Many people not afflicted with the golf bug think that people who are so afflicted are fools for chasing a little white ball around acres of Mother Nature’s preserve for hours at a time.

That will make Friday – April Fool’s Day – seem appropriate to some as the green light for this year’s golf tournaments.

The first coupon for the 30th annual Bangor Daily News Amateur Golf Tournament will run in Friday morning’s editions of the NEWS. This is a slight departure from past tournaments when the coupon ran on the Saturday morning closest to the first of April.

The paper has the widest circulation on Saturdays, but the change to Friday was made, according to Ann Calderwood of the NEWS Promotion Department, because many people found it difficult to get the entry postmarked quickly. Mailing in entry forms is the only way to get into the tournament since divisions are filled based on an entry’s postmark.

The format for the NEWS Amateur, which will be held June 17-19, remains the same, four courses in use for three days by four men’s divisions and a women’s division. The golf courses are Bangor Municipal Golf Course, Kebo Valley Golf Club in Bar Harbor, Rockland Golf Club, and Bar Harbor Golf Course in Trenton. The entry fee is $62.

The field again will have a capacity of 624 players. – – –

The Maine State Golf Association is ready to hand out starting times for its tournaments, but it also has a few changes.

Number one among the changes is an increase in the weekly tournament entry fees. The fee for nine-hole courses is $18, up $2 from last year, and the fee at 18-hole courses is $25, up $3.

At nine-hole courses, the increase goes to higher user fees for host courses and the reinstatement of the shop fee paid to the host pro. At 18-hole courses, the increase goes for the same items plus higher prizes.

The MSGA card fee, required to be able to play in MSGA events except the Maine Open, is $16 with the extra dollar going to help support the Maine Golf Hall of Fame. Players must also be members of an MSGA member course or association.

Starting times for the weekly events will be taken by phone at the MSGA office, 795-6742, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. starting April 5. Central Division players can also call scorer Ned Collins evenings at 848-3747 for times. Times will be given to foursomes only.

The first events are April 22-23 at Katahdin Country Club in Milo in the Central Division and Salmon Falls in Bar Mills in the Southern Division.

Maine Amateur, Maine Junior, and Seniors/Lefthanders entry forms will be available approximately April 15. The deadline is June 4 for the Amateur and June 9 for the others. The postmarks determine eligibility.

Maine Tourneys

1994 Maine Golf Schedule

May 22 – Blaine Davis Club Team (at Samoset Resort, Rockport)

June 8 – Seniors/Lefthanders Championship (at Prouts Neck CC, Scarborough)

June 12 – Father-Son Championship (at Natanis GC, Vassalboro)

June 17-19 – Bangor Daily News Amateur (Kebo Valley GC, Bangor Municipal GC, Bar Harbor GC, Rockland GC)

June 21-23 – Maine Junior Championship (at Kennebec Heights, Farmingdale)

June 27 – Maine Amateur Qualifier (at Waterville CC, Oakland)

June 28 – Maine Amateur Qualifier (at Biddeford-Saco CC)

July 12-14 – Maine Amateur Championship (at Augusta CC, Manchester)

July 19-21 – New England Amateur (at Falmouth CC, Maine)

July 27-30 – Greater Bangor Open pro-am (at Bangor Municipal GC)

July 31 – Maine Mixed Championship (at Brunswick GC)

Aug. 10-12 – Maine Open (at Riverside Municipal GC, Portland)

Aug. 17-18 – State of Maine Championship (at Sugarloaf GC)

Aug. 21 – B & C Players Championship (at Springbrook CC, Leeds)

Aug. 22-23 – New England Junior (site TBA, Massachusetts)

Sept. 24-25 – Tri-State Championship (site TBA, Vermont)

Oct. 1-2 – Mid-Amateur Championship (at Purpoodock, Cape Elizabeth, and Martindale CC, Auburn)