1965 LADIES GOLF ACHIEVEMENTS

These are examples of the Ladies Golf Association yearly handbook.

1965 February 28 "Calendar" 

The Ladies Golf association will hold its annual spring membership coffee at the Miami Country club at 9:30 am Wednesday. 

1965 March 12 "Ladies Golf"

Johnie Stapp, Miami Country club, will continue with free golf lessons for members of the Ladies Golf Association, beginning at 9 a.m. next Wednesday and continuing each Wednesday through March. Association members may play golf after the lessons. Regular weekly competition will begin Wednesday, April 7.

During the 1960's the Miami News Record followed sports throughout Ottawa County and one man, Mac Boswell, associate editor, recognized the value of women in sports.

1965 August 1 MNR "JUST ANOTHER BIG ACHIEVEMENT BY MIAMI LADIES ASSOCIATION'

The Miami Ladies Golf Association, whose achievements have attracted wide attention in golfing circles, more than measured up to its biggest test here Friday. 

1965 members playing

As sponsor of the fifth annual Miami boys’ invitational golf tournament, the
association conducted the huge meet with efficiency that drew praise from adult leaders who accompanied the 155 contestants, ranging from 10-17 years of age. The tournament was the largest in Miami history and the largest junior meet in Oklahoma this year. 

Only the expert handling of scores of tournament details by many members of the association made it possible to complete the meet without a hitch. Mrs. Woodrow Painter, chairman of the event, expressed appreciation for the extensive co-operation from members of the association and other volunteers.

Knowing that the association members would respond to the challenge, Mrs. George G. Russell, LG President, Mrs. Painter and Miami club pro Johnie F. Stapp agreed to increase the tournament limit from 100 to 155 entries. This action was taken because response to invitations sent to clubs in four states exceeded all expectations. More than 75 entries were turned down

In addition to its own program of weekly golf competition and tournaments, the Miami Ladies Association has sponsored and developed one of the most successful junior golf programs to be found anywhere. Ninety-two local boys and girls, ages 7-17 were enrolled in the 1965 youth programs of weekly competition and tournaments. Club pro Stapp provides free instruction for beginners each year. In the eight years the association has conducted your golfing activities, the program has grown to the extent that the enrollment of boys and girls now exceed the membership of 80 or more in the ladies organization.

The ladies also conduct the annual girls invitational tournament, one of the largest in the state. For the Miami High School Invitational tournament each spring, the state’s largest schoolboy golf event the ladies provide volunteer workers making it possible for MHS to sponsor the major event. During they summer they are dedicated to Friday Junior Golf days by scoring for the youngsters, along with being responsible for conducting the monthly summer Scotch Fore-some events. 

 

July 25, 1965

The women provide key personnel in helping the Miami Country club men conduct their own championship and invitational tournaments. On top of these volunteer activities these women play golf rain or shine every Wednesday. (*my notes-- And they promptly hand in the pairings and all golf news to the sports desk before the deadlines.)

The Miami women certainly have furnished an outstanding example of what can be accomplished through eager, efficient and unselfish co-operative efforts. 

 

 

Cathy Olson Bowden (Wardog Class of 1964) shared how golf made a difference in her father's life, and her memories of the Miami Country club:

My father, Oscar Andrew Olson caddied in Kansas City when he was a boy. He walked four miles from home to the nearest golf course. He would then carry double bags and was paid $.25 to $.50 for 18 holes. Then he would walk back home. He learned to play the game of golf with hand-me-down clubs. Caddies were allowed to play golf in the evenings for free. 

In 1956 I was 10 years old and in fourth grade when I began taking golf lessons from Johnie Stapp. I remember old #9 and the long row of Elm trees on the right (North side) and the deep rough. The women who scored for us taught us to use marks to count each shot--l l l l. They (ladies golf association members) were very meticulous at keeping score and teaching us how to count all of those strokes.They also taught us manners and values. Lines like, "Let's go back and count that again," taught us honesty. We learned about courtesy when we realized our shadow cast over a putting line or we learned to hold still and be quiet when others were hitting.

I thought the sand trap on #9 was very intimidating because it was so deep. (My dad, Johnie, decided to put that trap in after playing some of Hillcrest CC in Bartlesville and some of the Tulsa courses. He told the men that the large deep sand trap would make them better players in competition. Some of the men didn't like that idea.)

