Course owners praying for rain during dry spell

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“We need a day or two of rain. One to two inches would be great.”

Two weeks ago, that statement from Carl Brown, owner of Country View Golf Course in Brooks, might have earned him derisive catcalls from a segment of the sporting population that was eager to participate in its sport of choice.

Now, however, it’s a common theme.

From the high ground at Country View to the streamside venue that is Bucksport Golf Club and points in between, the lack of rainfall is making itself highly visible.

“We’re powder dry,” said Wayne Hand, owner of Bucksport Golf Club.

“It’s drying up so much, we’re getting cracks in the ground,” said Hand.

While he says his golf course is in great shape now, Hand will start watering about two weeks earlier than normal to keep it that way.

“Between May 15 and June 1 is when we usually get water going,” said Hand. “This year, I’ve got to worry about it today. It’s a problem and you’ve got to address it.”

Karen Little at Pine Hill Golf Club in Brewer agreed.

“We’re gonna start watering [the greens] tonight,” said Little, who was surprised her family even needed to be considering it this early in the season.

“Two weeks ago, we had tons of snow,” she said. “People were wondering if they would be able to get out any time soon.”

Brown said he could see it coming.

“We could see it was drying as soon as the snow melted,” he said.

Hand thinks that was set up months ago.

“The first week of December, we had two inches of rain and it drove the frost right out of the ground,” he said. “Then we had snow right after and it never did leave until April.”

The snow cover acted as an insulation blanket and kept the frost from going deep into the ground. This spring, as the snow melted, it was absorbed into the ground and drained off.

Hand doesn’t mind it being a little dry, though.

“I’d rather have it like it is because I can control it [with his own watering],” he said.

Brown, however, is concerned.

“To my memory, and it’s not as good as it used to be,” he said with a little laugh, “I don’t remember a spring being this dry.”

He added, “I see … we’re five inches short [on precipitation] already. If we don’t make some of that up soon, we’re not going to.”

Brown’s course sits up on a hill overlooking much of central Maine and tends to dry quickly, but even he is surprised at having to go to the well so soon. He figures he has used his watering system about four times already.

“We started the pump up a week ago,” he said. “We’ve done the greens and tees a little bit.”

Course owners will take any bit of rain they can get now.

“We were delighted today [Tuesday] to get that little shower we got,” said Little. “We had golfers out here and they said we needed it. They didn’t mind it at all.”

Hand was working on the course when the shower went through.

“You could look behind you and see the grass changing color,” he said.

Hand thinks he can last a few more days before watering, but that could change.

“We’ve got 80-degree weather coming,” he said. “If we don’t have water coming, the course’ll burn right out.”

Extra watering brings its own set of problems. More watering means more expense that has to be accounted for.

Brown sees the possibility of more hard times coming this year.

“I think we’re gonna be heading for trouble this summer,” he said.

“I’m looking for a really, really dry summer,” he added. “I think it’s going to be serious, for everyone.”

Brown knows the solution.

“I’d like to see a couple of days of rain, but we don’t have any control over that,” said Brown.

Dave Barber is the NEWS golf writer. The Golf scene will appear each Wednesday through September. He can be reached at 990-8170 or by e-mail at dbarber@bangordailynews.net.