Spring is finally in the air. It’s time to take the shovels out of the trunk and replace them with golf clubs.

Although just a handful of golf courses are open and they will certainly be soggy, golf fever is sweeping the state.

But golfers preparing to tee it up for the first time need to remember that there is a whole summer ahead.

The first time out should be treated with caution and minimal expectations according to Bangor Municipal Golf Course pro Brian Enman and assistant pro Rob Jarvis.

The last thing a golfer needs to do is pull a back muscle by overswinging or losing his or her footing in a soggy fairway. And a high score shouldn’t leave a bad taste in a golfer’s mouth. The conditions will be less than ideal.

Enman and Jarvis suggested that golfers prepare for the first outing.

Jarvis said they may want to get a few walks around the neighborhood under their belts before tackling a golf course.

Enman agreed and added, “The courses are going to be soft so it’s going to be a very hard walk.”

Enman said golfers should make sure to stretch before teeing off.

“They may want to do some twisting and turning with or without the club over their heads; bend over and touch their toes and anything else they can think of to stretch themselves out,” said Enman.

Jarvis suggested they play nine holes the first time out instead of 18.

“I’ve been hitting golf balls all winter at XL Golf [in Hermon] but I’m just going to play nine,” said Jarvis.

As for attire, Enman suggested tight-fitting rubber boots as opposed to golf shoes that could get enveloped by water; extra socks and gloves.

When it comes to playing a waterlogged course, Enman said the golfers should make sure they “hit enough club.

“The ball isn’t going to roll much,” said Enman, who added that the greens will also be slow.

He also suggested that they not use their best golf balls because they could always “plug” and wind up lost.

Jarvis recommended a nice, easy swing and paying little attention to how they score.

“Just go out and have fun. Don’t play for money,” said Jarvis.

Cullen enjoyed NHL debut

Former University of Maine All-American defenseman David Cullen, who helped lead the Black Bears to the national championship in 1999, made his NHL this past season with the Phoenix Coyotes.

He played in two games for the Coyotes, against Montreal and Nashville. He didn’t have any points but was plus-one.

He spent most of the year with the American Hockey League’s Springfield Falcons where he notched 13 goals and 29 assists in 69 games. He was their top scoring defensemen.

He had seven power play goals, which was good for fourth on the team, and three game-winners, which tied him for second. He was minus-18.

“I’m improving. The pro game is different than the college game but I definitely feel I’ve made progress,” said the 24-year-old Cullen, who had signed a free agent contract with Phoenix after leaving Maine. “Getting a chance to play for the Coyotes was a great experience. I got to play quite a few minutes in each game.”

His defense partner? Former two-time Black Bear All-American Keith Carney.

“That was pretty neat. He’s a great guy. He’s a very good player. He’s very strong defensively and he was always talking to me on the ice. That made things a lot easier for me,” said the 6-foot-2, 209-pound Cullen.

The Great One, Wayne Gretzky, is the Coyotes’ managing partner in charge of hockey operations, and he practiced with the Coyotes once while Cullen was with them.

“That was pretty cool. There is an aura about him. He goes to all the games. He is always around,” said Cullen.

Cullen, who had 10 goals and 21 assists in his first pro season for Springfield two years ago, felt he had a better season this year. He received a lot of ice time as he was also on the power play and penalty-killing units.

“And they had enough confidence in me to put me on the ice to help protect a one-goal lead in the final minutes of play,” said Cullen, who had 28 goals and 89 assists in 146 games at Maine.

He also indicated that his two-game stint in the NHL proved to him that “I can definitely play at that level.”

His contract is up but he expects to re-sign with Phoenix.

“They want me to develop a harder shot and make sure I come into training camp in the best condition possible,” said Cullen, who will marry Orrington’s Alyssa Lisnik on July 14 in his native St. Catherines, Ontario.