**Thank you Ed Craig and Orick Sparlin for your dynamic photography that has kept the memories alive for so many of us.
1968 March 8 "Help Wanted"
Painter, so it isn't surprising Mom's name would pop up the following month. I know both of my parents were playing golf before they were married.
68.6.27 Top Talent Due in Miami for Junior Girls Golf Tourney
Diane Lukken, 16, of the Oaks Country club in Tulsa, will defend her Championship title in the annual Miami Girls Invitational beginning at 9 a.m. this Friday. Back again is last year’s third place winner, Karen Edwards of Bartlesville Hillcrest CC. Carrying hometown prestige into the championship flight are Jonya Stapp and Karen Jefferies winners of fourth and fifth place places last year.
Another Miamian in the top flight is Suzy Wickham, 14, who chose to bypass the A flight for championship. Suzy won first in A flight last year and was eligible to compete at the group again.
Teresa Weinshilbaum of Ponca City, the state junior girls champion of the last two years and medalist in last year’s state women’s tournament, may be deserving of the role as favorite for the 1968 Miami championship.
Another top contender is Louise Stekoll of Okmulgee, runner-up to Miss Weinshilbaum in the state junior girls competition. Louise will be competing in the Miami meet for the last time. She won second place in 1965, fourth in 1966, and faded to seventh in last year’s local invitational. Paula Eger, 15, of St. Louis, who last year won the Missouri state junior girls crown at the age of 14, will be competing in the Miami meet for the first time.
Diane Lukken, 16 year-old from Tulsa Edison, repeated as champion of the ninth annual Miami Invitational junior girls tournament. Miss Lukken carded a 42-42=84 with stiff winds out the southwest. A year ago, calm conditions prevailed but extra soft conditions on the course caused scores to be high than usual.
Louise Stekoll of Okmulgee, finished second with 45-41=86. Her afternoon score of 41 was the best nine-hole round of the tournament. Marsha Elder of Tulsa won third place with 47-42=89. Barbara Russell of Oklahoma City placed fourth with 90. Teresa Weinshilboum of Ponca City finished sixth with a 92. One stroke behind but out of the trophy group were Jonya Stapp of Miami and Linda Dickey of Tulsa with 93’s.
Winners of other flight were Rebecca Mirjanich, A flight, Mary Lou Karlovich, Tulsa, B flight, and Ann Heyburn, pee-wees. Other Miamians in the tournament were: Suzy Wickham, Karen Jeffries, Gail Painter, Linda Wickham, Dana Painter, Melissa Landers, Deborah Austin, Janey Adams, Theresa McKinney, Ann Heyburn, Pam Landers, Sonya Austin, Chandia Garrett, and Carol McKinney.
1968 July 15 "State Champion Jonya Honored"
Jonya Stapp, Oklahoma's new junior girls golf champion, was honored by the Miami Country club Sunday afternoon with a large turnout for a reception at the club. She was joined by members of the junior golf brigade--Suzy Wickham, Karen Jeffries, and Tamara Romick.
Tamara Romick, Karen Jeffries, Suzy Wickham, Jonya Stapp, Grace Painter. |
Mrs. Wayman Jackson and Mrs. Rex Painter were in charge of the reception arrangements. Rex Painter in a brief talk, paid tribute to Jonya's achievement and present a gift card from the club members to the champion's mother, Mrs. Helen Stapp.
Memory from Rebecca Mirjanich Davis: When I was in the pro shop one of my favorite things was looking at the all of the clubs that were for sale. If you remember sets of irons and woods were displayed along the south wall of the pro shop. One day, in probably 1966, I saw a set of Ben Hogan Princess irons that were used. If I recall correctly they had previously belonged to Dr. Bill Neal’s sister. The set was a 3 iron through 9 iron and they were ladies clubs not junior clubs. The cost of the set was $25.00. I desperately wanted my parents to buy the irons for me. Each time I went in the pro shop I would look at them longingly. My parents eventually bought the irons for me and I was so proud of them. My previous set of junior clubs only included a 3,5 and 7 iron. I was excited to have so many more irons to play golf with. I continued to use those irons until the head of the nine iron flew off, going farther than the ball, when I hit out of a fairway bunker at Indian Springs Country club in 1981. I would say that $25.00 was money well spent. Thanks dad and mom for giving me such a lasting gift.
