As a PGA Tour caddie, Portland native Andy Lano II sees fine courses and exotic locations throughout the year, but right now he is looking forward to a certain weekend in June that will take him far away from all that and a little closer to home.

From June 10-12, Lano will be playing in the 41st Whited Ford Paul Bunyan Amateur Golf Tournament.

“It worked out this year,” said Lano, who said he has played in the Bunyan twice before. “Anytime it’s available and I’m off, I’m there.”

Lano, who caddies full-time for former Western Kentucky University teammate Kenny Perry, tries to get back to Maine when he can, to visit with family and friends.

“I enjoy going up, getting seafood, and seeing the coast,” said Lano, who now lives in Irving, Texas.

Lano, who was a junior on the 1979 Deering High School team that tied with Bangor and Greely of Cumberland Center for the state team title, likes the chance to play competitively, too.

“I used to play a lot of competitive golf,” he said. “This allows me a little taste of that.”

He is realistic about his chances, though.

“It’s more of a fun thing for me,” said Lano, a 7-handicapper. “I can’t beat the likes of some of the players in my group. It’ll be a miracle for me to play three great days.”

Lano is looking forward to playing at Kebo Valley Golf Club in Bar Harbor this year, the first time it has been part of the rotation since 2000.

“I really like Kebo,” he said, pointing out that he likes the historical aspect of the course and the fact that there haven’t been many changes done over the years. “Now that it’s back, my interest is up, too.

“I’ve never played it well. Even in high school, my scores weren’t worth a nickel, but I really enjoy it.”

He’s familiar with the other two as well – Bangor Municipal Golf Course and Rockland Golf Club.

“I’ve played all three of these courses, so I can remember pretty much [how they go],” Lano said. “My preparation is more to just get a swing though and get a good score on a hole.”

Lano didn’t plan on making a career of caddying. It just worked out that way.

“I’ve always liked watching players who are better than me,” said Lano. “I always caddied growing up, at Riverside [Municipal Golf Course in Portland] and the [Portland] Country Club, to get a little spending money.”

He caddied for Brian Claar in local pro events. Claar went on to qualify for the PGA Tour and was the 1986 rookie of the year.

“I wondered what it would be like to be a tour caddie,” Lano said. “I asked Brian. He already had a caddie, of course, but he set me up [with a pro].

“My first job was at Phoenix. I didn’t know how long it would last.”

Lano had realized that he hadn’t seen much of the world and he thought being a caddie would be a way to work and see different places.

“I just wanted to travel,” he said.

But he stuck with it long enough to make a go of it. Being a caddie can be an expensive business and a caddie’s paycheck is based on how well his player does.

“I kept gaining more experience and moving up to better players,” he said.

In the late 1980s, he caddied for Jim Carter for four years, then hooked up with Perry in 1991. They were a team for the next 10 years, including wins at the Memorial Tournament in ’91 and the ’95 Bob Hope Desert Classic.

In March they teamed up for their third win, the Bay Hill Invitational.

He thinks all of his experience as a tour caddie, which includes mapping out the course for his player, has to help his own game.

“I’ve been able, watching these guys, to rebuild my game,” he said. “And my course management is better.”

His best part is his short game, he said, but he struggles with his full shots.

He hasn’t had much success in his past Bunyan appearances, he said.

“There’s nothing worth writing about there, but my goal is to change that.”