1967 TIMELINE AND STORIES OF THE MIAMI GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB

1967 Wardog Golf Team

Richard Varley's personal secretary, wife Carol, took this dictation.

I played on the MHS golf team from 1966-67, my freshman and sophomore years. My teammates were Charlie Grayson, Mark "Bones" Wojick, and Woody Painter. They played the state tournament at the OU golf course.  Notables on Stillwater HS team included Mark and Larry Hayes!! The War Dogs were neck and neck with them the first day but couldn't keep up after that. Monk Campbell was the sponsor whose soul responsibility was to keep an eye on them.  Mark Hayes, Ok Hall of Fame

My Junior High School golf was comprised of the same group with Claire Oliver as their coach, chauffeur, and stand in Mom. They traveled all over NE Oklahoma from Nowata, Tahlequah, Pryor and across state lines to Parsons,Kansas. This group also played summer tournaments together.  

We lived in Miami from 1959-1967. I could write a book on my memories. Gambling started at an early age with hours on the putting clock. Winnings began with cokes, peanuts, candy bars, and eventually dollar bills. Numerous times we were thrown off the golf course for fighting, which included the future MHS golf team plus John Robinson, Jr. After reports of boys fighting on the course, your Dad would roar out there in a golf cart and send us to the pool. Sometimes we were sent back to the course by the lifeguard for horseplay. Also, many times your Dad would go to the practice tee and work with each one of them. Afterwards, the boys shagged the balls. 

I recall having the opportunity to caddy for Susan Basolo, a great girl golfer from Muskogee. I caddied two different times. She was very cute.  Susan Basolo, Herstory @ Literally Letty

1967 March 26 "MHS Golfers to Play"

Miami high school golfers will play Thursday in the Parsons, Kansas Invitational high school tournament. This will be the first competition of the season for the War Dog linksmen. The four Miamians who will compete at Parsons will be determined by best scores in nine-hole rounds Tuesday and Wednesday at the Miami Country club.

The top four in previous tests consisted of Mark Wojcik, senior; Charles Grayson, sophomore; Woody Painter, senior; and Craig Tetirick, senior newcomer to the golf squad from Camp LeJeun, N.C., where his father, Samuel C. Hudson, served in the Navy before retirement.

Sophomore Richard Varley and freshman Mark Cordell are other members of the golf squad. Pending assignment of a regular coach for the MHS golfers, pre-season workouts have been in the charge of Jack Leake, head football coach. 

1967 March 26 "Country Club Bunny"

The Easter Bunny is bigger than she, but Amy Robinson's big, dark eyes rival her cuddly playmates. The bunny is at Miami Country club, where members children--those 10 and under--will attend an Easter party this afternoon. They will search for 500 candy eggs, and marshmallow bunnies under the direction of Mr. and Mrs. Pat Patterson, who also will award prizes. Among the hunters will be 18-month-old Amy, daughter of Mr and Mrs David Robinson, 706 Sixth Avenue Northeast. 

1967 April  "Stillwater High Golfers Capture Honors"

Stillwater high school golfers paced by senior Mark Hayes, swept all honors in the ninth annual Miami High School invitational golf tournament Monday, at the Miami Country Club. Eighteen high schools had teams in the meet. Temperatures of 51-52 degrees and gust winds prevailed. 

Stillwater's four-man total for the 18 holes was 321, five better than the 326 total score for runner-up Tulsa Edison. Hayes won medalist honors with 77.Two other members of the champion Stillwater foursome were senior, Dough Tewell, and sophomore Denny Tewell, who carded 81 and 83 respectfully. Medalist Hayes transferred to Stillwater from Okc Northeast last year. 

The meet was launched in 1958 and has been held here each year since then except in 1966, when authorization was not cleared in time from the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association.

Miami high school golfers finished 11th in the 18-team field with a total of 363.

