BANGOR – Earlier this year, Ray Haskell’s son, Jeff, asked him if he’d be interested in playing in the DuPont CoolMax World Handicap Tournament in Myrtle Beach, S.C., in late August.

The Bangor resident told his son that he would.

“It sounded like fun,” said the 67-year-old Haskell, who said he has been playing golf off and on for more than 40 years, including a lot of tournaments.

The DuPont tournament is billed as the largest single-site tournament in the world. This year there were about 3,800 players, according to Haskell, spread over more than 70 courses. Between the golf and the post-round festivities each day at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, it turned out to be as much fun as it sounded – even if he didn’t play as well as he would have liked.

“The Bermuda [grass] rough was murder for me,” said Haskell recently as he recalled the trip.

Haskell, who had a handicap index of 9.6 going into the event, shot rounds of 95, 103, 91, and 87 for a 376 gross, 333 net. Handicaps were adjusted at each course based on the difficulty of the course, so the first three days he played as an 11, the fourth day as a 10.

Haskell said his index was a little lower than normal, putting him on a set of tees that he might not haven chosen to play normally.

“When I put in my entry, I was a 12,” said Haskell, who plays out of Bangor Municipal Golf Course. “Then I had a six-week run where I didn’t shoot over 81.”

He fared better than his son. Because there were fewer entries than usual among the low handicappers, the first division range of handicaps stretched from scratch to 4, just high enough to include Jeff.

“He had to play in the first flight, right from the tips,” said Haskell.

Haskell pointed out that his game is well suited to Bangor Muni, but it doesn’t always work when he plays other courses.

“I hit it down the middle pretty much and chip and putt well,” said Haskell, who played at Panther’s Run, Myrtlewood, and Legends Parkwood. “It just didn’t work out very well down there.”

Haskell pointed out another problem that can crop up for tournament players.

“Sometimes, you try too hard, too,” he said.

The weather was a little different for a Maine golfer, also.

“It was 90 degrees ever day, and 90 percent humidity,” said Haskell.

Haskell finished 77th out of 82 in Flight 28, for men ages 60-69 with handicap indexes ranging from 7.6 to 9.6. His son was 80th out of 84 in Flight 1.

The finish didn’t bother Ray Haskell, though.

“I stopped worrying about my score years ago,” he said. “If it’s good, great, if it’s not, there’s always tomorrow.”

The winner in each of the divisions (44 this year, including six for women) plays a fifth round to determine an overall champion.

Haskell didn’t come away empty-handed, though, as he won a set of Maxfli Tour Limited irons in a drawing one night.

“I’m keeping them,” he told a friend, chuckling. “I’m playing them and hitting them good.”

Haskell and his son, who lives south of Sarasota, Fla., are planning on playing again next year, and taking their wives.

Haskell was quick to point out how understanding his wife, Gloria, is about his playing.

“My wife is wonderful,” said Haskell. “I retired two years ago. As long as I can give her a couple days a week, I can play all the golf I want.”

Jewell Health Center tourney

The 10th Arthur Jewell Community Health Center Tournament to benefit the volunteer ambulance service will be held Sept. 27 at Country View Golf Course in Brooks.

The four-person scramble-format tourney will have two shotgun starts, 7:45 a.m. and 1:15 p.m.

The fee is $160 for a team, $40 for an individual. All entry fee money is donated to the ambulance, which services the towns of Brooks, Jackson, Monroe, Knox, and Thorndike.

Call the club at 722-3161 for information.

Dave Barber can be reached at 990-8170, 1-800-310-8600, or by e-mail at dbarber@bangordailynews.net.