WINTERPORT – Back in 1996, the Wellman family got into the golf business, as Galen and Debbie bought an old farmhouse and set about reclaiming a dormant nine-hole layout in their hometown.

The result, Streamside Golf Course, is entering its fourth year of operation, and much of the start-up work is nothing but a sweaty memory for the Wellman clan.

But that doesn’t mean they’re spending all their time relaxing … or golfing … for that matter.

“[My dad] will play a couple of holes, and then he’ll see something that needs to be fixed and stop,” says 19-year-old Sarah Wellman, who helps run the clubhouse.

“It’s a funny thing,” she says with a chuckle. “[My dad owns a] paving business, but at our old house, we never had a paved driveway. And here, we have a golf course in our backyard, but he never plays.”

Her mother, Debbie, says she has played a few times. But neither daughter (21-year-old Kelly also works at the course) or her husband has played a complete round on the par-36 course.

“It’s all-consuming,” says Debbie Wellman, who also works part-time as a nurse. “There’s always something that needs to be done, or that you could be doing.”

That’s not to say that the Wellmans don’t play a little.

Sarah, for instance, has a favorite mini-layout of her own: She sometimes plays 1, 8 and 9, then gets back to work.

But some days, there’s not even enough time for that.

“I play No. 1 a lot, so that’s my favorite one to play,” she says. “I start with that one, and usually I quit after that one.”

Galen and Debbie Wellman got into the golf business through a combination of nostalgia and community spirit.

They remembered the old course (named Stream Side Golf Club), which operated from the late 1950s until 1970. They liked the farmhouse that sat next to the course. And they’d often talk to each other about the possibility of buying the place.

Finally, after several phone calls didn’t pan out, she wrote a letter to the owner.

“We met with him thinking that something would happen that would prevent us from pursuing it any further,” Debbie Wellman says. “Like he’d want too much money, or he wouldn’t want to sell it, or he’d have stipulations.”

None of those things happened.

In fact, she says, when she and Galen began to go forward, they found that the process of reclaiming the course was going to be simpler than they’d thought.

“You can’t just decide you’re going to build a golf course without a lot of regulation now,” she said. “But because this was a previous golf course, we were grandfathered, so we didn’t have to do thousands of dollars worth of engineering studies. … It just seemed that it was meant to be. Everything kept falling into place.”

Four years after its opening, the 2,765-yard layout covers about 68 acres, and is maturing nicely. And as the name suggests, nearby Marsh Stream plays an important part in its identity.

The first two holes stretch along Route 139, and Marsh Stream guards those greens jealously. Make a mistake to the right or long on either and you’ll be in trouble.

Sarah Wellman’s advice on the hole she plays most often, No. 1:

“As long as you can keep it out of the stream or the woods, you’re OK,” she says.

Other Streamside highlights:

. Fairways set up for the long (and predictably crooked) right-hander.

This isn’t target golf … at least not off the tee. Many fairways stretch diagonally away from the golfer, and allow for a significant fade. … OK, a slice. Among the most forgiving driving holes: Both par 5’s (No. 2 and No. 7), Nos. 1, 5, 6, and 9.

. Trees that are more bark (sorry) than bite.

Many holes have large, stately pines that frame the contours of the fairway or tee box. But don’t worry: Only the most errant shots will hit them. They’re a golfer’s favorite kind of tree, in that they add to the aesthetics without punishing them needlessly.

An example of this: Four huge trees frame the tee shot on the 125-yard fourth. Pretty? Yes. Dangerous? Not really.

. Water hazards that needn’t be hazardous.

With the exception of Marsh Stream on the first two holes, none of the other water hazards should come into play unless a ball is severely off target. Sure, we all hit plenty of those. But with water on five holes, it’s nice to know that you’re not going to have to pack your water wings.

. Country atmosphere and hospitality.

This isn’t your basic corporate entity. If you meet someone working in the clubhouse, they’re likely either a Wellman or a Havey (both of Debbie Wellman’s parents also put in time at the course). And they’re eager to make you feel welcome.

Debbie Wellman said that originally, she thought expanding the course to 18 holes was a good idea. Now, however, she’s not so sure.

“We bought a parcel of land that’s 100 acres here, with the idea that if we were ever bored, we could add another nine,” she says.

Of course, the Wellmans have been too busy to get bored.

“Not in my lifetime,” she says. “That’s going to be for the heirs of Streamside.”

Vital Statistics

STREAMSIDE GOLF COURSE

Holes: nine

Yards: 2,910 (blue tees), 2,765 (white), 2,580 (red); par: 33

Slope: 99;

Green fees: 9 holes: $8 weekdays, $10 weekends; 18 holes: $12 weekdays, $15 weekends; all day: $16 weekdays, $20 weekends.

Memberships: $300 adults, $600 family, $175 student.

Tee times: not necessary

Directions: Take Route 1A to Winterport, turn onto Route 139. Streamside Golf Course is 6.9 miles out Route 139 on the right.

Footwear: soft spikes suggested

Phone: 223-9009

John Holyoke can be reached at 990-8214, 1-800-310-8600, or by e-mail at jholyoke@bangordailynews.net