1967 April 6  " 'Lot Easier Than I Thought,' Says Mantle of Switch to First Base"

1967 April 9  "For High School Golf"

1967 April 9  "Ladies Golf Notes"

Winners in Miami Ladies Golf the past week were: Beverly Jackson, championship; Lottie Mae Russell, Class A; Marge Smith, B; Pat Parker, C; and Joanne Burgess in beginners

Wednesday's play will be for low gross from the red tees. The pairings follow:

Championship: LaRue Gaines, Pat Horner, Letty Stapp, and Lib Lillard; Melba Cordell, Evelyn Hatfield and Yvonne Temple; Martha Campbell, Beverly Jackson, and Eva Williams; Cora Wilson, Sue Barnes, and Faye Berentz

Class A: Lottie Mae Russell, Clara Barton, Marylyn Adams; Joyce Rutter, Vera Elmburg, Mae Farrier; Dollie Humes, Hattie White, Noma Newman; Helen Moore, Lois Cowles, Erin Wojcik; Helen Jones, Hattie Wall, Elizabeth Hansford; Louise Whitney, Val Dale, Lois Garwood, and Mary VanBeber.

Class B: Gladys Wetzel, Virginia Romick, Sara Mirjanich; Barbara Gust, Gladyce Hirsch, Mavis Ford; Pauline Adkinson, Roma Dahl, Wanda Doan; Mayne Munson, Betty Ketcher, and Nancy Johnson.

1967 March 4  "Norse Third in 8-Team Rounds"

Northeastern A&M golfers finished third in an eight-team weekend golf tournament in Coffeyville.

Coffeyville was first and Hutchinson second. Coffeyville's Red Ravens were playing today in a dual meet at the Miami Country club. The Norse golfers will play OM and Oral Roberts U. golfers in the meet Tuesday at Tulsa's Rolling Hills club.

In the meet at Coffeyville, teams played 27 holes during intermittent rain the first day and 18 (long, author's memory) holes the final day. The f45-hole scores for NEO were: Steve Conatser 108, Ron Robinson 210; George Billows 214;  Letty Stapp 248.   

1967 Norsemen Golf Team: Letty Stapp, Steve Conatser, George Billows, Ron Robinson

 

1967 April 19  "Norse Golfers Post Victories"

Northeastern A&M golfers posted victories over Oral Roberts University and Oklahoma Military Academy in a triangular matches Tuesday on the Rolling Hills course in Tulsa. George Billows as medalist scored the decisive point as the Norsemen edged ORU 7-6, Billows shot a 77, best round of the day.

Results:  NEO 7, ORU 6--Ron Robinson (83) def. Martin (85) 3-0:  George Billows (77) def. Vandruff (84), 3-0; Steve Canaster (88) lost to Hickok (85), 0-3; Letty Stapp (94) lost to McAllister (82) 0-3.

NEO 8 1/2, OMA 3 1/2--Robinson (83) def. Jacobs, (84), 2-1; Billows (77) def. Davis (85) 3-0; Conaster (88) lost to Brown (79) 1/2 to 2 1/2; Stapp (94) def. Sasewich (110) 3-0.  **Keep in mind we walked and carried our golf bags and I played from the men's tees at all tournaments. 

1967 May 1  "Joplin Golfers Win Here"

Twin Hills golfers of Joplin totaled 66 1/2 points in the Tri-Club matches Sunday afternoon at the Miami Country club. Springfield's Twin Oaks delegation totaled 62 and Miami 51 1/2.

After two rounds of play, including the first two weeks ago at Springfield, Joplin leads with 137; Springfield ha 121 point and Miami 99.  

Stiff winds and slick greens handicapped the performances here Sunday, with only six out of 60 contestants bettering 80 on the par 72 course. Joe Brown of Springfield was medalist with 75 on nine-hole rounds of 37-38.

Dr. W. D. Jackson, who is in charge of the Miami team, was next with 39-39=78. Marvin Porter, Max Buchanan, Paul Carlson and Harry Robeson, all of Joplin, carded 79 each. 

The 18-hole scores for Miamians were:

Bob Klein 81, John Robinson 82, Dr. W.D. Jackson 78, Dr. W.D. Neal 91, Tom Cordell 86, Ron Robinson 82, Dick Lillard 81, Tom Forbes 88, Lloyd Tate 87, Bob Temple 88, Clarence Caskey 86, Jack Doan 93, Al White 96, Rex Painter 84, George Parker 89, Kermit Lewis 89, Charles Trussler 86, Marion Zajic 88, Woodrow Painter 97, and Bill Hirsch 90.

