Constant improvements make Maple Leaf popular course

By STEVE HUFFMAN

  KERNERSVILLE - Back in the early '80s, Bill Lankford, a Walkertown native, was working for Container Corp. of America in Wildwood, Fla., when his brother-in-law, Don Charles, called.

  Charles told Lankford he was planning to sell Maple Leaf Golf Club, which was then a nine-hole course. Charles had built the facility on Hastings Road and was also operating it.

  Charles asked Lankford if he was interested in buying into the course and managing it.

  Lankford, who had worked for Container Corp. for 29 years, said the decision wasn't easy.

  "It was one of the biggest of my life," he said. "I finally just decided to take a chance on it."

  In 1984, Lankford moved back to the Triad and became manager of Maple Leaf. He also bought into the course. Lankford now owns it along with Charles and Larry Mabe, a friend.

  Despite the countless hours involved in running the course, Lankford, 66, said he's glad he made the move back to North Carolina.

  "I've got no complaints," he said. "It's been a lot of work, but nothing in life worth having comes easy."

  Maple Leaf has undergone some dramatic changes since Lankford became its owner and operator. The course, which opened in 1980, was expanded to 18 holes in 1988. The facility now covers 138 acres.

  Maple Leaf's front and back nines were both built by Charles. Charles also designed the back nine while the front nine was designed by Ellis Maples.

  Now, both Charles and Mabe are pretty much hands-off owners, leaving the day-to-day operation of Maple Leaf up to Lankford.

  Lankford said he and his staff are constantly working to improve the course. Over the past year, five new tee boxes have been added to Maple Leaf and the par-71 facility has been lengthened.

  Whereas Maple Leaf used to measure 6,024 yards from the championship tees and 5,655 from the men's tees, the course has been expanded to 6,100 yards and almost 6,000 yards, respectively.

  "Our front nine is pretty tight, you've got to keep your tee shot in play," Lankford said. "The back nine is a little more wide open."

  Lankford said Maple Leaf's greens may be the course's strong suit, able to rival those found on bigger and more prestigious facilities.

  The course's reasonable rates have attracted a loyal following, with teenagers, senior citizens and everyone in between frequenting the facility.

The golf teams from Glenn High School and Union Grove Christian School also use Maple Leaf as their home course.

  The ice storms of this past winter left their mark on Maple Leaf. A huge oak tree that once flanked the 18th fairway was lost to ice. Over the years, the tree caught more than its share of shots, leaving Lankford to wonder aloud if the curses of golfers had somehow played a role in the tree's demise.

  "We've lost our monument," Lankford said, grinning as he pointed to the huge tree's stump.