1968 July 21 Leaders in Miami Junior Golf
The annual tournament Friday at the MCC concluded the season’s junior golf program. Point trophies were awarded to the following players for weekly play--Championship winners are Scotty Jackson and Suzy Wickham; Class A winners are Bill Giffhorn and Rebecca Mirjanich; Class B John Mirjanich and Gail Painter.
1968 July 21 "Trophy Winners"
1968 July 28 "Boy's Invitational Winners"
Danny Tewell, 17, whose athletic talents include regular service as a split end on the football team and forward on the basketball team at Stillwater high school, is the 1068 Champion of the Miami Invitations Junior Boys Golf tournament. He carded men's par, 36-36=72 to win the eighth annual meet Friday at the Miami Country club.
Other Miamians playing the event: Charles Grayson 43-43-85; Randy James 45-42-87: President's flight--Bill Giffhorn 43-48-91, Tom Cordell 48-44-92, B.J. Newman48-54-102: A flight--Wayne Anderson 70, Mike Haywood 96: B flight--Matt Giffhorn 64, Jim Arndt 67, Jackie Brown 82.
The tournament sponsored by the Miami Ladies Golf Association had 115 entries and was played under hot and relative calm conditions. Mrs. W.J. Hatfield was tournament chairman. Assisting her with various details were Bill Hirsch, starter; Letty Stapp and Helen Moore, pairings; Maxine Jeffries and Helen Moore, registration, Hattie Wall, Gracie Burns, Clara Barton, Mary Louise Klein and Maxine Jeffries, scoreboard. Grace Painter, Pauline Taylor, Shirley Ober, Mae Farrier, Betty Schwertfeger, Myrtle Shepler, and Pat Landers, food, Johnie Stapp and Helen Stapp, trophies.
1968 August 2 From the Clutter
Whose local family has the most participants in a competitive sports program?
Golf honors go to the Heyburn red-heads, including the parents. Dan and Ruth have five children--Mark, 11; Ann, 10; Danny, 9; and twins James and John, 7; Mary Ruth, 3 will join the golfing brigade in a few years.
Next with six golfers in each family are:
Jack and Marylyn Adams and children—Nancy, 18; David, 16; Ricky, 15; and Janey, who will be 13 on Saturday.
Tom and Melba Cordell and children—Nancy, 18; Mark 16; Tommy; 14; and Ann, 13.
Bill and Sue Giffhorn and children—Bill, 14; Dan, 12; Matt, 10; and Lisa,7.
1968 August 18 Ladies Golf Notes
Winners in last Wednesday’s competition for least fairway shots were: Championship, Evelyn Hatfield; Class A, Stormy Lewis; Class B, Lottie Mae Russell; Class C I, Pauline Taylor; Class CII, Jerrie Matthews.
This week’s play will be for “point play” (3 par, 2 bogey, 1 double bogey) from the white tees. Pairings:
No. 1 tee: Virginia Sapp, Helen Jones, Lois Cowles; June Jenkions, Lottie Mae Russell, Beverly Jackson; Faye Berentz, Mary VanBeber, Yvonne Temple; Lib Lillard, Pat Horner, Melba Cordell; Cora Wilson, Mae Farrier, LaRue Gaines; Virginia Snook, Erin Wojcik, Hattie White; Ruth Heyburn, Peg Murphy, Mary Louise Klein; Sue Barnes, Evelyn Hatfield, Lois Garwood; Elizabeth Hansford, Barbara Shouse, Martha Campbell; Hattie Wall, Barbara Gust, Noma Newman; Joyce Rutter, Helen Moore, Stormy Lewis; Virginia Lee Wilson, Maxine Jeffries; Mary Robinson, Caryl Rohwedder, Vera Elmburg.