 1967 May 11  "NEO Golfers Bi-State Champions"

 

Sharing the spotlight at the Wednesday night NEO A&M sports banquet were Coach Kenneth Richards and members of the Norse golf team who won the Bi-State Conference golf championship a day earlier in Shawnee. From left are George Billows, Ron Robinson, Coach Richards, Letty Stapp, Steve Conatser. 

**Personal note: The summer of 1967 was my last full summer in Miami. I left for LSU in August and a year later July of 1968 I married, Don Rains.

As a child of a WWII veteran, I grew up with the reckoning that war kills, but I learned that war kills even people my age, even people I know. The summer of 1967 Ron Robinson's younger brother, Tommy, bought a new set of golf clubs. Ron being the older was humorously jealous. The two brothers and other kids our age often spent time on the practice tee in the heat of days. Dad often checked on us and our games.  Sometime during that summer or fall of 1967 Tommy Robinson, son of H.D. and Mary Robinson was drafted and sent to Vietnam. 

Before Tommy left Miami, a bunch of us were on the practice tee when Ron turned to his little brother and said, "Hey, if you don't make it back from Nam, I want your new clubs." We didn't think anything of it.  A few months later, during the school year 1967-68 my parents notified me that Tommy Robinson had been killed in Vietnam. 

I don't think we ever forget those moments.  

1967 May 21  "Ladies Sunrise Golf League Begins"

Competition in the Sunrise League will begin Tuesday. Pairings are posted on the bulletin boards and all groups must tee off before 10:00 am.

1967 June 16  "In the News"

Miami high school football coach Jack Leake, who was a sharpshooting passer with the 1957-58 MHS War Dogs, displayed rare marksmanship Thursday on the Miami Country club golf course.

Playing in a "fivesome" with Letty Stapp, Dick Lillard, John Doty and Paul Patterson, Leake holed out for birdie on No.8 with a 35-yard wedge shot from of the green.

Then on the par 5 hole No.9, Leake carded an eagle 3 by sinking a shot of more than 150 yards with a seven iron.

1967 June 18  "Ladies Golf Notes"

Winners in the past week's competition for the Miami Ladies Golf association were:Beverly Jackson, championship; Mary Van Beber, Class A; Mary Louise Klein, B, and Dorothy Jones, C.

Next week's competition will be from the red tees, taking par on 3 and 8. The pairings follow:

Championship--Yvonne Temple, Martha Campbell, LaRue Gaines; Faye Berentz, Evelyn Hatfield, Lib Lillard; Pat Horner, Claire Oliver, Beverly Jackson; Cora Wilson, Ruth Heyburn, Sue Barnes; Melba Cordell and Barbara Shouse.

Class A--Virginia Lee Wilson, Joyce Rutter, Lois Cowles; Vera Elmberg, Hattie Wall, Helen Moore; Eva Williams, Helen Jones, Elizabeth Hansford; Marylyn Adams, Mae Farrier, Sue Robinson; Erin Wojcik, Clara Barton, Virginia Sapp; Lois Garwood, Maxine Jeffries, Hattie White; Mary Van Beber and Dollie Humes.

Class B--Louise Whitney, Wanda Jo Brown, Roma Dahl; Noma Newman, Lottie Mae Russell, Virginia Romick; Mary Louise Klein, Sara Mirjanich, Barbara Gust; Mavis Ford, Marj Smith, Gladys Wetzel; Gladyce Hirsch, Nancy Johnson, Betty Ketcher; Helen Stapp, Val Dale, Carrie Graham.

Class C--Wanda Doan, Dorothy Ulmer, Joann Burgess; Virginia Woods, Rose Pratt, Pauline Adkinson; Geraldine Matthews, Mamie Munson, Elaine Page. 

1967 June 18  "Another Record for Mantle"

Mickey Mantle, the magnificent Yankee, went into the books when he played in his 2,166th to top old team mark of 2,165 held by Lou Gehrig. 

1967 June 20  "Thunderbird Tournament"

Bob Garwood, with a low net of 132 for 36 holes, won a television set and a trophy for taking first place in the Thunderbird Handicap Golf tournament that was completed Sunday at the Miami Country club. Rex Painter was second with 141 and was awarded a transistor radio and trophy. Kent Jeffries won third with 142 and received a trophy and a set of glasses.

