By Joel Beall
New Hampshire police officer Justin Maguire was growing tired of arresting Mark Yphantis. The 58-year-old Yphantis had been cited and arrested on multiple occasions for heavy drinking, with Maguire the attending enforcement on many of these incidents.

Despite the spur for their encounters, the two developed a rapport, one that was based on a mutual love of golf. So Maguire, wanting Yphantis to put an end to his self-destructive tendencies, challenged Yphantis: if he could get and stay sober, he would take Yphantis on a round of golf.

In January, Yphantis went into rehab, and as of the end of April, he is more than 100 days sober. Though a long battle remains, Yphantis received a gift on April 24: a set of new clubs from Maguire, donated by Golf and Ski Warehouse. Two days later, Maguire was able to get a local country club to donate 10 free rounds to Yphantis.

Maguire, who runs the Greater New England Golf Expo to raise money for charities serving the needs of underprivileged children, wanted Yphantis to know his recovery was something to be celebrated.

“Alcohol is a tough thing,” Maguire told the manchesterinklink.com. “I truly don’t know if I thought he’d do it but I’m a man of my word. The last thing I wanted was any attention from this.

“I just wanted to do something nice for a guy who likes golf because that’s my passion too.”

As for the rest of the promise, Maguire said the two plan on teeing it up together soon.

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