Saco – The 62nd annual Women’s Maine State Golf Association Championship being played at the Biddeford-Saco Country Club here through Wednesday has been in the planning stages for nearly a year, so the sunny skies that greeted the 107 entries Monday morning brought smiles to the faces of tournament co-chairmen Pat Cribby and Donna Moutsatsos.

“We’re delighted to have the women here,” Cribby said of the club’s first-ever WMSGA championship.

“Our women’s association was most eager to host the tournament and all our members, men and women, are totally excited about it. There’s been a tremendous amount of enthusiasm.”

Veteran contender Helen Plourd of Rockland indicated just how enthusiastic she thought the members were about hosting the WMSGA championship.

“I don’t think we’ve ever been so well received,” she said, “even during the practice round. I couldn’t believe it.

“The men seemed so happy to have us here. Usually, you don’t get that. They’re usually chomping at the bit to get out themselves. The demeanor during the practice round was above reproach. They let us play through in twosomes and even offered suggestions and advice on how to play the holes.”

Plourd said she mentioned this attitude to club professional Tim Pooler and learned the folks at Biddeford-Saco are taught well, and early, to let faster players play through.

And Plourd had praise for the course itself, under the guiding hand of superintendent John Dion.

“This is a great course to learn on, a great course,” she said.

“It teaches you to hit the ball straight. It has good uphill, good downhill and good bunkers. If you learn to hit the ball straight here, you can play anywhre.”

Not playing this week is Cribby, who is on crutches recovering from foot surgery following a bout with meningitis. But Moutsatsos is entered and enjoying playing on her home course.

Cribby said most women in the association participated in one way or another in the tournament preparations and 10 are competing in the tournament.

Sandy Chase and Bernie Coulombe (whose husband, Al, is a 1955 University of Maine graduate) are working the scorers table. Laura Delisle, Justine Sears and Gail Quinney are the hospitality people, and Steve Polackowich is the official starter.

Club member Bernice Vadnais, one of the leaders following the first round, helped with the course layout and Dave Jensen, the assistant pro, was the final word on rules for Monday.

And, rounding out the first day of the event, was the tournament banquet, an old-fashioned clambake. – –

Always ready with a smile and a quip, it was nice to see the familiar face of veteran writer Vern Putney following Martha White’s round on Monday.

Putney, a sports columnist for the Portland papers for nearly four decades, still keeps his hand in the business, working as a contributing editor for Golf Course News, a new magazine on the block for course superintendents.

Putney is an honorary member of the WMSGA in recognition of his many years of faithful coverage of the women’s association. – –

This par-72 course is tough, and it’s in excellent shape. The greens are fast, and predicted to get even faster as the 54-hole tournament continues.

Tough, but fair, said former champion and current WMSGA president Julie Green of Bangor.

Green never had a 3-putt and finished with an 85 in Monday’s round thanks to a lot of bogies.

But her biggest disappointment was on the 13th hole.

With 12 people hunting, including the the sharp eyes of another former champion, Mary Ouellette of Millinocket, Green lost a ball in a wide open area and had to take a 2-stroke penalty.

Although she can’t compete because of back problems, Ouellette said she just couldn’t stay away.

Nursing degenerative disc disease, Ouellette has tried to play a couple of times this year, and done farily well. But, she said, it’s after the round that she pays the price. Unfortunately, Ouellette said, the more active she is, the more problems she has.