No. 6 tee: Nancy Johnson, Bonnie Moody, Pauline Atkinson; Val Dale, Delores Renegar, Roma Dahl; Mary Lou Wickham, Elaine Page, Sarah Mirjanich; Sue Robinson, Wanda Doan, Phyllis Brockie; Sue Enyart, Pat Parker, Pauline Taylor; Helen Stapp, Gladyce Hirsch, Helen Jo Painter; Mary Heywood, Dollie Humes, Aileen Bradshaw; Mary Frances Mann, Clara Barton, Rose Pratt; Bunny Starcher, Virginia Romick, Jean Phillips; Gladys Wetzel, Jerrie Matthews, Barbara Blevins; LaVon Young, Charlene Walker, Barbara Anderson; Wanda Jo Brown, Helen Post, Mavis Ford, Louise Whitney.
1968 September 9 160 GOLFERS IN WEEKEND TOURNEY HERE
The 13th annual invitational golf tournament at the Miami Country club will open a two-day run Saturday with an all-time record field of 160 contestants from six states. The previous record was 139 last year.
1968 September 9
1968 September 9 "Miami Title Trophy to Pipes Third Time"
Pursie Pipes of Mt. Vernon, Ill., became the first three-time champion of the Miami Country club annual invitational golf tournament when he captured the top trophy Sunday. Pipes and R.C. Harvey, Jr. of Shawnee Mission, Kansas carded identical 75-75--150 scores. Rather than remain for a playoff, Harvey forfeited the championship to Pipes and accepted second place honors. Tommy Beck of Tulsa, champion of the past two years finished third with 75-76--151. His score last year was 70-71--141. Stiff wind both tournament day figured in the higher scores for most of the contestants this time. Another two-time champion of the Miami tourney, Dr. W.D. Jackson, was sidelined after 13 holes Saturday by bursitis. He won the 1959 and 1964 meets and finished second to Beck the past two years.
Other Miamians in the tourney were: Bob Klein 75-83--156; Jack Doan 80-80--160; Bob Hill, Jr. Parsons, 82-80--162; Dick Lowry, Vinita, 79-87--166; Chi Galloway, Joplin, one of six to share medalist honors with a 75 score Saturday, withdrew as a contestant because of a lat arrival for Sunday's play. Gift certificates were awarded to the top six players of six flights. First-place winners in other flights were: President's flight--Delmer Barnes, 83-78--161; First flight-- Mark Wojcik 88-81-167; Third flight--Henry Garwood 95-87--182; Fourth flight--tie Dean Haines and Jim Rutter with a 196. Rutter lost in a coin toss.
President's flight: John F. Robinson Sr, Kent Jeffries, Joe Whipple, Woody Painter, Jr., George Parker, Frankie Jacobs, Dr. W.D. Neal, George Myers, G.R. White, Rex Painter, Bill Hirsch, Brad Smallwood, Norman, John Robinson Jr., Bob Hill, Sr., David Robinson, John Burford, David Page, Bill Wilson, Woodrow Painter, Sr., Ted Lowry, Dr. Harry Ford, Don Young, John Elmburg, George Wojcik, Pat Campbell, Al White, George Romick, Ray Enyart, Lou Mirjanich, Bob Garwood, Dr. Raymond McKinney, Henry Garwood, Jerry Blevins, Bill Oliver, Dick Wadleigh, Dan Mailath, Frank Remis Jim Rutter.
1968 September 9 "From the Clutter"
Mahlon Craig of Baxter Springs, competing in the weekend Miami Invitational golf tournament, fired a 199-yard hole-in-one but it didn't count as an ace on his scorecard. The ball rolled into the wrong hole on the No. 3 green which becomes No. 16 when the nine-hole course is played the second time around in an 18-hole competition. Each green has two holes--one with a red flag and the other with a whit flag to correspond with the tee shots. Craig was aiming for the white flag but the red hole gobbled his fine shot. The green is a par 3, whether played as No. 3 or No. 16.
Tom Pendergraft shared a memory of caddying during the invitational: I caddied for a man named Percy Pipes from Illinois. It is strange but the thing I remember about him, other than his name, is the flop-flop-flop sound of the leather fringe flaps that covered the laces of his golf shoes.
1968 September 15 "Twilight League Champions"
1968 September 20 "Women's Winners"
1968 September 25 "Club Championship"
Pairings for the annual Miami Country club's championship for men have been announced, with assignments to flights based on qualifying scores in recent rounds.
