ON THE FRONT page of the Peninsula Daily News sports section for Nov. 21, 2000, the editor’s note of my first column read: “Billy Sallee, who lives in Sequim, is our new golf columnist. His columns will appear every Wednesday.”
It was signed by Brad LaBrie, sports editor. That began a labor of love for me that has lasted 8 ½ years.
It combined writing, a source of great pleasure and relaxation for me, and a sport that I have dearly loved since my father taught me how to play the game when I was just a teenager.
Nearly 500 columns
By my count that means 457 weekly golf columns plus 37 special stories that was not part of the columns.
They were all about the golf and golfers in Jefferson and Clallam counties along with many visitors and tourists who wandered through.
There were seven golf courses to cover and many very good golfers.
Add in a few tournaments and special events to provide interesting reading to the folks who were involved and you have a real golf smorgasbord.
Some folks felt there wasn’t enough going on with golf to write very much or very often about the sport.
LaBrie, the sports editor, quickly convinced me they were wrong, and I knew from past experience that he was correct.
When I began I was just about 71 years old and played the game as often as possible. I am now a few months past 80 and it has been a terrific eight plus years.
For a variety of reasons I feel that it is time for me to turn the computer to someone else and devote more time to once again enjoying playing the sport.
It’s been a great ride in the golf cart and I will miss many things about the relationship with the Peninsula Daily News, Editor and Publisher John Brewer and LaBrie.
The readers have been very kind, and many of them have been very helpful in keeping me posted about what has been going on with golfing in the area.
Thanks to everyone, keep swinging smooth and pure and I’ll see you occasionally on the golf course.
SunLand demo day
There’s some good news from Tyler Sweet, the professional at SunLand Golf & Country Club in Sequim.
He is having a Callaway demo day on Tuesday. You are all welcome to attend this good program from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the SunLand driving range.
You will be able to see and try out the latest in Callaway golf equipment, try out some new Callaway clubs on the driving range and meet with Sweet for tips on how to play better golf.
Call Sweet for more information at 360-683-6800.
SunLand is now open to the public on weekends, and bookings are available one week in advance.
The SunLand Club Championship for men was held and Jay Tomlin shot a 241 gross for the Men’s Club Championship.
Gene Mattson won a playoff with Joe Hart for net honors. They both had shot 210 net.
The winner for flight one gross was Mark Meythaler, 242, while John Sims, 243, came in second and Bill Dickin, 244, came in third.
In the flight one net competition Hart won with a 210, Tong Choi was second with a 212 and Roger Olsen was third with a 217.
Flight two gross winner was Bob Erzen, 260.
Ray DeJong, 264, came in second and Steven Worden, 267, took third.
In the net division, Frank Herodes beat Marty Obrien in a playoff after both scored 214.
Ed Jones had a 220 for third place. In the women’s division of the club championships, Witta Priester’s 251 was the winning gross score while Kathy Mahnerd’s 216 was good for the net championship.
In Flight one gross, Carol Goodman had the hot putter and won first place with a 265.
Judy Flanders took second with 266 and Linda Beatty had a 267 for third.
That’s mighty close scoring and really great competition.
The flight one net winner was Ruth Lowe, 218, while Gerry Fuller, 222, claimed second and Cecil Black’s 228 was good for third.
The flight two gross title went to Gail Savage, 295, while Jan Prout came in second with 302 and Mary McIntyre had a 309 for third place.
Flight two net title went to Janet Real, 225, while Hilda Duncan shot a 228 for second place and Sue Erzen had 233 for third place.
Flight three gross crown went to Penny Dickin, 320, while Patricia Palmeri, 326, was second and Pat Beltz was third with 347.
The flight three net winner was Sherry Meythaler, 230, while Nadia Saulsbury 241 for second and Nancy Brooks shot 247 for third.
The SunLand Women’s Golf Association played “Throw Out the Three Worst Holes” on Aug. 20.
The game allowed the players to throw out the scores of their three worst holes and record their total for just 15 holes.
First flight gross went to Linda Beatty with 70 while Alice Myers was second with 72. First flight net was won by Judy Nordyke with a 49.
Second flight gross first place was won by Hilda Duncan with a 76. Second flight net was won by Pennie Dickin with a 48, and Patricia Palmeri had a 50 to win second.
Third flight gross first place was won by Pat Beltz with an 84, and there was a tie for the first place net between Shirley Mullikin and Blossom Leslie, each shooting a 49.
Thanks to Ruth Lowe for her weekly reports.
Sweet reports the SunLand course is in near-perfect shape, the weather has been wonderful and plenty of good tee times are available.
Make your reservations early and enjoy the great course.
Peninsula women
The Peninsula Lady Golfers is the club for the gals who play 18 holes each week at Peninsula Golf Club in Port Angeles.