Charles Trussler, 143, Ed Dudgeon, 144, won fourth and fifty-lace trophies. Men and women competed on an equal basis in the handicap tourney that was played. 

Letty Stapp led the ladies with a low gross score of 179. Mrs. V.W. Lillard was second with 199. Bob Temple won an umbrella trophy for coming closest to a hole-in-one on the par 3 153 yard No. 12 hole. On the first 18-hole round, Temple's shot lipped the cup and stopped 23 inches away. 

No one came close to winning the Thunderbird sports car offered by the Ford Motor Co. to anyone getting a hole-in-one on No. 12 during the tournament. 

 1967 June 25  "New Champion for Miami Girls Tournament"

1967 June 25  "Parent-Child Golf Tournament"

A unique parent-child golf tournament this afternoon at the Miami CC will find mothers paired with sons and daughters and fathers paired likewise in the competition beginning at all nine holes at 4 o'clock. A shotgun signal will launch the rounds. Some partnerships cross family lines. The pairings follow:

Hole No1--Don Johnson, and Tommy Jackson, Rex and Gail Painter, Hoot and Kenny Gibson, Bill and Billy Giffhorn, Tom and Mark Cordell

No.2--Bill Hirsch and Danny Heyburn, Tom and Barbara Bomford, JoAnn and Barbara Smallwood, Dan and Dan Mailath, Bob and Suzy Wickham, George and Mark Wojick. 

No.3--Virginia and Rhona Romick, Jack and Jimmy Doan, Virginia and Bobby Wilson, Jack and Steve Renegar, Jake and Mike Hester, Woodrow and Woody Painter.

No. 4--Harold and Kenny Barnes, Bernie Schaff and Melissa Landers, Mary and Ron Robinson, Ruth and Ann Heyburn, Maxine and Kent Jeffries, John and Jonya Stapp.

No. 5--Mayeme and Stephanie Munson, Wanda and Randy James, Wes and Tom Renegar, Helen and Letty Stapp, Don and Rodney Street, John and John Robinson.

No. 6--Mel and Pam Landers, Dick and Barby James, Sue Giffhorn and Dan Giffhorn, George and Tammy Romick, K.C. and Karen Jeffries, Dr. Bill Neel and Scotty Jackson.

No. 6--Grace and Dana Painter, John and Chip McLaughlin, Dick and Kevin Wadleigh, Fran and Carol McKinney.

No. 7--Paul Patterson and Jack Mann, Jim and Brad Smallwood, Joe and Jim Thompson, Sara Mirjanich and Rebecca Mirjanich, Harry and Diane Dean, Dan and Mark Heyburn. 

No. 8--Ed and Christi Dudgeon, Bob and Becky Nesbitt, Helen and Jimmy Painter, George and William Windham, Hank and Bob Garwood, Pat Campbell and Charles Grayson.

No. 9--Dick and Lib Lillard, Tom Forbes and Tommy Cordell, Lou and John Mirjanich, Noma and Billy Newman, Nancy Johnson and Matt Giffhorn, Ray and Theresa McKinney. 

1967 July 16  "Junior Girls State Golf Tournament"

1967 July 30  "Karlovich Captures Junior Golf Meet"

Bob Karlovich, left of Tulsa, champion of the Miami Boys Invitational, poses with Tom Lloyd of Carthage, Mo, and Vick Benson of Tulsa second and third-place trophies, and Mark Cordell, Miami, winner of the championship-consolation trophy. 

Other Miamians: Charles Grayson 80; Mark Wojcik 80; Jackie Mann 81, Richard Varley 88, Steve Renegar 94, Scotty Jackson 90, Randy James 99, Tommy Cordell 96, Bill Giffhorn 99, Louis Price 106, Richard Adams 122, Billy Newman 122 NINE HOLE divisions:  Kenney Gibson 53, William Wyndam 65, Tommy Jackson 91, Matt Giffhorn 63, Wayne Anderson 90.

Randy James writes:

My first clubs.

