The Golf of Maine

Maine's On-Line Golf Clubhouse

The Bunker

February 7, 2018

Like so many tee shots, our news, information, entertainment and opinions will land in The Bunker, with updates each Thursday—Sunday mornings throughout the year. Send your tips, opinions, photos, videos or golf brags to thegolfofmaine@gmail.com.

Speed Up Your Own Pace of Play Without Hurrying

March 21, 2019
The Eager Golfer Grows Impatient

Each year, as Spring makes its way into New England in much the same manner a maiden climbs a greased Maypole, the eager golfer grows impatient. “When will this snow melt? Golf is hard enough without looking for the errant drive of a white ball in white snow!”

Then, it arrives, in slower-than-slow-motion. The river ice breaks, the birds return, the snow gets real dirty and ugly before finally disappearing for good, and the golf courses begin opening, from South to North, in the same pattern that the lakes ice-out and the croci bloom.

Just as slowly as this annual drama unfolds, the group in front of you seems to stand at address over their drives for the entire Spring. They search interminably for their shanks and slices in the recently revealed forest floor, contemplate their four-foot putts for 40 seconds too long, and hunt endlessly for the plugged drives that, by some Easter miracle, found the fairway. Continue reading “Speed Up Your Own Pace of Play Without Hurrying”

Golf, Pub, Events…what could be bad about that?

May 2, 2018

The Meadows Golf Club is a fine golf course, one of our favorites. They listed the following position today… Sounds like it would be a great, fun place to work!

Are you passionate about golf and the golf business?
Do you have more energy than the sun?
Are you so organized that you annoy your friends?

Then read on because the perfect role for you may be waiting at The Meadows Golf Club!

The Meadows is looking for a full-time, year-round Guest & Event Guru. In other words, we need a right-hand person to partner with the new owner as he builds an exciting golf course/pub/entertainment venue in Litchfield.

READ MORE->>>>

New ownership group making improvements to Penobscot Valley Country Club

April 28, 2018

penobscot valley ccThe new owners of the Penobscot Valley Country Club in Orono continue to make improvements to the course as the 2018 golf season gets underway. The course has been open for two weeks and the full 18 holes are in play with riding carts available.

Kevin McCarthy is the new majority owner after purchasing it from Harris Golf Inc. His management company, Resurrection Golf, is operating PVCC and handling the upgrades.

READ MORE->>>

A Visit with Maine’s Own Fluff Cowen

April 19, 2018
Fluff sporting his Jerry Garcia t-shirt…

“Making a living was not even part of the equation. My first bag was $20 a day and 3 percent. Cesar Sanudo was the first guy that actually paid me $100 when we missed the cut. That was huge. A bunch of us would share a room, low round of the day would get the bed, and the rest of us would make do. If you had a good week, you partied hard; if you didn’t, you got by. It wasn’t like we were out there saving money. But I didn’t have anything but me.”

READ MORE>>>

On This Day In Golf History…

April 7, 2018
Gene Sarazen, left, and Bobby Jones, right, stand at the dedication site for a bridge on the 15th hole of the Augusta National golf course, for Sarezen, on April 6, 1955.

Here’s a web site we follow, and today, it seems fitting to share their post…

The Masters, A Tradition Unlike Any Other:  1935 Gene Sarazen’s “Shot Heard ‘Round the World”

The Masters Tournament has become arguably the most prestigious tournament in the world.  Each year it produces memories and moments that leave spectators and golf fans alike in awe.  Gene Sarazen made his contribution in just the second edition of the event in 1935.  In an amazing turn of events, just when he thought he was down and out…Sarazen holed a 235-yard (215 m) 4-wood on the par-5 fifteenth hole that went in! This magical moment helped put The Masters on the map.

The Ball that Sarazen scored the rare double eagle with.

Henry Picard opened up the 1935 Masters with a 67 & 68 for 9 under par and a four stroke lead over the field.  Once Picard got to the weekend his game abandoned him shooting a 76 in the third round and a 75 to finish fourth.  With Picard out of the way it opened the door for Craig Wood, the runner up from the inaugural Masters Tournament won by Horton Smith.

The leaderboard before the final round was tight with many big names able to make a run:

1 Craig Wood  United States 69-72-68=209 −7
2 Olin Dutra  United States 70-70-70=210 −6
3 Henry Picard  United States 67-68-76=211 −5
4 Gene Sarazen  United States 68-71-73=212 −4
T5 Denny Shute  United States 73-71-70=214 −2
Walter Hagen  United States 73-69-72=214

The Shot Heard ‘Round the World

The shot was a 235-yard 4-wood on the par-5 , 15th hole that went in, giving him a very rare double eagle two on the hole, only one of four to ever achieve such a feat on any hole at the Masters. He trailed the leader by three shots at the time, and made them up all at once. It led to his later winning the tournament in a 36-hole playoff over Craig Wood the next day. Sarazen won the Monday playoff by five strokes, even-par 144 to 149 (+5), and parred the 15th hole in both rounds.

Masters Coverage

April 4, 2018
The Maine Masters

Perhaps as a public service, perhaps to be consistent with the prices of their famed pimento cheese sandwiches, The Masters makes a very generous amount of coverage available on-line, for free, streaming directly from their web site, linked here. So, don’t let the fact that you have to work get in the way of your watching The Masters! Thursday’s line up:

Live Coverage Online

Times for Live Coverage on Masters.com are estimated based on when players are expected to make the turn. Coverage may begin earlier or later based on speed of play.

HONORARY STARTERS7:45AM – 8:30AMEDT
MASTERS – ON THE RANGE8:30AM – 10:30AMEDT
FEATURED GROUPS10:00AM – 7:30PMEDT
AMEN CORNER10:45AM – 6:00PMEDT
HOLE NOS. 15 AND 1611:45AM – 7:00PMEDT
BROADCAST3:00PM – 7:30PMEDT

The Golf Maine Passport – A Great Golf Deal!

April 3, 2018
The Maine Masters

Did you know you can play 35 rounds of golf, each round on a different Maine golf course, for only $399? Each year our friends over at The Maine Golf Trail assemble a promotional package and make it available to the first 60 individuals, allowing that select group to play a round of golf, at no additional cost except for cart, at 35 of Maine’s unique golf courses. Some other minor restrictions exist at a couple of the courses on the trail, but mostly you get to play when you want, where you want.

The list of courses included for the 2018 season can be found at the link, and as of March 30th, the word was that only a couple of Golf Maine Passports remain before they hit the target of 60… So, send your inquiry to info@golfme.com, and do it SOON!

See you on one of the many courses in Maine opening this coming weekend!