Harris Golf awaits vote on its offer to buy PVCC

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ORONO – Harris Golf of Bath has made an offer to purchase Penobscot Valley Country Club, a club steeped in the history of golf in Maine.

Neither Jeff Harris, president of Harris Golf, nor Paul Rudman, the club president, would reveal the offered purchase price, but there is a purchase and sale agreement in place.

“We will be closing the end of November, subject to the approval of the membership,” Harris said Monday.

The club’s Board of Governors has already given its blessing on the purchase, and the full membership will vote on it on Oct. 26.

The board actually asked Harris Golf if it was interested in acquiring the club, according to Rudman.

“The Board of Governors felt that in order to preserve [the club], we needed help,” said Rudman, who added that there were stipulations.

“We sought a guarantee that for 15 years it would remain a semi-private golf club and that it has the financial support it needs,” he said.

The board felt Harris Golf, which operates Sunday River Golf Club in Newry, Boothbay Country Club and Freeport Country Club and just finished developing and building Old Marsh Country Club in Wells, could handle it.

“They have the skill, knowledge and [financial] capacity to do what we could not,” said Rudman.

“These guys see something I love and they love it, too,” he added. “That’s why we entered into a contract with them.”

Harris admitted that he has always loved PVCC, which opened in 1924.

“When I was growing up, there were four clubs – there were other clubs, but there were four that were the most influential – York Golf and Tennis Club, Portland Country Club, Augusta Country Club and, of course, PVCC,” said Harris.

“We think it’s a gem in the rough,” said Harris with a smile.

Rudman admitted the club’s financial situation was strained by building its new clubhouse a few years ago as well as its attempt to return the golf course closer to the original design of internationally renowned golf course architect Donald Ross.

“[The new clubhouse] was a disaster [financially],” said Rudman because it meant money was not available to keep the course in the condition the members wanted.

“If the golf course was to be preserved, we could not do it,” he said.

Harris and other members of the company toured PVCC Monday to get a feel for what they will be looking at for future projects.

A big piece of that will be in golf course maintenance – getting rid of the clover in some places, adding nutrients to some fairways to restore the grass and possibly rebuilding some fairways to smooth out the washboard areas.

Then there’s the restoration.

“Our contract calls for putting a minimum of $500,000 into restoration of the golf course in the first 36 months,” said Harris.

Harris Golf intends to work with architect Brian Silva, who now specializes in revitalizing Ross courses. He has worked with them on other projects.

“We just want to bring the golf course to its full potential,” said Clayton Longfellow, Harris Golf’s director of golf course construction.

One of the club’s problems in recent years has been declining membership.

“When the new building was built, we had 300 members,” said Rudman. “Now it’s 100 less.”

Jeff Harris plans to rebuild the golf membership to approximately 350 as soon as possible, and those plans include making PVCC more affordable.

“We’re waiving initiation fees for past and present members and new members next year until we’re full,” said Jeff Harris.

Also, the annual fees will be reduced, in some cases by nearly half.

“The individual membership will go from $2,772 down to $1,500,” said Jeff Harris. “For a couple, which PVCC doesn’t currently have a category for, it will be $2,250, and a family will be $2,750.”

There will also be a restricted student category for $500.

In addition, the monthly food and beverage minimum will be removed. It was $50 to $75 this year depending on the category.

“Better golf for less money,” said Jeff Harris with another smile.

The restriction on nonmember play will be removed as well. They were limited to four rounds a year, not including tournaments or charity events.

Rudman sees the prospective changes as positive.

“If it means I play less because the course is full, that’s fine by me,” he said.