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https://bangordailynews.com/2018/04/13/ ... ck-of-ice/
Maine golf courses looking good after this winter’s lack of ice . . .
Although several golf courses in eastern and northern Maine still have snow on them, particularly in Aroostook County, golf pros in the region said the fact there wasn’t much ice buildup this winter was beneficial and has shortened the time it has taken them to get their courses ready for the season.
Several courses are already open and others are close to opening.
“It was a very encouraging winter. There wasn’t much ice. The course handled it very well,” said Rob Jarvis, the golf pro at the 27-hole Bangor Municipal Golf Course. “The only issue anyone would have is that the snow was on the courses for a long time. We’re starting out on the right foot.”
Jarvis said he is hoping to open the 18-hole course later this coming week but there is still work to be done on the Kelly Nine although it shouldn’t be too long before that follows.
Lenny Espling, the owner and manager of the Barren View Golf Course in Jonesboro, said his nine-hole course opened on Monday.
The nine-hole Bucksport Golf Club and nine of the 18 holes at Hermon Meadows Golf Club are in play and more holes are being added at Hermon when they become playable.
The courses in Bucksport and Hermon opened this past week.
The front nine of the 18 holes at the Penobscot Valley Country Club in Orono opened for play on Friday.
Rob Olsen, the co-owner of the Hidden Meadows Golf Course in Old Town, said he is hoping the golfers can tee it up next Friday.
“There was no winter kill,” said PVCC pro Mark Hall who has already rolled and mowed the greens on the front nine. “The greens are really rolling nice. We still have some snow on the back nine but we just need a day or two of good drying weather. The course drains really well. It’s amazing. We’ve had a very busy [Friday].”
Barren View’s Espling said his course was also inundated with golfers on Friday.
“We didn’t get much snow this winter. The rain washed out the cart paths but they’re all fixed and the course is bone dry,” he said.
Whitney Hand, who runs the Bucksport Golf Club with her dad and course owner Wayne Hand, said the snow cover insulated the course to prevent ice build-up and subsequent damage.
“Everything is really good right now. We had [snow cover] when we needed it,” said Whitney Hand.
She said because the temperatures have remained at or below freezing at night, there are still some frozen spots on the course at certain times of the day.
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