The winner this week was Sharon Bugg as she shot a 33.5.
Linda Burch and Ruth Thomson tied for second place as they recorded a couple of 34s . Pamela Fisher had 35.5 and Dolly Burnett had a 36
That’s a very tight group of good golf scores. They played on Aug. 20 under excellent weather conditions and the group agreed that the weather, the course conditions and he warm sunshine contributed to their fine day of golf.
The Lady Niners played a game of Better Nine and the leaders were Dona Scarcia with 36 and Sandy Granger came in second with a 38.
Sandy Granger, 360-565-1237, made the weekly report for the two groups and she extended an invitation to other ladies to join with them on each Wednesday morning at 9 a.m.
Call 360-457-6501 for more information about tee times and playing conditions.
Builders scramble
Kevin Russell, Gary Thorne, Mike DuPuis and Rob Botero shot a team score of 54 to win the low gross team honors in the 2009 North Peninsula Builders Association Scramble golf tournament held last Friday at Peninsula Golf Club.
Equal honors went to Scott Spencer, Val Spencer, Ryan Seiler and Jordan Negus as their 49.6 score won first place in the low team net division.
The second place low gross team members were John Locke, Andy Callis, AJ Callis and Harry Hinds with a score of 59. The third place low gross honors went to Sean Ryan, Robert Bourns and Marty Guzman with a 62.
Second place low net team was earned by Ward Dunscomb, Charm Dunscomb, Suzanne Barber and Randy Barber with a 49.8, and Jim Jones Jr., Steve Methner and Brian Kuh scored a 52.6 for the third place low net team honors.
Special award winners were straight drive, Scott Schwagler, long drive men went to Gary Ghorne and the long drive ladies was won by Suzanne Barber.
The long putt competition on No. 18 was won by Jacob Oppelt, and the long putt contest on No. 1 was won by Dan Curto.
Danny Clawson, Jim Jones Jr. and Stephanie Sweet each won a closest to the pin competition on holes No. 9, No. 14 and No. 4 (for ladies).
Dan Huff, Jerry Schwagler, Mike Oakes and Lori Oakes won a gift certificate for four players greens fees and the use of two golf carts.
Head pro Chris Repass reported the members of the Builders Association were welcome players, and the Builders Association will be invited back next year for another tournament.
Port Ludlow ladies
The Lady Niners of the Resort at Port Ludlow played Aug. 13 with a low gross/low net format.
The first flight winners were first low gross, Linda Aho, 47, first low net, Barbara Berthiaume, 34, and second low net, Liz Moore, 38.
The second flight winners were low gross, Kathy Snider, 59, first low net, Gayle Carrier, 36, and second low net, Betty Cragoe, 38.
The third flight winners were low gross, Shannon McCaslin, 66, first low net, Cynthia Durham, 39, and second low net, Karek Fyock with a 39.5.
Barbara Berthiaume reports they beat the rain by just a few hours and when it came, it really poured all afternoon.
The golfers were very thankful for early tee times.
For information about golf at the Port Ludlow resort, call Barbara Berthiaume at 360-437-0423.
WSU tournament
All Washington State University Alumni Association members are invited to a special golf tournament at SkyRidge Golf Course in Sequim on Saturday.
A wrong date had been published but this one is correct.
If you need more information, call SkyRidge at 360-683-3673.
It is a four-person scramble, and the tee time is 1 p.m.
Dungeness women
Lindsay Busch has sent the following about the golf played by the Lady Niners at Cedars at Dungeness Golf Course in Sequim.
This very active group played a game of Odd Holes, which is scored by adding the strokes taken on odd-numbered holes only and subtracting one-half of each player’s handicap.
In the first division, Vernice Quigley won the putting competition with just 15 putts for the day. Jo Hendrickson won the golf game with 20, and Barb Bullock and Jan Boyungs tied for second, each scoring a 22.5.
Three members tied for third as Pat Charters, Bonney Benson and Vernice Quigley each scored a 23.
In the second division, four members tied for the putting honors, each making 18 putts for the day. They were Lindsay Busch, Terri Green, Ginny Hunt and Lori Purser.
Jan Stromberger won the golf game with a 21 while Lindsay Busch came in second, 21.5, and Virginia Dvorshak was third with a 24.
Most of the members will be joining the Lady Niners at Port Ludlow for their invitational tournament this coming Thursday.
Best wishes
Best wishes to each of you for playing good golf.
Please remember two things, golf may be the only game that does not necessarily get better the more you play and “Golf is an easy game, it’s just hard to play!”
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Billy Sallee has been the golf columnist for the Peninsula Daily News. He has enjoyed the experience. Thanks to all of you who have read the column for the past 8 ½ years.
