Poland Spring pro gets radio job through hockey

Poland Spring golf pro Mark Malloy isn't a celebrity, but he could be.

Bill Kennedy, Golf Columnist Darin Slover/Sun Journal

Malloy is in his first year as a golf guest on WJJB Radio with his PM Jab golf segment on Wednesday afternoons, and his extensive knowledge of New England golf and the PGA Tour has been a great asset to the show’s hosts, Javier Goriti and Eli Canfield.

Malloy, 59, is a veteran PGA professional who served as head pro at Sunday River and Bethel Inn Resort before joining the staff at Poland Spring seven years ago. He and head pro John King are longtime friends. He met King when King was the pro at Riverside, and the two worked together at Bethel from 1991 to 1994, when they started an instruction program there, the Guaranteed Performance School of Golf.

“We've known each other for over 30 years,” King said. “When I took the job at Poland Spring, I had no hesitation in hiring Mark. There's no one I'd rather work with.”

If you're wondering how he ended up with the PM Jab, it's because Malloy played high school hockey — Gority's first love — and played goalie at the University of Maine during its hockey glory days. The two met when Malloy was at Bethel and have remained friends ever since.

PM Jab's golf segment usually airs on Wednesdays around 4:30 p.m. It's live, not recorded, and the questions for Malloy are not rehearsed.

“I have no idea what I'm going to be asked,” Malloy said, and he doesn't have much time to prepare: “Javier tells me three minutes before.”

At Poland Spring, Malloy handles a variety of duties, including running the pro shop, organizing events and teaching lessons. Sometimes the work starts early, like the Fen Ross Tournament on June 4, which Malloy helped organize starting at 5:30 a.m.

Malloy doesn't mind getting out of the Bethel home he shares with his wife, Susan, whom he has been married to for 32 years. The couple have two children, Samantha and Jack, and two granddaughters, Maeve and Ruby. None of them play golf, but Malloy hopes they might get interested in the sport.

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Maine Golf will host six qualifiers for the Maine Amateur, which will be held July 9-11 at Purp Dock in Cape Elizabeth.

Fourteen players, including nine area golfers, qualified at Martindale on June 4. Steve Lissette of Martindale shot a 1-under 70, and Ashley Fifield and Richard Paradis, both of Martindale, shot 73. The remaining area qualifiers were Daniel Buttenette of Poland Spring (74), Kelly Cates of Martindale (75), Mike Brennan of Norway (76), Adam Pullin of Martindale (76), Jonathan Letourneau of Fox Ridge (76) and Chad Allen of Point Sebago (77), who won a playoff for the final spot.

On June 6 at Biddeford Saco, Len Cole of Martindale shot 73 to qualify.

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Point Sebago has scheduled three demo days: TaylorMade on June 16, Callaway on June 23 and Cobra on June 29. Interested players should contact the course for times.

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Maine Golf has scheduled a girls play day for June 17th at Belgrade Lakes and a boys play day for June 21st at Bridgeton Highlands.

Bill Kennedy is a retired golf reporter and editor who currently resides on the shores of Thompson Lake in Otisfield, New Jersey, and is in his 12th season as the Sun Journal's golf columnist.

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