing with that is that they’re going to learn how to play different shots and a different style of golf.”

Fairlawn doesn’t have a driving range, but it has three simulator bays inside the clubhouse. Tiner has used those in the first week-and-a-half of practices to work on the player’s swings.

“He’s definitely teaching us this year,” Laliberte said. “He’s really helping us out, helping us with our shots. He’s taking some people to the sims to help them work on their shots.”

Tiner’s goal early this season is that the players do more than just grip and rip it.

“These young kids, a lot of them can hit the ball so far, but it’s not about how far you can go, (it’s) what you leave yourself in the next shot, the position, the course management,” Tiner said. “I think that’s one of the hardest things to learn about a game, and if they can learn that, it’s just going to make their game even better.”

Tiner also has been teaching the players about match strategy.

“Our coach is teaching us how to play in the matches and just golfing with your buddies,” Mercier said.

FOLLOWING DAD’S FOOTSTEPS

The Tiner family isn’t new to coaching the Lewiston golf team. Tiner’s father, Mike, coached the Blue Devils for 25 seasons, stepping down after the 2000 season.

“Oh, yeah, he’s given me some tips, of course,” Erik Tiner said. “I told him I was applying and that I got the job and he’s like, oh, he went in and got a bunch of his teaching books out from the back and brought them out, and (said), ‘Watch for this and watch for that,’ but he still has that passion for golf and for the kids playing it.”

Senior Will Routhier said that Erik Tiner has already shown a knack for coaching.

“He’s brought a lot. He has experience, you can tell,” Routhier said. “He helps with everything, and he’s helping everyone with their swings. It’s amazing to watch.”

PUSHARD LEADING EDDIES

Pushard is a 2014 graduate of Edward Little who played for the Red Eddies’ golf and baseball teams. He then played baseball at the University of Maine-Farmington from 2015-18 and has been the Red Eddies’ assistant baseball coach for the past six seasons.

“I work in the (school) and I know a lot of the guys from other sports,” Pushard said. “I am excited to try to help grow golf in Auburn. I know we have a lot of talent left over from last year and coming up in the pipeline.”

The Red Eddies have 16 players on this year’s roster. They are coming off a fifth-place finish at the Class A state tournament in 2023, and opened this season with an 8-1 win over Brunswick on Wednesday.

“I think people are (overlooking) us, seeing we lost a lot of our top-6 last year,” senior Joey Samson said. “Honestly, coming out yesterday and winning against Brunswick, who has always been solid, I think it’s very good for us to start the season.”