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Log inBelgrade Lakes GC celebrates 10th anniversary
Belgrade Lakes GC celebrates 10th anniversary
by Outspoken on Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:15 am
Belgrade Lakes GC celebrates 10th anniversary
By GARY HAWKINS
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal
BELGRADE — Summer resident Don Woodruff was one of the first to ever play Belgrade Lakes Golf Club when it opened 10 years ago.
The Baltimore native was impressed and couldn’t wait to play the back nine when it opened three months later. This time he brought his brother.
“My brother belongs to one of the oldest courses in Baltimore,” Woodruff said. “He said ‘Wow, nothing can compare to this.’ ”
Woodruff is back in Belgrade for two weeks and plans to play the course at least 10 times. And his brother?
“(He’s) flying up here Saturday to play golf four days and go back.” Woodruff said.
Little has changed since the public course opened 10 years ago. The view from the elevated first tee and putting green of Long Lake to the left and Great Pond to the right remains one of the most picturesque vistas in Maine golf. On a clear day, the Longfellow Mountains come into view as well as a distant Mt. Washington.
The brainchild of philanthropist Harold Alfond, the course was built on 240 acres once owned by Realtor Ken Bartlett. Gail Rizzo and Pat Donahue are the developers who first identified the property for Alfond, a Belgrade resident who loved the game.
John Alfond is the majority owner today, while Ted Alfond took over Harold’s remaining stock after he died last year.
The right architect
A number of nationally known designers bid on the $10 million project to build the course, but it was little-known British architect Clive Clark who got the job.
Alfond and managing general partner Kyle Evans were impressed with Clark’s freehand drawings and attention to detail. Clark probably sealed his hiring when he told Alfond “it’s going to look like Maine.”
While many big-name designers show up for three or four days during the job, Clark spent more than 30 days on site.
“Clive was a little more hungry,” Evans said. “He listened a little more than the others did. He turned out to be the right guy for the job.”
Clark, who played on Ryder and Walker Cup teams, had designed more than 20 courses in Europe, but Belgrade was his first major project in the United States. He has since designed Hideway Club in La Quinta, Calif., and Lake Winnipessaukee in New Hampshire.
Clark incorporated the trees, shrubs and ponds that existed on the property and, most of all, the rocks and boulders, thousands of them left over from the last glacier.
Instead of removing them, he just moved them to the side of fairways. Rare is the golfer who at one time or another has not seen his ball ricochet off one of the giant rocks.
Clark also employed a European touch on many holes, lining some bunkers with railroad ties and others with sod. The fairways are fairly wide and forgiving, with bailout areas for a right-hander’s slice, and many of the tee shots are downhill.
http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/sports/stories/967901725.html
Staff photo by Joe Phelan
By GARY HAWKINS
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal
BELGRADE — Summer resident Don Woodruff was one of the first to ever play Belgrade Lakes Golf Club when it opened 10 years ago.
The Baltimore native was impressed and couldn’t wait to play the back nine when it opened three months later. This time he brought his brother.
“My brother belongs to one of the oldest courses in Baltimore,” Woodruff said. “He said ‘Wow, nothing can compare to this.’ ”
Woodruff is back in Belgrade for two weeks and plans to play the course at least 10 times. And his brother?
“(He’s) flying up here Saturday to play golf four days and go back.” Woodruff said.
Little has changed since the public course opened 10 years ago. The view from the elevated first tee and putting green of Long Lake to the left and Great Pond to the right remains one of the most picturesque vistas in Maine golf. On a clear day, the Longfellow Mountains come into view as well as a distant Mt. Washington.
The brainchild of philanthropist Harold Alfond, the course was built on 240 acres once owned by Realtor Ken Bartlett. Gail Rizzo and Pat Donahue are the developers who first identified the property for Alfond, a Belgrade resident who loved the game.
John Alfond is the majority owner today, while Ted Alfond took over Harold’s remaining stock after he died last year.
The right architect
A number of nationally known designers bid on the $10 million project to build the course, but it was little-known British architect Clive Clark who got the job.
Alfond and managing general partner Kyle Evans were impressed with Clark’s freehand drawings and attention to detail. Clark probably sealed his hiring when he told Alfond “it’s going to look like Maine.”
While many big-name designers show up for three or four days during the job, Clark spent more than 30 days on site.
“Clive was a little more hungry,” Evans said. “He listened a little more than the others did. He turned out to be the right guy for the job.”
Clark, who played on Ryder and Walker Cup teams, had designed more than 20 courses in Europe, but Belgrade was his first major project in the United States. He has since designed Hideway Club in La Quinta, Calif., and Lake Winnipessaukee in New Hampshire.
Clark incorporated the trees, shrubs and ponds that existed on the property and, most of all, the rocks and boulders, thousands of them left over from the last glacier.
Instead of removing them, he just moved them to the side of fairways. Rare is the golfer who at one time or another has not seen his ball ricochet off one of the giant rocks.
Clark also employed a European touch on many holes, lining some bunkers with railroad ties and others with sod. The fairways are fairly wide and forgiving, with bailout areas for a right-hander’s slice, and many of the tee shots are downhill.
http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/sports/stories/967901725.html
Staff photo by Joe Phelan
"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me'."
Erma Bombeck (1927-1996)
Erma Bombeck (1927-1996)