Oh, Letty, I do so wish I had pictures of those days. One memory I share often of your dad was when he would stand up by the practice green and shoot ground hogs with a .22.  Your dad would let a few of us high school players play golf on Mondays when the course was closed. That was very special. When I was first learning the game, your dad taught me a good grip, told me to lay play and play and would "let" me chip up the entire range into a small pile. I was never sure if he was trying to improve my short game or just make it easier to clean up the driving range.

 Roger McCollum wrote:

In the 1957 timeline you shared an add for Henry Garwood's Insurance Agency. That was part of the Big I, independent insurance agencies.

In 1967 the Independent Insurance agents sponsored a junior national championship. It followed the same format as the USGA's Open with local qualifiers, a State Qualifier then the National Championship which held in different cities all over the country.

1967 July 30  "Junior Golf Winners"

**If you use your browser to read this, then you will be able to enlarge this photo and read the names. You may also save it to your photos if you choose. 

1967 August 6  "Broadmoor Trophy for Miami Girl"

Letty Stapp, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Johnie F. Stapp, won the second-flight trophy Saturday in the finals of the 25 annual Broadmoor Women's Invitational Golf Tournament at Colorado Springs. Miss Stapp, whose father is the Miami CC pro, was the only girl member of the NEO A&M golf team the past season. 

After trailing by three strokes at the end of the first nine holes on Saturday, Letty dominated the second nine to defeat Mrs. Doty Sullivan of San Antonio, Texas        2 and 1.  A year ago, Miss Stapp won second place in the first flight of the Broadmoor tournament, which annually draws entries from across the nation. 

1967 August 23  "Top Prospect Tag for Owens"

 Norman (Special)--Miami's Steve Owens is the top sophomore prospect among Chuck Fairbanks' Oklahoma ground-grinders this fall. The big, 192 pound tailback is as promising as a sunny day for the Sooners who will be returning with their backfield intact. 

Owens left a certified dent in the record books at Miami High School. Under coaches Max Buzzard and Bill Watkins, Steve started three years on the football team that finished 22-6-2. As a senior, he named co-back of the year by both the Tulsa World and Daily Oklahoman. He was a three-year letterman in basketball and nabbed four letters as a trackster. Perhaps Steve's greatest athletic achievement was as a cinder-man. In the 1966 state class A meet, Miami jumped to an early lead 'behind Owens' 19 points. He won the high hurdles, broad jump, high jump and placed second in the low hurdles. Not only did he excel in the brawn department, but also as a leader in the student body. 

1967 August 27  "Klein is City Golf Champion"

Bob Klein, a building  contractor who moved to Miami last year, has added the Miami Country club championship to the many honors he has won as a golfer. Klein defeated Dr. W.D. Jackson, Miami city champion the last two year, 4 and 3 in Saturday's 18-hole match that climaxed some two months of summer competition by local golfers. The same two met in the championship match a year ago with Jackson gaining a 1-up decision. 

Playing Saturday in the same foursome with two finalists were Dick Lillard and Bob Temple, with Lillard wining the consolation title. Other winners were:

President's flight--Tom Rogers, first and Bernie Schaff, second.

A flight--Dick Wadleigh, first and Dr. Ray McKinney, second.

B flight--Bob Wickham, first and George Romick, second.

1967 September 11  "Beck Repeats as Champion" 

Tommy Beck of Tulsa won the Miami Country Club Invitational golf tournament for the second straight year with a three-under par 141 for the 36 holes of the 12 Annuals meet that was played Saturday and Sunday. Runner-up for the second straight year was Dr. W.D. Jackson of Miami, champion of the local invitational in 1959 and 1964. 

Beck and Jackson were even at the turn of their final 18-hole round. Beck went one up on N. 16 with a par. The defending champion's putter was red hot on the final two holes. He holed out from the edge of the NO. 17 green to remain one stroke ahead. In true championship form before the big gallery at the final hole Beck sand a 25-foot putt for a birdie. Jackson's one-under-par 143 consisted of 72 on Saturday and 71 Sunday. 

Two other golfers matched par this year to tie for third place with 144. they were Persie Pipes of Mt. Vernon, Ill., champion in 1960, 1961 and Warren Shireman of KC. 

