Players in Maine State Golf Association weekly amateur tournaments play for the usual prizes along with the satisfaction of having a good round and the enjoyment of being with their links buddies.

Starting Friday at Biddeford-Saco Country Club, they’ll have an added incentive to hone their games. The Harris Cup, sponsored by Harris Golf, is a season-long point system leading to end-of-the-year prizes for golfers in classes A, B, C and D. Like the FedEx Cup on the PGA Tour, players at weekly amateurs can accumulate points.

The top amateurs in the state gain points at MSGA events that go toward the Player of the Year competition. The Harris Cup is for golfers of all abilities. At the end of the 30 weekly amateurs, the top five point earners in gross and net divisions for classes A, B, C and D will win prizes. That’s a total of 40 prizes.

The top prize is a $750 gift certificate, good for rounds of golf at any Harris Golf facility or for merchandise in its various pro shops. Second prize is 18 holes for four with carts at Falmouth Country Club. Third, fourth and fifth prizes are the same deals at Sunday River, Old Marsh and Penobscot Valley, respectively.

There are no added entry fees for the Harris Cup.

“A golfer is in the Harris Cup automatically just by being a part of the weekend tournament,” said Matt Barnard, director of marketing for Harris Golf.

“We want to create something that’s exciting because we believe in the mission of the Maine State Golf Association.”

ACCORDING TO statistics, the odds of an average golfer making a hole-in-one stand at 150,000-to-1. The odds of two players in the same foursome acing the same hole is 17 million-to-one.

What Ted Everest and Bob Lawson achieved last week at Dunegrass Country Club in Old Orchard Beach falls closer to those latter odds. They each scored a hole-in-one on the back nine. Everest aced the 175-yard 13th hole and Lawson aced the 155-yard 17th. They were in a foursome with Mike Lee of Riverside and John Smart of Old Orchard Beach. Everest, Lawson and Smart are Dunegrass members. Lawson parlayed his hole-in-one into an even-par 72, the best round of the group.

TEE TO GREEN: The first Windham/Raymond athletics golf tournament will be played June 16 at Point Sebago Golf Resort. The cost is $400 for a foursome. In addition to golf and a cart, the price includes lunch, contests, raffle prizes and a free round of golf at Point Sebago at a later date. The price of a cart is required on the return visit. For more information, contact the Windham athletic department at 893-2182 or rdrummond@windham raymondschools.org.

Sunday River Golf Course in Newry will open Wednesday. It will be the earliest opening in course history.

The Maine Junior Golf Card has expanded to the Greater Portland area. The card gives golfers ages 17 and under a 50 percent discount in greens fees at over 19 participating golf courses in Maine in 2012. There are also other golf-related discounts. They are available for $29 at the Golf and Ski Warehouse in Scarborough and online at juniorgolfcards.com. A portion of the proceeds benefits the First Tee of Maine.

Anyone interested in becoming a player representative from their course to the MSGA should contact Sam Marzenell, director of player development for the MSGA, at 829-3549.

Staff Writer Tom Chard can be reached at 791-6419 or at: tchard@pressherald.com

Twitter: TomChardPPH