HOULTON, Maine — The Houlton Community Golf Course has a new superintendent to keep the course in tip-top shape for 2021.
Jason Renaud was named the new course superintendent for HCG earlier this spring, taking over the position from Mike Fleming.
While Renaud may not be familiar with all of the intricacies of the Houlton Community Golf Course, he is certainly no stranger to the sport of golf.
A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Renaud’s family has summered in southern Maine for several years.
“I really just wanted a change,” Renaud said of the move from Florida to Maine. “One of my brothers had already made the move to Maine, and I just love the state so much.”
Renaud said he found the superintendent position advertised online, did some research and accepted the position without ever visiting northern Maine.
“I was able to gather enough information from all of my conversations with the people here, and everyone was just so down to earth,” he said. “The people here are so nice and truly care. The vibes were great and that is what sold me on the job. Now that I am here, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
Renaud said the job has been everything he anticipated and more.
“This is a very unique golf course,” he said. “It’s a nine-hole course that plays as an 18-hole course. I have worked at some high-end golf courses, and this course is everything that I have been looking for.”
Renaud got his start working at golf courses at the age of 19 and has spent the past 25 years honing his skills. For several years he worked at the prestigious TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
His role as superintendent entails making sure the course is well manicured, free of debris and properly hydrated.This past winter was particularly tough in terms of downed tree limbs, because of a storm with heavy wet snow and high winds.
Houlton Community Golf Course is a scenic lakeside golf course in New Limerick located on Nickerson Lake, according to the course’s website. It was designed and developed in the early 1900s and features “gently rolling fairways, well manicured tee boxes, and immaculately kept greens, each elevated and with its own special character.”
The unique layout of the course allows a golfer to play it as a challenging nine-hole, par-36, with two par 3s and two par 5s. Golfers can also play 18 holes with the back 9 offering plenty of diversity, with only one par 3 and one par 5, by using seven different tee boxes and an 18th green.
The course officially opened on April 19, which is one of the earliest opening dates in recent memory. It also coincided with Renaud’s first day on the job.
In addition to Renaud, the Lakeside Restaurant will also see two new familiar faces as Bill Roderick and Nancy Levin have decided to return to Houlton. The couple operated the Lakeside Restaurant for four years before handing the reins over to Aaron Paul, the couple’s longtime chef, in 2020. Paul will also remain at Lakeside this year, working with Roderick and Levin.
For information or to book a tee time or reservation at the restaurant, call 207-532-2662.