Ideal weather and course conditions prevailed for the tournament, which was conducted under the leadership Johnie Stapp, club pro and of Dr. Jackson (The truth is that Norma Lou Jackson, Doc's wife was in charge of the tournaments, year after year. The assistance of the Miami Ladies Golf Association was the glue that held this event together. Lois Garwood for the first decade and her team always decorated the country club interior.)

 A three-way tie in President's flight was shared by Bob Hill Jr. of Wichita; Keith Cresap of Vinita and Ed Himes, Dewey. They shot 151 with round of 79, 75.

Other Miamians (and notables) in the event: John F. Robinson, 148; Dick Lillard 148; Bob Klein, Miami City champion and six-time Southern Hills champ 151; Bill Stewart of Springfield (Payne Stewart's father);  Chi Galloway, Joplin 159; Dr. Bill Neal, 160; Tom Forbes 163; G.r. White 163; Joe Whipple, Springfield 163; Bob Temple 166, Rex Painter 176; George Wojcik 171; George Myers 167; Al White 167, Delmer Barnes 168; Dick Lowry, Vinita 170; John Elmburg 173; Ed Dudgeon 174; Bill Harsch 177; Bill Hirsch 177, Woodrow Painter 178, Dick Wadleigh 183; George Parker 177; Dr. Harry Ford 179; Bob Wickham 180; Charles Post, Nacogdoches, Texas 182; Bob Garwood 182; George Windham 183; Ray Enyart 183; David Robinson 185; Bill Wilson 190; Lloyd Cowgill 193; V.W. Lillard 193;Brad Smallwood 181; Pat Campbell 182; Bill Oliver 197; Dan Mailath 199; Henry Garwood 199; Jerry Blevins 199; Gorge Romick 109; Dr. Ray McKinney 202; Georg Mayer 205; Jim Rutter 213; Mel Landers 213

 1967 October 6  "Ladies Club Championship"

Holding trophies they won in the Miami Ladies Golf association championship tournament are, front row from left: Evelyn Hatfield, second in championship, Susie Barnes, second in A flight, Helen Jo Painter, second in C flight. Back row, Martha Campbell, medalist and champion, Beverly Jackson, first in A flight, Hattie Wall, B flight winner, Marjorie Smith, first in C flight and Wanda Doan, second in C flight.

Other winners were: driving--Ruth Heyburn, championship, Beverly Jackson, A, Marylyn Adams, B, Betty Ketcher, C-1 and Aileen Bradshaw C-2. Pitch and putt--Pat Horner, championship, Beverly Jackson, A, Lois Cowles, B, Nancy Johnson C-1 and Rose Pratt, c-2.

1967 October 22  "Ladies Golf Notes"

The annual turkey shoot will be the main feature of Wednesday's competition, with play from the white tees for low net. Participants will make their own pairings and must tee off by 10:00 am. 

SAVE THE DATE:  July 26, 27, 2024 in Miami, Oklahoma at the Dobson Museum, Peoria Community Center, and Peoria Ridge Golf Course for the Reunion of the Miami Golf and Country club members and friends. It will have been 40 years since the old country club burned to the ground (July 16, 1984) and I will have finished the research and publishing of the history from 1916-1984.

 **Authors observation: I am beginning to see verbiage that reflects our interest in space, such as, launch an event.

1958--70 Ball Spotters

 

Esty shops sell these.

Starting in late 1950's, several junior golfers were asked to be "ball spotters" for various tournaments from spring until fall. "Ball spotters," teens with good eyes and agility were needed to work the creek and trees on holes #2 and #3. Occasionally, a "ball spotter" might be stationed on the dogleg on hole #9 or along with creek between holes #4 and #5.   

In my memory, I thought working outside in all kinds of weather was the best job ever.  

Sandy Stephenson and I became ball spotters for the men's tournaments in the late 1950's. When Sandy's family moved in the early '60's my new partner became C.Ann Richards. Our job was to sit in the shaded corner of the creek that ran through hole # 2 and watch where golf balls landed, then jump, run and put a towel down where the ball landed, if we could find it. When we couldn't find the ball, we assisted in the search as if our lives depended on it. If the ball landed in the water or rocks we did our best to retrieve the ball.

