With surprising early-spring temperatures teasing golfers, Rob Jarvis spent his first day as the head golf pro at the Bangor Municipal Golf Course on Monday.
Jarvis is replacing Brian Enman, who retired after serving as the head pro for 21 years.
Coincidentally, it was 21 years ago that Jarvis began working for Enman before becoming the assistant pro in 2000.
Enman had endorsed Jarvis to replace him, saying, “He’s put in his time, he’s very smart and knowledgeable and he loves the Bangor Municipal Golf Course.”
“He is going to be an excellent pro,” Tracy Willette, director of the Bangor Parks and Recreation Department, said on Monday. “He’s familiar with the facility and the members. It’s going to be a smooth transition.”
The course is owned by the city of Bangor.
“It’s certainly exciting,” said the 39-year-old Jarvis. “It has been a career goal of mine since I was a young man growing up and working at the course.
“I’ll be the third pro at Muni, and it’s neat that the three of us, Austin Kelly, Brian and myself, got to work together for one year in 1994,” said Jarvis.
Jarvis said the 27-hole layout is “very unique.
“I love the property, and it’s close to downtown,” said Jarvis who noted that several out-of-town golfers have mentioned that they like the fact the course is close to downtown, the Cross Insurance Center and the Hollywood Casino Hotel and Raceway.
“My focus will be on serving our members and the community,” he said.
Jarvis said he was “fortunate” that Enman included him in a lot of decisions, but he quickly acknowledged that it will be different now that he’s in charge.
“You won’t know what it’s like until you’ve done it yourself,” said Jarvis, who is working on establishing a program that will allow golfers to book tee times online or on their cellphones.
Jarvis became the first Maine pro to be named the president of the New England Professional Golfers’ Association last fall, and he said that will provide him with valuable networking opportunities and ideas.
He will be progressive and said he will be discussing ways to improve the “golf experience” with the members.
“You have to make sure you don’t become complacent. I’ll be looking for fresh ideas,” said Jarvis, a former Bangor High basketball player and a 2001 graduate of the University of Maine.
The Downeast Metro Amateur Golf Tournament, a two-day tournament involving both the Bangor Muni and the Kebo Valley Club in Bar Harbor, will return for the second straight year and will be held on June 11-12, he said.
The 50th annual Greater Bangor Open will be held be held on July 21-23.