President’s Blog April 2026
“Stay Humble”
I always look forward to the April blog. The snow is melting rapidly, and spring is in the air. I apologize for not forwarding a blog for March. I wrote one but got caught up in the travelling mode and didn’t send it to the editor until it was too late. I promise to do better now that I can see green grass in Lovell.
The course has somehow survived the long, cold winter. We have been very busy cleaning up limbs and debris as well as finishing up our “giant sandtrap” on the first green. The driving range is moving forward every day. We hope to have electricity next week and tee irrigation after that. We don’t have a date to open the range yet but be sure to stay tuned because this is the year.
I drove by the course last week and saw a married couple out for a walk around the links. They are some of my favorite people and I was very happy to see them enjoying the day. I thought how nice it is that our course can be a happy haven for golf but also just a place to enjoy life. Yesterday I got to experience this phenomenon in person. We brought over our small excavator, and my son Kyle carefully and skillfully dug 200’ of waterline ditch for the second tee. My wife picked out the roots, and I got to run the shovel (a little). It was the best day of 2026 for me and one that I will never forget. It’s amazing how LKCC can do that to you.
My wife and I attended the spring conference of the Maine Athletic directors in Rockland last week. I have truly enjoyed going to this event for many years. They have great motivational speakers and work very hard to build athletes into successful adults. We have sponsored the closing breakfast for several years. Somehow the executive director failed to tell me who the speaker was going to be. We walked into the breakfast and up front at the podium it said, “Mr. Kevin Hancock, Hancock Lumber”. I was so excited. Kevin walked into the conference room and made his rounds welcoming everyone. He grabbed my hand, gave me a hug and said “Brad how are you? It is great to see you.” Any time that you get to converse with an icon in your profession, it is a great day. I could write 10 pages about Kevin. His generosity, having to run the family business at 31 when his father died prematurely, fighting off bankruptcy in the crash of 2008 or completely losing his voice and being told by many doctors that he would never speak again. He is an amazing man!
My close friend Mr. Durgin has been the executive Director of this organization for more than a decade. He plans the entire conference, fills the vendor hall with vendors and recruits all the speakers. This was his final year at the helm, and it was emotional for everyone. At the final dinner, we watched AD’s from every conference in Maine get up front and shower him with accolades and gifts. I am sure he was overwhelmed by the end of it. He is a very proud man and he should be. He has worked tirelessly for all the students in Maine and also the AD’s. He has a tremendous family and a wonderful wife (thank God)! He has always done the right thing for kids even if it was not the most popular path. As the wives retired for the evening, he and I sat in the lounge and took a deep breath. He had made the decision to step down but his desire to lead will never go away. He looked at me and said “We all know what we do. It is nice to be recognized for it, but it is very important to stay humble.” Thanks for letting me tag along for the ride Durg. It has been a blast!
In 2 weeks, we will open the doors for the 2026 season. I am looking forward to another great year and seeing everyone at the course. Love your friends, family and most importantly yourself. Always remember to “Stay Humble”!
Yours in Golf,
Brad