The creek zig-zagged through a wooded area creating hazards for players on holes #2 and #3.  Hole #2 was a wicked dogleg right that crossed the creek in the fairway, so that men and women alike needed to fly over the water to the landing zone that opened up for the dogleg. Like all nine hole courses MGCC had two tee boxes one red and one white to define each nine holes. One tee box held two sets of tee markers, one for the women in the forward position and one for the men toward the back of the tee box. (By the mid-sixties a woman's forward red tee box was built on the left side of the hole before the creek.)  

When the men played the white forward tees they tried to cut the dogleg, and most of them failed. Our job was to find the balls and put a marker down. The fence on the left side of the hole stood as an out-of-bounds maker, so doom often marked a player who could not hit a long straight ball. The red tees (placed back as far as possible from the creek) paid off as well, because some men couldn't hit the ball across the creek, and balls that didn't fly straight either went out of bounds on the left or into the creek or trees on the right.

Our eyes were young and bodies agile. As errant golf balls bounced off rocks, struck trees and bounced sideways, we ran though the wooded area, spotted balls in tall grass, under limbs and leaves, in the rocks surrounding the creek and in the water.  Snakes were never a concern. We wore "lake shoes" so the rocks in the creek did not hurt our feet. We showed no fear as we stuck our hands in the clear waters or between rocks because the men rewarded us with cash for our efforts. The men were not stingy with tips for finding their lost balls--any where from a quarter to fifty-cents, or better yet silver dollars. Sometimes they even handed over dollar bills and didn't ask for change. A few men  gave us money even when we couldn't find a ball, we could at least tell them where it crossed the creek.

My sister, Jonya and Suzy Wickham, were the next generation of "ball spotters" and Jonya recalls vividly the weather conditions under which we worked. In the spring we worked in the light rain, if lightning was not present. Those could be cold and windy days for us. The sweltering heat of July and August tournaments were sometimes exhausting. The most important tournament became the Invitational in September. That event  paid off financially. I think the men often felt sorry for us being out in the heat. 

 

We arrived with sack lunches and a thermos of Kool-aid (that often tasted like coffee) to hold us for the day. We could run over to hole #3 to drink out of the water fountain. Fresh water from the ground piped up through a round cement container filled with sand. It was quite tall for youngsters, who often had to pull a bench over to stand on, so we could reach the handle and turn on the water. From time to time someones' mother would walk down and check on us. 

We were reliable respectable young girls and boys, who learned more about life through our country club jobs than sitting home reading a book. 

 

The words read "Stolen from Johnie Stapp"

Range balls were often found in the creeks, as members did not want to lose a ball that might have cost $.75 -- $1.00.

*Now, as a more Senior golfer, I understand why "ball spotters" were so important. 

1950-1999 Ball, Golf Ball, Rubber Core Ball By Waters AdminMay 23, 2018

Object Name: Ball (B 181) , Golf Other Name: Ball, rubber—core Date: 1971 Description: This is a commemorative, Spalding golf ball in dimple pattern. It is painted white with blue, tan and black markings and features a person in a space suit hitting a golf ball. It was made to mark the first golf ball used in space. Maker: A.G. Spalding & Bros.,…

Golf Ball History--Archives This site contains some unique descriptions and pictures of a variety of old golf balls.

In the 1960's Titleist sold three different balls in the pro shop (red labeled, black labeled, and black with red numbers). It cost $1.25 each or a sleeve of three for $3.50. The Club Special was the cheapest ball at 50 cents. There was also Dunlap, Acushnet golf balls, and Hogan. The Spalding golf ball, Wilson Staff, and Top-Flight were very popular and usually sold at Miami Sales and other downtown stores.

**If you were a ball spotter and have a story to tell please post it under comments, or send it to me.   

Letty Stapp Watt, historian, The Golf Pro's Daughter

6-6-66 A Game to Remember

 

The Golf Game to Remember

Ponca City Country Club

Quite often my life lessons occurred as much off the course as on. On Saturday, June 4, 1966 I took a bus ride from Miami to Tulsa with a two hour layover before going on to Blackwell, Ok to meet my guest family. I learned how to rent a locker at the Bus Station to store my golf clubs and suitcase, while I ventured forth in the big city, alone, looking for a restaurant. I may have broken a few social norms when I seated myself in a fine dining room in a bustling department store, a few heads turned and I smiled.

