Guilford Hires Golf Pro For the First Time

By Jack Kramer, Correspondent

GUILFORD, CT – An experienced golf professional has been hired to be the first ever golf pro at the Guilford Lakes Golf Course this year.

Michael Papp, who has been the golf professional at a golf course in Sherman, Connecticut, among others, was hired by the Guilford Lakes Golf Course Commission at its most recent meeting.

Papp will be paid $25,000 and work from April 1-November 15th, with the goal of the professional creating a junior’s program for the 9-hole course that has struggled financially. To sign up for Guilford breaking news alerts and more, click here.

The 17-year-old golf course is popular – more than 13,000 players used it last year. But, it isn’t a money-maker for Guilford.

Golf Course commission members estimate the town has been losing, in recent years, about $60,000 to $70,000 annually because of the cost of maintaining the links.

In an effort to shore up the course’s finances, the hiring of the contracted professional, was one of the moves the commission included in its recommended budget which was unanimously approved at its December meeting.

There were a total of four applicants for the position. Two withdrew and two, including Papp, were interviewed.

Papp, who has been working in various golf related positions for more than four decades, was hired.