Hotham pleased with golf team
PRESQUE ISLE – The Owl golf team wraps up its season Oct. 17 at the Sunrise Conference Tournament at Natanis Golf Course in Vassalboro.
The team has put together a solid season under first-year coach Dan Hotham, who said the future also looks promising.
“I am in the process of working with UM-Machias, Maine Maritime Academy and UM-Augusta to develop a schedule whereby each school will host an invitational during the season. We will have ours like always and UMM, MMA and UMA will play in it and when the other schools host theirs, we will all travel to play it as well,” Hotham said. “This will give the players a solid four-match competitive schedule which we will supplement with the Colby tournaments, the Maine Intercollegiate and Sunrise Conference championships.”
In addition to tweaking the schedule, Hotham said he has also done some recruiting to bring in some personnel next fall to add to his current roster, which includes two seniors and three freshmen.
Mike Balmer of New Smyrna Beach, Fla. and Ellis Pelletier of Caribou have put together strong seasons to date.
“Mike is a very good player and has been the No. 1 player on the team since the first match,” Hotham said of the freshman, noting Balmer won medalist honors at the UMPI Invitational held Sept. 10 and in the home match against MMA Sept. 21. “He is a solid player and student upon which to build UMPI’s golf program.”
The coach is also satisfied with the performance of Pelletier, another talented first-year golfer.
“Ellis has a solid game and is a fiery competitor. He does not display any glaring weakness in any facet of the game but still could improve in all areas,” his coach said. “He has worked his way from the No. 5 spot to the No. 2 spot mostly because he has settled down, is not so nervous and is playing his game. He has posted solid scores at the Maine Intercollegiate, Colby Invitational and against MMA. I am glad to have him back next year.”
Rounding out the squad are seniors Chad Phillips of Dover-Foxcroft and Paul Rucci of Millinocket and freshman Randy Whitmore of Milford.
Hotham said Phillips is strong off the tee and has a good long and mid-iron game and has been a good team leader throughout the season. Rucci took last year off but returned for his senior year and is working hard on his mechanics, Hotham said. Whitmore is the team’s “best student of the game and absorbs suggestions like a sponge,” according to the coach, who added Whitmore is not long off the tee but is “extremely accurate and consistent and possesses a good short game.”
Hotham said his coaching experience this fall has been positive.
“This has been a fine group of young men who are respectful, responsible and students of the game. They also share my passion for the great game of golf,” he said. “I look forward to growing the UMPI program and creating a tradition of being competitive as well as graduating outstanding young men and women.”
Contributed photo
OWL GOLF TEAM – Members of the UM-Presque Isle golf team are, from left, Paul Rucci, Mike Balmer, Chad Phillips, head coach Dan Hotham, Dylan Flewelling, Ellis Pelletier and Randy Whitmore.
