Golf Tournament History | MaineHealth Memorial Hospital

For over 35 years, the MaineHealth Memorial Hospital Open Golf Tournament has rewarded participants, the hospital and the community by raising funds for needed equipment and community programs offered by MaineHealth Memorial Hospital, a not-for-profit 25-bed Critical Access Hospital located in North Conway, N.H.

The first tournament was created in 1980 by the late Lee Harmon (1929-1995), then of the Jack Frost Shop, and former Christmas Farm Inn co-owner and U.S. Rep. Bill Zeliff, who served in Congress representing the First District from 1991-1997.

Shown here at the 1999 tournament: Joe Rivers, Jonathan Rivers, Steve Eastman, Tom Eastman

Then and now, the goal for the tournament was to raise some funds for the hospital, while having fun at the same time. The event has raised over $800,000 over its long history, purchasing many pieces of life saving equipment and supporting community health programs.

"On the day of the tournament, the entire valley, including volunteers and players, comes together and enjoys the day for the benefit of the hospital," said Zeliff in an interview. "It is a day off for a good cause! Furthermore, we want to recognize what a great asset we have in our Memorial Hospital and as a citizen of the Mount Washington Valley, to pay tribute to the hospital and their employees."

Always a gifted promoter, Zeliff has used his political strings to add to the tournament's luster by enticing New Hampshire political and media figures to be part of the tournament.

WMUR TV 9's veteran news anchor Tom Griffith and former sports announcer Charlie Sherman were regulars, as were Steve Minich of WMTW Ch. 8, Gov. John H. Sununu and family, and Gov. Judd Gregg. In later years, locally-raised Emmy Award-winning actor Gordon Clapp of "NYPD Blue" fame came on board, and rarely missed a tournament.

"I played all six years I was governor," said Sununu, who served as New Hampshire's 75th governor from 1983 to 1989, and was White House Chief of Staff for President George H. W. Bush from 1989 to 1991.

VIPs were part of a pre-tournament ritual involving surgical scrubs. Shown here NH Governor John Sununu (far left) and US Representative Bill Zeliff (second from right) with two unidentified golfers.

"During my years as governor, I really did try and give a lot of focus to the recreational economy of the state and be as much a part of it as I could: the press generally would cover wherever I went as governor, and the more I could generate news stories that would help people understand the family fun that New Hampshire had to offer, I was happy to do it," said Sununu, who, like the other celebrity participants, always donned hospital medical "scrubs" attire for publicity shots to help promote the tourney.

Fellow celebrity golfer and actor Gordon Clapp, continued to play in the hospital tourney whenever his schedule permitted.

"Playing in the tourney is a way to give back — I was born at Memorial Hospital. Plus, it's always great to see old friends, including classmates," said Clapp, in an interview from his Norwich, Vt., home. 

Among the key individuals who were involved with the tournament are former longtime chair Dan Jones, Bayard Kennett, Gail Paine, Joanne Sutton,  Dixie Coleman of A.J. Coleman and Sons, a longtime sponsor; Bill Weiss of Crest Auto World; Michael Tolley of the Tolley Group, Presenting Sponsor for more than a decade; Jim Sheehan, now retired but formerly with longtime sponsors Silver Brothers (now Amoskeag Beverages LLC); and former hospital community relations/development coordinator, Joan Phillips.

This photo taken in the mid-1980s shows event sponsors gathering before the tournament. In the front row far left are Bill Zeliff, John Sununu, and tournament co-founder Leland Harmon.

Perhaps best summing up the volunteers' commitment to the tournament was Jones, a Realtor with REMAX/Presidential of North Conway, who recently relinquished his chairmanship duties:

"I got involved because I was on the hospital board of directors from 1980 to 1989," said Jones. "I have served because of my connection to the hospital and my feeling that it is such an asset to this community: to have the quality of this hospital right here is important to all of us in this community. You don't realize it 'till you need it. Our goal has been to make the hospital the best we can by supporting it."

Tom Mulkern, Joe Rivers and Gordon Clapp

'GRAZING ON THE GREEN'

Over the years, the food aspects of  the tournament have evolved into a fabulous food extravaganza for golfers, organizers and volunteers alike, known as "The Grazing on the Green."

Joanne Sutton, who has has been a jack of all trades with the tournament from the beginning, assisting Lee Harmon and Bill Zeliff and others, says the "Grazing on the Green" is eagerly looked forward to. "The food is fabulous," she said, noting that she has worked with local chefs on the golf feast.

Dan Jones, Gordan Clapp and Kevin Walker

Former trustee and longtime tournament committee member Gail Paine said that originally, the focus of the fundraising was on hospital equipment.

"When we started out, it was specifically to raise funds that were needed but which were not included in the hospital budget. I remember one year the doctors needed to expand the hospital medical library. In those days, no one had iPads, so I remember (former longtime hospital executive director Gary Poquette) was very happy that we could do that," said Paine. "I think the first year we bought an Isolette, an incubator for premature infants. Another year, we bought defibrillators to be placed in schools and public places in the valley."

Diane Snow, MD – former president of Memorial’s Medical staff; with Dr. Alan Goldenhar

CHILDREN'S HEALTH

In recent years, Kathy Bennett, who served as MaineHealth Memorial Hospital's vice president of community relations and development, and fellow golf committee member Mary Vigeant, APRN, worked to develop  programs that teach healthy lifestyles with local youth.

In recognition of its 35th anniversary, the event honored its founders and long time supporters as honorary committee members, without whom the event would not be possible. Those included:

• Honorary Co-Chairs - Joanne Sutton and Dan Jones
• Founders - William Zeliff and Leland Harmon

Long-time Supporting Committee Members - Cal and Bob Minton; Prudence Plusch; Gail Paine; Nancy Lundquist; Pauline Rouillard; Jean Webb; Sharon Malenfant; Jayne Geddes; Karen Cole and Joan Lanoie. Like each year's winner of the prestigious Masters Tournament held every April in Augusta, Ga., all involved — players, sponsors, committee members and volunteers, and staff — should get a green jacket for their efforts over the years to make the MaineHealth Memorial Hospital Open such a successful fundraiser for the community hospital.