Your dad was a task master.  He lined us up in rows or circles to learn how to swing. He was quite meticulous about our grips. He worked over and over on how to hold the club properly. His lessons were simple and precise. I think sometimes he felt sorry for me. 

Cathy continues, the scariest thing I recall was the snake hanging down from a tree with four screaming kids.Thank you Claire Oliver and Melba Cordell for your patience. I was an only child and the club offered me friendships, the pool, meals with friends and golf. My friends were Carole Luttrell, Charlie Dawson, Doug Burtrum, Stanley Carson and Marquita Lacy.

The smell of baby oil and iodine comes to mind when I think of women sitting around the swimming pool. I felt pride, ownership, and privileged to go upstairs to the club house. The sack lunches that we ate for Friday golf and tournaments are happy memories. (Story collected January 2012)

As children we were not allowed to tee off before 2:00 on Saturday or Sunday (neither were the women in the 1950's and early '60's.) I especially enjoyed the Fireworks every 4 of July. They set them up in the practice area to the south of #9 fairway and near #8 tee box. We always knew who was at the swimming pool by the car the parents drove. I think we were very protected and naive. Our class of 1964 galvanized in November 1963 after JFK was assassinated. 

1965 August 5  "Ladies Golf Winners"

 

1965 August 8  "Tri-State Ladies Golf Event" 

Regular weekly competition of the Miami Ladies Golf association will be dropped this week because of golf round on that day for some 100 women from 14 clubs in the Tri-State area. The local association will be host to the annual event at the Miami Country club. 

In last week's competition local winners were Pat Horner, championship; Helen Stapp and Mae Farrier (tie) in class A; Louise Curlee, Class B; and Bea Gilmore, Class C. July ringer winners were Beverly Jackson, championship; Inez Buzzard, Class A; Barbara Gust, Class B, and Louise Whitney, Class C.

1965 August 15  "Guest Day"

Regular competition was dropped this past week for the Miami Ladies Golf assoc. because of the annual Guest Day activities. Next week play will be for low gross:

18 holes: Pat Horner, Ruth Heyburn, and Sue Barnes; Ruth Fullerton, Hattie White, and Fay Berentz; Tanya Reese, Yvonne Temple, and Lib Lillard.

Martha Campbell, Virginia Sapp, Melba Cordell, Beverly Jackson, Barbara Shouse, JoAnn Smallwood, Cora Wilson, Mary Varley, and Evelyn Hatfield. 

 9Holes: Virginia Lee Wilson, Helen Jo Painter, and Mary VanBeber; Hattie Wall, Millie Carter and Inez Buzzard; Helen Stapp, LaRue Gaines, and Liz Hansford; Carrie Graham, Mae Farrier, and Lois Cowles.

Lottie Mae Russell, Helen Moore, and Sue Robinson; Gladyce Hirsch, Lois Garwood, Erin Wojcik, and Louise Curlee; Wanda Jo Brown, Val Dale, and Pauline Dykes; Gladys Wetzel, Clara Barton, and Etta Viers. Sarah Mirjanich, Maxine Jeffries and Pauline Adkinson; Marilyn Adams, Barbara Gust, and Mary Lou Wickham; Mavis Ford and Dorothy Schofield; Dollie Humes, Frances Elderand, Texie Parkhill.

Jean Phillips, Pat Parker and Noma Newman; Helen Jo Painter, Rose Pratt, and Louise Whitney; Clara Butcher, Irene White, and Liz Paine; Bea Gilmore, Virginia Romick, and Dorothy Jones; Sue Giffhorn, Lynn Martindale, and Kate McAleer. 

 

**Notice how the female figure changes and the print ability of each year book. 

 

 *Thank you to Janie Berentz and her mother Faye Berentz who saved these year books and sent them to me several years ago.

1964-68 MORNINGS AT THE CLUB--PART 2, Old Bill

 

Jonya, dad, mom, Letty about 1965

Being the only girl golfer in my high school class tended to set me apart from others. In the golf shop, Old Bill most certainly stood apart from everyone.  In my teen-aged eyes he was an old bent man, who worked hard, did his job, then went home. His face was shaven closely, his eyes set deep below his brow, leaving him to appear as if he continually cast his eyes downward. How was it I wondered that his cheeks could appear soft, unblemished and nearly youthful, when his body told another story?

