Published June 3, 2020
SAGAMORE SPRING GOLF CLUB on Main St. is working hard to provide the community with a safe round of golf during these trying times. (Courtesy Photo)
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
LYNNFIELD — This year has been an unprecedented one in the 91-year history of the Sagamore Spring Golf Club on Main Street near the Peabody border.
At the start, it looked like it was going to be a banner year as the club was able to open in the first week of March due to the mild winter.
However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that all changed when the state courses were all shut down on March 23.
While courses around the country never closed in some states and opened in April in others, Massachusetts became the second-to-last state to reopen the courses back on May 8. New Hampshire opened on May 11.
During the shutdown, the Alliance of Massachusetts Golf Organizations was trying to petition Gov. Charlie Baker to get the courses open but Baker held back.
“It was extremely frustrating,” admitted Sagamore assistant pro Tim Doucette, about the shutdown. “It is an outdoor activity and has social distancing.”
The course was active in March but that was more than offset with the nearly month and a half of closure.
“We had walking only that first few weeks and we were extremely busy,” recalled Doucette.
The only people allowed at the course during the shutdown were Superintendent Jerry Dunklee and his assistant Phil Miclie to keep the course maintained.
“They have done a great job of keeping the course in shape,” stated Doucette.
Some of the restrictions implemented by the state are no rakes for the bunkers, no ball washers or water dispensers and the pin cannot be touched as the holes have cushions so the ball can easily be picked up.
The clubhouse is closed, as you have to be at a window to pay for your greens fee. There is also a limited menu for food and drinks at another window at the back of the clubhouse.
The driving range and practice green are closed and driving carts can only be shared by people who live together.
Port-o-potties have also been brought in.
Sagamore has had to cut back its staff and have been working with a skeleton crew since the reopening. The course has also lost 50 percent of its tee times due to the fact that new rules state that there has to be 15 minutes between tee-times instead of the normal seven or eight minute intervals.
There is also currently no leagues and some of the bigger leagues have also canceled the entire year while the smaller ones are hoping to get started later. Those leagues, if they do get started, will extend their season into October to make up for the lost time.
Due to the lost tee times, the rates have gone up. It is $65 to play 18 holes and $38 for nine. Driving carts are $13 for nine holes and $20 for 18.
Doucette emphasizes, that when the restrictions are lifted, the rates will drop to their 2019 prices. On weekdays it will be $46 for 18 holes and $28 for nine. On weekends it will be $53 for 18 and $30 for nine.
Sagamore will then be able to hire everybody back as well.
“I hope people can understand that we are just trying to survive,” explained Doucette, about the raised fees. “I will be really excited to get back to normal.”
