Daily Tee

AT MONTCALM GOLF CLUB IN ENFIELD, NEW HAMP- shire, it’s all about golf, and only golf: There’s no pool, no bar, no tennis. That’s exactly the way its founder, Sigler, wanted it. The former longtime CEO of Champion Paper Co. spent four years building his dream course, which opened in 2004 and has received rave reviews ever since. Set on a scenic, hilly 358 acres, Montcalm is considered one of the best courses in all of New England. It’s also a tough track. “You’re not going to score here easily,” says Sigler, a former 5 handicap who says he’s at his private course every day and still “fools around” on it.

A former College trustee (1989-99), Sigler has well- honed business and management skills that came into play when construction began. “The hardest thing was dealing with all the ledge we had to blast out,” he says. But Sigler, a former member at a certain club in Augusta, Georgia, did not give precise instructions to his architect and builders. “If you give too much detailed direction to someone, they’ll soon rely on you for everything,” says the man who sounds as if he’s run a large company and served on a number of corporate boards, from GE to Bristol-Myers—which he has. After inspecting 18 meticulously maintained greens and fairways by cart, Sigler sits back on the porch of his unas- suming clubhouse and waves to a foursome heading toward the first tee. He doesn’t hesitate when asked why he wanted to build his own golf course. “Why not?” he says. “What else are you going to do when you retire?”

A former 5 handicap, the owner says his father “dragged me to the course when I was a kid.” >>>>