Bob Klein was medalist with a two-under-par 72, Runner-up was Dr. W.D. (Bill) Neal with 74.
First round matches must be played on or before Sunday, Sept.29. Fires-round losers in the 16-man championship flight will continue play in the president's flight, with four weeks of play required to determine the champions in these two top groups.
the other flight have eight men each and the winners can be determined in three weeks. First-round pairings and qualifying scores:
Championship: Bob Klein, 70 vs Bill Harsch, 77; John F. Robinson Sr., 76 vs Bud May 81; John F. Robinson, Jr. 75 vs Kent Jeffries, 79; Chi Galloway, 76 vs Bob Temple, 81. Dr. Bill Neal, 74 vs Jack Doan, 78; Bob Snook, 76 vs Mark Wojcik, 81; Woody Painter, Jr. 76 vs Lloyd Tate, 80; Dr. W.D. Jackson, 77 vs Don Young, 82.
A flight: Stratton Henley, 83 vs Delmer Barnes 85; Corbin Shouse, 83 vs George Meyer, 86; Lloyd Cowgill, 83 vs Dale Osborn, 85; John Sheppard, 83 vs Bill Hirsch, 86.
B flight: Bill Hatfield, 86 vs Bob Hunt, 88; Bob Nunn, 87 vs Paul Wilson, 89; Delbert Wolf, 87 vs Lou Mirjanich, 89; John Elmburg, 87 vs. Dr. Harry Ford, 89.
C flight: Woody Painter, Sr., 89 vs Hank Garwood, 91; David Page, 90, vs Clifford Gust, 92; John Burford, 89 vs Dan Mailath, 92; Frank Hansford, 90 vs Dick Wadleigh, 92.
D flight: Bill Oliver, 92 vs Don Wiley, 94; Mike Craig, 93 vs Dail West, 95; Jerry Ketcher, 93 vs R.O. Neel, 94; B.F. Wilson, 93 vs Bob Wickham, 95.
E flight: Robert Burgess, 95 vs Cy Elmburg, 100; Tom Prewitt, 99 vs O.M Douglas, 100; Dr. J.O. Bradshaw, 100 vs Robert Rohwedder, 100; Jim Rutter, 99 vs Vernon Allen, 102.
F flight: Dick James, 102 vs George Romick, 105; Jack Brown, 104 vs Jack Renegar, 108; Dave Stewart, 103 vs Bill Dunbar, 107; Wes Renegar, 104 vs Jack Robinson, 113.
**Sadly, no matter how I searched I could not find the results. Perhaps in 1969 I will find results with a note as to last year's winner.
1968 September 29 "Lighter Golf Clubs Gain in Popularity"
Golfers who avidly seek new aids for their game, now are turning to aluminum-shafted clubs. "Aluminum shafts have caused the greatest flurry in the pro shops in the past few decades. Everyone seems to want one," says Mark Cox, President of the PGA. The shafts are 1/2 ounce lighter than the steel shafts that placed hickory shafts. One-quarter ounce is added to the weight of the club head, so that the total club is 1/4 ounce lighter than previous clubs.
1968 November 3 "Ladies Golf"
Mrs. Dan Heyburn, 1220 McKinley, president of the Ladies Golf Association of the Miami Country club, will be hostess to members at a fall coffee at 10a.m. Wednesday. Officers for the ensuing year will be introduced.
1968 November 21 "From the Clutter"
Thirty years ago: Defending titlist George Coleman, Jr., won the golf championship at the Miami Country club by defeating Glenn Scott, 5 and 4, in a 36-hole match.
SAVE THE DATE AND MAKE PLANS TO RETURN TO MIAMI ON JULY 25, 26, 27, 2024. WE HOPE TO BE PLAYING GOLF AT SHANGRI-LA ON JULY 25 AND PEORIA RIDGE JULY 26 FOLLOWED BY MHS CLASS REUNION PLANS AND SATURDAY THE 27 AT THE DOBSON MUSEUM. IT WILL BE A COME AND GO GREETING AND SHARING WITH JONYA AND LETTY PLUS SO MANY MORE OF YOU.
MAKE YOU AREA ROOM RESERVATIONS NOW. REPLY TO ME HERE OR MESSAGE ME ON FACEBOOK.