Weather cooperates for annual senior men’s golf tourney

Storm clouds cause concern prior to the start of the Senior Men’s Two-man Scramble Tournament, June 1 at Frank E. Peters Municipal Golf Course.

Submitted photo

The Senior Men’s Golf Association Committee spent ample time in the days leading up to the June 1 Senior Men’s Two-man Scramble Tournament wringing their hands with concern.

The annual 54-team tournament held at Frank E. Peters Municipal Golf Course in Nevada, is a big undertaking when there is good weather, as it is very difficult to successfully complete play.

If there are storms or lightning in the area, it is virtually impossible to fully complete play. Right up to tee times on June 1, the weatherman was not cooperating.

Luckily, soon after play began, the skies cleared and the players enjoyed a beautiful, sunshine-filled day, with the temperature in the mid 70s. The annual senior event is wildly popular, hosting teams from towns such as Clinton, Carthage, Joplin, and Tulsa.

Tournament format

The Tournament featured three age brackets of contestants: The senior bracket, from ages 50-64 (15 teams); Super Seniors, from ages 65-74 (32 teams); and Golden Oldies, 75 and above (six teams).

The tournament, unlike many other golf events, does not try to make a profit, preferring instead to award prizes to as many contestants as possible. With this in mind, there were payouts in eight different flights for first-place, second, and third.

This system allowed for 24 of the teams to earn prize money. There were also gifts donated by local businesses, which many players received via ticket drawings and, course prizes for: closest to the pin, longest putt, and longest drive.

During the prize-award ceremony, the committee hosted all of the teams with a dinner catered by Chicken Mary’s. The Frank E. Peters’ Ladies Golf Association provided many deserts and acted as servers for the lunch. Their help annually makes this tournament’s success possible.

A special thanks also goes to two of their members, Linda Gruenhagen and Jo Poyzer. Gruenhagen and Poyzer truly are the backbone that allows us to host and complete this tournament each year. Frank E. Peters Clubhouse Manager, Casey Moore, and his staff also went out of their way to accommodate our tournament and players.

Senior Men’s Club President John Klingaman was assisted by tournament committee members, Ray Crawford, Wayne Gruenhagen, and Richard Carpenter.

A special thanks also goes out to our many sponsors: First National Bank, Metz Bank, Heritage State Bank, Great Southern Bank, Sugar Foot & Peaches BBQ, Dairy Queen, Woods Grocery Store, Delway Drive In, White Grill, Mo. Eagle, Sharkeys Pub & Grub, Nevada Men’s Senior Golf Assoc., Jagged Edge, Floors & More, Tom Hissink/Edward Jones, 54 Cafe, Ferry Funeral Home, Hertzberg Furniture, Ellis Furniture, and Nevada Regional Medical Center

Tournament and Prize Winners by flight

–– Senior Division ––

Championship Flight: 1st –– Scott Hartley, Steve Hoenshell (64); 2nd –– Steve Watts, Gene Smith (65) (1 skin); 3rd –– Mark O’Dell, Red O’Dell (66) (one skin).

A-Flight: 1st –– Raymond Shumaker, Bill Hardin (72); 2nd –– Brian Leonard, David Ferry (72) (1 skin); 3rd –– Jeff Smith, Kevin Mansfield (73); Team of Mark Gayman and Tim Judd (one skin).

–– Super Seniors ––

Championship Flight: 1st –– Jim Lucas, Dave Tourtelot (62), 2nd –– Harry Bailey, Jim Ellis (64); 3rd –– Steve Ellis, Gary Schmitz (64).

A-Flight: 1st –– Jack Atkinson, Tim O’Neal (68); 2nd –– Larry Testman Bob Harris (68); 3rd –– John Rathke, Bill Stringer (69).

B-Flight: 1st –– Marvin Hammontree, Keith Hamontree (70); 2nd –– Norman Ash, Bob Hamm (70); 3rd –– Jeff Smith, Dale Schilling (70).

C-Flight: 1st –– Don Farmer, Don Hamontree (72); 2nd –– Wayne Reinert, Harold Gregg (72); 3rd –– Paull Myers, Jim Myers (72).

D-Flight: 1st-- Larry Sanderson, Gary Norcross (75); 2nd –– Doyle Stalker, Dewayne Cunningham (75); 3rd –– Bob Compton Lonnie Kimmel (76).

Note: In the Super Senior Division there was only one skin for all 32 teams, by the team of Fred Rehkow and Howard Williams.

–– Golden Oldies ––

Championship Flight: 1st –– Art Dahms, Jess Simmons (68) (three skins); 2nd- –– David Turner, Bob Turner (70) (one skin); 3rd –– Robert Pattison, George Lilleston (72).

Additional skins awarded: Karl Umphenour, Lawrence Tally (one skin); Jim Phillips, JP Marroquin (one skin).