He wore heavily starched and uniformly pressed khaki pants with a matching long sleeve shirt every day, no matter the weather.  By ten o’clock in the morning he was wet down his back from sweat, and often his sweat smelled like pure garlic.  The hotter it became during those summer days the shorter his temper grew at me and towards many of the club members.  I didn’t understand why it was so important for me to be “kind” in my thoughts and words, when that didn’t hold true for Bill. 

 One evening when my dad and I were out chipping and picking up range balls I asked, “Dad, why is it that Old Bill is allowed to grumble and be rude to people, and I’m not?”  My father showing no attempt to be patient, tilted his head downward glaring at me, and exploded, “Tizzie!" Dad's eyes nearly teared up in his anger,  "Bill saw action during the War in the Pacific. You will never understand what he has been through."

Time hung in the air as I stood at attention. My father continued, "He is retired now, and his pension does not provide enough for Bill and his wife.”  

“Wife,” I interrupted!  “Some woman is married to Bill?  He stinks to high heavens; can’t you smell him when you walk into the shop?”  I’ve never been one to think about my words before they spewed from my mouth. 

I saw the growl forming on my father’s face before I heard his words, “This man will work for me as long as he needs a job.  Don’t you ever say another word about him.  That’s final!” Our lessons about World War II were not in the textbooks.

          In the stifling heat of the summer, the golf shop repeatedly reeked of “Old Bill” and his ancient cures for aches and ailments.  Finally, one day, when I knew Dad wouldn’t be in the shop for another hour or more, I turned to Bill and in a kindly manner, “Bill, I know it’s miserably hot here.  I sweat just like you, but you smell like garlic and sometimes like rotten eggs.  Why?”  In defense of my teenage ignorance, I had often heard the women golfers complain about Bill’s body odor.

 One time I remember LaRue Gaines marching into the golf shop after a round of golf and a few beers. With a swirl of her body and arms flattening on the glass display case separating the costumer from the employee, she flippantly remarked to Old Bill, "Why is it, we come in from a round of golf in this heat only to have you, the golf shop, and locker rooms smell like garlic?” 

Bill mumbled something like, “You don’t smell so sweet yourself!”  Then hunched his shoulders, and turned his back to walk off. I watched LaRue's nostrils flair and then surprisingly, I heard a high pitch giggle like a horse neighing, and she smarted back before he could leave the room, “Well, at least you won’t ever catch any germs smelling like that.”

          Standing solidly, I awaited his reply. He turned, lifted his chin and looked her square in the eyes,  “I ain’t ever been sick in my life." With an awkward grunt he continued, "Working in the public like this puts lots of germs in the air.  I don’t ever go to the doctor for medicine ‘cause I wear this garlic pod around my neck.”  Clutching his chest his deep set brown eyes starred down at me, and for a minute he almost smiled.  

    LaRue turned to her left and exited down the two giant steps to the basement and the cool air of the ladies locker room. 

In that moment, the character, Penrod, in  Booth Tarkington's book that my eighth grade teacher read aloud to us, flashed back to me. My eyes and mouth both popped open. I popped off to Old Bill, but this time sincerely stating,  “I thought just old timey people in stories wore things like that to ward off sickness.  Does it really work?”

“Seems to work." His voice stopped. After a gulp of air he continued, "Ain’t never sick, neither’s my wife,” he replied. 

“You mean your wife wears garlic, too?” I asked incredulously. 

With each word spoken like a directive, he replied. “No." Again a long pause as if he needed to think of the next sentence. "She don’t go out much, but she cooks with garlic, and we eat our greens every day.” 

          I had to ask, “Can I see it?  What does it look like?”  Without answering he walked to the back room with me following like a little puppy dog begging for a bone.  He unbuttoned his heavy khaki shirt part way to reveal another heavy men’s white t-shirt equally wet and smelly with garlicky sweat.  He pulled up on a cord that hung around his neck, and out popped a pouch made from cheese cloth and sure enough inside the bag were several pealed fresh ripe pods of garlic. With curiosity killing me, I wanted to ask a dozen more questions, but thought maybe I should let the subject drop.  Mom constantly coached me on appropriate behavior, “Just let the subject go, Letty. Tomorrow’s another day.”  

 

*I cried today while writing and rewriting this story. Old Bill has been in my heart ever since that day. I have never imagined what he must have experienced in the war. Dad eventually told me where Bill had fought, but sadly, I do not recall that story.