Offseason affords pros chance to relax

Sunday, May 7, 2006

The life of a golf pro isn't as glamorous as portrayed in film or on TV. Most put in seven-day, 60-hour weeks during a season in Maine that runs from April into November. And ironically, there isn't much time to play golf.

That four-month offseason is pretty precious for most pros, who spend it in a variety of ways.

"I skied 71 days," said Belgrade Golf Club pro and managing partner Kyle Evans.

Belgrade opened in 1999, and the first few years much of the offseason was devoted to getting the course ready for the following spring.

"The last couple of winters have been easier," Evans said.

Natanis pro Dick Browne sold cars for a couple of days a week during the winter and also split wood with work crew members on the Vassalboro course. Although he's gone south to play in the past, he's stayed close to home lately.

"My son plays hockey," Browne said. "I stick around and watch him play."

Browne also played some winter golf at Natanis.

"We snuck out and played every month," he said. "We had a couple of 40 to 50 degree days."

Waterville Country Club pro Don Roberts grew up playing basketball and stays heavily involved in the sport during the winter months. Roberts, who played high school ball in Rumford and college ball at Clark University and Husson College, still plays noontime pickup games at Colby. Roberts has also been an official the past four years and spends many of his winter evenings in high school gymnasiums.

"I usually go south and play in a big pro-am in Naples (Fla.)," Roberts said. "But I didn't go this year because the friend I play with wasn't down there."

Western View pro Pete Matthews and his wife, Brenda, spent the entire winter in Florida, in Homosassa on the Gulf Coast.

"We just loafed," said Brenda, who knocked a few strokes off her handicap but doesn't think she'll play to that this summer.

"I don't get to play much," she said.

Augusta Country Club pro Matt Murphy also sticks close to home. This winter he helped his wife launch a new business, Patina Nail and Hair Studio, in Gardiner. "I spent a couple of months just doing some general contracting," Murphy said.

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Denise and Vurle Jones, who purchased the par-3 Loon's Cove Golf Course in Skowhegan in 1995, hope to open a new regulation nine-hole course across the road on Route 201 within two years.

"We don't know how long the permitting process is going to take," said Denise, adding she and her husband are looking for a short-term investor.

The new course was designed by Willy Boynton of Skowhegan and will extend a mile back from the road.

"It goes uphill with a view of the Kennebec (River)," Denise said. "It's going to be absolutely gorgeous."

Jones said tee boxes will be totally separate on front and back nines, giving golfers a different look. It will measure 6,496 yards for men and 5,384 for women.

"We haven't come up with a name yet," said Jones, who suggested it may include coyote in it because of all the coyotes in the area.

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Springbrook owner Joe Golden has no immediate plans to replace director of golf Al Biondi, who passed away last November.

"First of all, how do you replace him?" Golden said.

The staff will pitch in to pick up some of Biondi's duties, including tournaments, cooking and lessons. Pennie Cummings will continue to conduct the junior golf clinics she and Biondi ran last season while Jeanine Golden will inherit Biondi's Tuesday twilight league meals.

"There's going to be a lot of pressure on her," said Joe of his wife. "It got that (the players) looked forward more to the meal than the golf. They would put their order in ahead of time."

Biondi built Springbrook along with Dr. Burt Anderson in 1966 and recently returned to the Leeds course after long stints at the Augusta Country Club. Golden said he will hold a 40th anniversary tournament this summer and is sad Biondi won't be around to join in.

"He would have been excited about it," he said.

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There are a number of good golf bargains around this month. At Belgrade Golf Club, where greens fees jump to $100 during the summer, you can play for $50 through May, $70 including a cart.

During the week at J.W. Parks in Pittsfield, $30 will get you 18 holes of golf, including a cart and lunch. Sheepscot Links in Whitefield is offering a nine-hole morning special Monday through Thursday for $12, $18 with a cart, The 18-hole rate is $15 and $25. Foursomes can play the course Friday through Sunday during May for $25 a person including a cart.

At Springbrook, $25 gets you unlimited golf. The Leeds course also offers a 25 percent discount for seniors on Tuesdays and the same discount for ladies on Thursdays.

Sugarloaf is holding its annual Tin Mountain Round Up tournament June 2-4. Participants who bring three cans of food can play the course for $32 including cart. The United Methodist Economic Ministry will donate the food to needy families n the community. Tee times are required.

CHIP SHOTS . . . J.W. Parks pro and owner Mike Dugas was named Maine PGA professional of the year for the second straight year recently by the New England chapter of the PGA. The award is given annually for the promotion of golf in the community and charitable involvement. Sugarloaf pro Scot Hoisington was named Maine's top resort marketer by the NE PGA . . . The clubhouse addition to Sheepscot Links has enabled the Whitefield course to gain a license to sell beer on the premises for the first time this spring . . . Western View owners Pete and Brenda Matthews are selling house lots adjacent to the driving range. The couple is also building a spec house in the same location . . . Sugarloaf is offering stay and play golf packages with both Sunday River and Belgrade Lakes.

Gary Hawkins -- 621-5638

ghawkins@centralmaine.com