Tabers first in area to open miniature golf course - Lewiston Sun Journal

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Carter Blenager, left, gets a fist bump from his friend, Caiden Strout, after Carter scored a hole-in-one Tuesday afternoon at Tabers Restaurant, Miniature Golf, & Driving Range in Auburn. The boys, both from Auburn, were with Carter’s grandmother playing on the course for the first time this year as the entire facility is finally able to fully open, with a few restrictions in place. Carter hopes to get out on a real golf course this Friday. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal Buy this Photo

AUBURN — Dan Brochu was excited to be outside again. Sunny skies and mild temperatures made for a perfect day to play some golf — miniature golf, that is.

Brochu was among the few people Tuesday afternoon taking advantage of the weather to get a round of miniature golf in at Tabers Restaurant, Miniature Golf & Driving Range.

“It’s such a beautiful day,” Brochu said.

Tabers opened its miniature golf course and driving range Monday. It’s takeout restaurant has been open since early May.

Carter Blenager moves into position to putt on the 11th hole Tuesday afternoon at Tabers Restaurant, Miniature Golf & Driving Range in Auburn. Carter and a friend were with Carter’s grandmother playing on the course for the first time this year as the entire facility is finally able to fully open, with a few restrictions in place. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal Buy this Photo

Founded in 1941, Tabers is an Auburn institution and gathering place for family and friends that overlooks Lake Auburn. The course now includes a couple of water features, including an 18-foot water fall. It’s opening usually signals the start of spring, but due to COVID-19 the usual opening on the Thursday before April school vacation was delayed until June 1, owner Dan Hargreaves said.

“There’s a lot of interpretation to the rules,” Hargreaves said. “We feel that we have opened responsibly.”

The flags on each hole sit in the ground behind each green. Inside each hole is a blue pool noodle to prevent the golf ball from dropping deep into the cup. All putters are wiped down between use. Groups of more than eight are not allowed on the same hole.

Hargreaves is considering having players call ahead for tee times on weekends, “depending on how busy we are.”

“People are delighted that we’re open,” Hargreaves said. “They now have some place where they can go.”

The driving range is keeping every other stall open for social distancing.

Reinhold Hergeth, the men’s and women’s golf coach at Bates College, was hitting a bucket of golf balls on the driving range while admiring the scenery. It was his first time hitting balls at Tabers. For the past couple of weeks he had used the driving range at Roy’s Golf Center on Route 4 in Auburn.

“This place is beautiful,” said Hergeth, a native of South Africa “With the lake right there, that is so ridiculous. That is precious.”

Brochu, who started playing in miniature golf tournaments a couple of years ago, played his round without partners to practice for those upcoming tourneys, including one at Tabers tentatively scheduled for later this summer, he said. Those tournaments attract professional miniature golfers from southern New England and New York, who will shoot a score of 32 or lower for 18 holes, he added.

Roy’s Golf Center hopes to open its miniature golf course later this week and perhaps as early as Wednesday. The business is still working out details on social distancing before reopening. Its takeout stand has been open for a couple of weeks.

“We’re still trying to button everything up,” said a spokesperson at Roy’s.

Fenn Park, part of Poland Spring Resort, is not open. A spokesperson said she was not sure when the miniature golf course on Route 26 will open.

Carter Blenager, right, watches his friend, Caiden Strout, fish his ball out of a water hazard Tuesday afternoon at Tabers Restaurant, Miniature Golf & Driving Range in Auburn. The boys, both from Auburn, were with Carter’s grandmother playing on the course for the first time this year as the entire facility is finally able to fully open, with a few restrictions in place. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal Buy this Photo

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Tabers first in area to open miniature golf course - Lewiston Sun Journal

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