On a Sunday morning June 5, Janice and Vicki Bell and I played our practice round at Ponca City CC in preparation for qualifying for the 1966 Women’s Oklahoma Golf Association State Amateur Championship, and my first adult tournament.  I had taken copious notes on how to traverse the trees, hazards, and bunkers that I’d be facing.  With my guest family, the Jack Bell family, I rode back to their home in Blackwell, Oklahoma for the evening.

While the family took their son, Rocky,  to a ball game I stayed at their home.  Not being one to sit, I grabbed my pitching wedge and shag balls and walked over to the school yard across the street to practice.  My practicing on the school playground was distinctly disturbed by the turbulent murky green boiling clouds building in the Southwest.  Thunder roared in the distance and the hair on my arms felt the static in the air. My history and fascination with weather reminded me that Blackwell had once been nearly wiped off the map in the ‘50’s by a tornado.  I knew enough about clouds and weather to realize that this storm was nasty, and moving toward me.

 After gathering my shag balls, I headed inside and awaited my family.  In the kitchen I opened a coke bottle on the cabinet top and began to pour it into a glass when I saw the tornado out the west facing window.  It was a flat horizon with acres of farm land and fences that I faced.  In the distance the tornado touched down tearing a barn into shreds before my very eyes.  The sirens rang and the coke I was pouring found it’s way to the counter top not the glass.  I noticed my hand was shaking.

I ran to the bedroom grabbed my precious notes along with my golf clubs, and hide in the hall closet. The storm raged outside and I shivered by myself inside.  After minutes passed there was a banging at the front door and my heart thought I was being lifted in oblivion.  Voices yelled, ”Letty, where are you?” Voices of Vicki and her mother, Corky Bell, flooded the tiny closet space and I saw light and friends.  I crawled out that day only to have them put me in the car to drive to safety. More tornadoes were forming in the sky and the Bank in Blackwell had a basement. I held my notes closely (the golf clubs abandoned in the closet), only to realize that Jack Bell liked to chase tornadoes. 

With extra coaching from his wife, Corky, we made our way back to the bank and settled down in the basement for the evening.  In time, we all walked out of the bank to dark but clearer skies, and discovered that all was well.  No one had been hurt and the only damage was to several barns and trees on the west side of town.

There must have been electricity in the air the next day as I qualified with a low round of 76 on June 6, 1966.  I didn’t win medalist honors, but I didn’t need to.  I had lived through a tornado by myself, and played one of my best rounds ever the next day.  I thought I could conquer the world.

The next day an "old lady" of about 50 beat me on the 17th hole and sent me into Consolation flight. I do not remember the outcome because I remained on cloud 9 having played the best game of my life on June 6, 1966.  

That same summer I shot my first par round on the front nine at the Miami Country club. At that time Hattie Wall and I were the only two women to have shot par. A few years later my sister, Jonya, also shot par 36 on the front nine. ( I believe we called them the White Tees. They were the farthest ones back from the creek on hole #2.) When the club burned in 1984 everyone lost everything inside the building. Of all of the memories the only thing I wished to have back was that tiny wall trophy that showed Hattie Wall, Letty Stapp, Jonya Stapp as having shot a par round of golf on the difficult nine hole golf course.

The memory of walking off hole #9 with Ron Robinson as my playing partner remains strong, because I made that last putt for a par round, instead of three putting!

 

 

Curiosity led me to reread the story of the 1955 Blackwell, Ok and Udall, Ks tornado outbreak.  Tornado description:  The tornado continued north and moved through the east side of Blackwell causing complete destruction in much of the east side of town. Nineteen people were killed in Blackwell as well as one person to the northeast of Blackwell. The tornado passed east of Braman, then turned to the north-northwest and dissipated to the southeast of South Haven, Kansas as shown in tornado track map for north central Oklahoma and south central Kansas. As this storm passed to the east of Braman, another tornado developed about 4 miles north of Peckham that moved into Kansas and eventually killed 80 people in and near Udall, KS. Both the Blackwell tornado and Udall, KS tornado were rated F5, although the Udall tornado produced minimal damage in Oklahoma.