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Golfers participating in the Maine State Golf Association tournaments this year will notice a few changes on the schedule.
One of the most noticeable is that many of the nine-hole couCentral Division, which comprises basically Augusta Country Club in Manchester north to Katahdin Country Club in Milo and Green Valley Golf Club in Enfield, will have their weekend tournaments on Saturday only instead of Friday and Saturday as is usually the case.
With the limited play on many of the smaller courses on Friday, it didn’t make sense to reserve the course on both days, according to MSGA Executive Director Ralph Noel.
“At some courses, there was not enough play [on Friday] to even pay the scorer,” said Noel.
Currently, this change applies to only the Central Division, and even then, not to all of the nine-hole courses.
One other significant change with the nine-hole courses is that the entry fee for their events will be $25, the same as for the 18-hole courses.
“It’s potentially a mixed blessing,” said Noel. While the prizes will be the same at all courses, the amount of play at the smaller courses could be affected.
In addition, some of the more popular 18-hole courses will have limited fields. Augusta and Samoset Resort in Rockport in the Central Division and Purpoodock Club in Cape Elizabeth and Sable Oaks Golf Club in South Portland will each be set up for 128-player days on Friday and Saturday.
Starting times for those weekend events run from 7:30 a.m. until about 9:30 a.m. only.
“We would have had no Augusta this year if we didn’t do that,” said Noel. “And I don’t think Purpoodock, either. And Samoset has guests.
“The day when you can tie up a golf course from 7:30 until after noon is becoming limited.”
But, in addition to the lost playing time, the new season brings a new tournament.
The Late Summer Classic is set for Wednesday, Sept. 10, at Portland Country Club. It will be run like a weekend event with players putting their own foursomes together.
The event is more expensive than usual, $160 per foursome, but the MSGA Scholarship Fund will benefit directly from the event.
The MSGA is currently funding 42 scholarships at $800 per year, but Noel believes the number of scholarships will rise this year.
The season opens in the Southern Division April 18-19 at Salmon Falls and April 25-26 on Bangor Municipal Golf Course’s nine-hole layout.
The MSGA office (tel. 207-795-6742) is taking starting times for the first third of each division’s schedule.
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