CARIBOU, Maine — Members of the Jefferson Cary Foundation have announced that a new Junior championship will be added to the annual Cary Classic Benefit Golf Tournament, to be held July 11 and 12 at the Caribou Country Club.
Now in its 32nd year, the Cary Classic is a major fund-raising event for the foundation. This year’s major tournament sponsor is Katahdin Trust Company. Members of the planning committee have been working to increase the numbers of golfers who play in the tournament.
Peter Doebener, president of the Caribou Country Club and a member of the committee, said that adding a junior championship will not only add more golfers but is good for the future of the event.
“We think we can attract a number of talented young golfers to the tournament,” said Doebener. “We are looking for the best 15- to 18-year-old golfers in the County and beyond. Our hope is that they will get engaged with our tournament and continue to play for years to come.”
To play in the tournament, a junior golfer must be recommended by their golf coach and they must have a low 18-hole gross score of 105 or below. The junior will be placed in one of four mens or one of two ladies divisions, according to a confirmed handicap.
Jeff Jose, club professional at CCC, said that he supports the idea and hopes it will inspire more young golfers.
“If we are going to continue to build this tournament over the years we have to get more young people playing golf,” said Jose, a former tournament champion. “We really enjoy seeing young people on the course and promoting this idea of a junior championship may motivate other kids to take up the game with a goal of eventually playing in the Cary Classic.”
Shawn Anderson, also a member of the tournament planning committee and a former golf coach at Caribou High School, said that there are a number of talented young golfers in The County and they could offer some exciting play.
“I have seen some very talented young golfers in my coaching experience,” said Anderson, who is chief operating officer at Cary Medical Center. “We are really looking for the top high school golfers and they could offer some very interesting competitive play and bring a new level of excitement to the tournament.”
The top junior will receive a championship traveling trophy. The name of the golfer and their school will be engraved on the trophy which will travel to the school of each year’s winner. The champion will also receive a green jacket and a free entry into the next year’s tournament.
Mary Harrigan, executive director of the Jefferson Cary Foundation and coordinator of the Cary Classic, said that adding golfers to the event helps to build on the fund-raising aspect of the tournament.
“We are looking forward to the impact that the junior championship will have on our tournament,” said Harrigan. “We hope that we can generate some interest among high schools in The County and we will be reaching out to other parts of the state as well.”
Interested high school golfers will need to get a recommendation from their coach and officially register through the Caribou Country Club. Coaches may recommend the golfer in a letter to the Caribou Country Club, Attn: Jeff Jose, P. O. Box 633, Caribou, ME 04736. They may also call in the recommendation to Jose at 493-3393 and may also download a registration form at carymedicalcenter.org and mail it to CCC.
Registration fee for the tournament is $75 for CCC members and $85 for non-members. For more information, contact CCC or Harrigan at the Jefferson Cary Foundation at 493-4849.
