The fact that the second annual Tournament of Champions is scheduled Oct. 3 and 4 means that a dream has come true.

A year ago at this time, it simply was a dream, because no one was certain that the four Lewiston-Auburn area clubs being asked to participate in this event would comply. Fox Ridge, Martindale, Poland Spring and Fairlawn did compete, and Fox Ridge became the first-ever winner of the inaugural Tournament of Champions.

John Lever, president of the Fairlawn Men’s Golf Association and its 2014 club champion, created the tournament a year ago. That was his dream, and once it was held it was decided by the four golf clubs that the defending champion would be responsible for organizing the event each year in the future. Diane Darling, head of administration at Fox Ridge, has communicated with the other three clubs and has the Fox Ridge team in place.

A total of 16 players — four from each club — will be involved in the stroke play tournament. The participants from the four clubs are the men’s champion, ladies’ champion, ‘A’ Flight champion and senior champion.

Darling said Fox Ridge’s four players are set: Craig Chapman, club champ; Stephanie Rodrigue, ladies club champ; Steve Booker, senior champ and Colby Gilbert, ‘A’ Flight champ. The other three clubs have not yet submitted their lineups.

“There was a little bit of a problem last year with the time between courses,” Darling said. “So we have adjusted the tee times.”

On Oct. 3 the day will start with the 16 players teeing off at 10 a.m. at Martindale, where they will play nine holes. Action resumes at 2 p.m. with nine holes at Fox Ridge. On Oct. 4, the day begins at 10 a.m. with nine holes at Fairlawn, and concludes with nine holes at 2 p.m. at Poland Spring.

“The travel time between Martindale and Fox Ridge, and between Fairlawn and Poland Spring, is minimal,” Darling said, indicating that players will have time for lunch between the morning nine and the afternoon nine, because they will even have to leave the town in which they start the day of golf.

Over the years, having an area golf tournament of champions has been the subject of discussion many times on the 19th hole, but it is now a reality and a tradition, involving two clubs from Auburn and two from Poland.

Hat story

Back in June, this column recommended a few Father’s Day gifts. One was a Cool Core golf hat called a “Faroe” and made by Imperial, which claims that hat reduces head heat by 30 percent. It was worn all summer by this writer, and the head perspiration was kept to a minimum, which means the experiment was successful, and the claim is valid.

Funny story about the hat. On Sept. 2 in the weekly senior tournament at Fairlawn, this writer’s first fairway shot, a sand wedge to the 17th green, was hit well but to the right of the pin, slightly off the green. As I put my club into my bag, I felt something on the hat, so I reached for it. Turns out, it was a six-inch divot, which landed softly on the brim of the cap, in all probability a shot which never again will be duplicated, at least by this golfer.

Imperial, this weekend, is the official headgear of the Solheim Cup (ladies professional golfers, U.S. vs. Europe) which is being conducted at St. Leon-Rot, near Heidelberg, Germany. Information on the CoolCore hat is available at 800-950-1916, or online at immperialsports.com.

MSGA tournament slate

The Maine State Golf Association schedule for the week includes the completion of the Maine Collegiate Championship at Fairlawn today. The MSGA is overseeing that event. In addition. the MSGA will conduct a Mid-Week Special Thursday at Prout’s Neck and its regular Weekend Tournament Friday at Saturday at Dutch Elm. The MSGA “championship season” has concluded.

New England PGA

Chad Hopkins of The Meadows and Nick Glicos of Martindale cleaned up Sept. 15 at the Cape Arundel Pro-Am, sponsored by the New England PGA.

The Hopkins team of Dennis Webber, Tim Malia and Ed Chase carded a 124 for the best team score and Hopkins won the best Ball of 4 with Webber, Malia and Jeff Freeman (129). Glicos’s team of Wayne Hackett, Scott Lever and Rick Tremblay was sixth with 130, but Glicos won low pro by shooting a 68 and a tie for first in the Pro-Pro Blind draw with Ben Morey of Spring Meadows, combining for 66.

Morey’s team of Sokha Meas, Tim St. Pierre and Sal Em tied for sixth at 130, while Bob Darling of Fox Ridge was sixth in the best ball of 4 with Moe Ouellette, Ron Giroux and Ray Vachon (137).

On Sept. 17 in the Maine Chapter New England PGA at York, in the team two best balls of four, the Martindale foursome of Glicos, Tim Flaherty, Kyle Bouffard and Andrew Slattery (135) finished third, while The Meadows group of Hopkins, Webber, Malia and Tim St. Pierre (136) tied for fourth. Glicos an Mark L’Heurex (69) were first in the pro blind draw.