Dateline: September 11, 2008

Clarendon welcomes ladies golf tourney

By Sandy Anderberg

“Golfers; Hitch Up Your Wagons” is the theme for the 17th Annual Western Lone Star Senior Ladies Golf Association Tournament that will be hosted by the Ladies Golf Association of the Clarendon Country Club.

The four-day tournament will begin September 14 and run through September 18 and is only for ladies 50 years of age and older.

Each year the tournament is held at a different golf course that has previously bid to host the tournament at their club. The LGA of the CCC bid on the tournament three years ago and began preparations immediately. They have all worked tirelessly and continually to insure the tournament would be a success.

“Our ladies golf association has been preparing since we were awarded the tournament,” golfer Maxine McLaughlin said. “We have received great support from the community, and our ladies have pitched in to make sure we have the greatest tournament possible.”

Seventy-two women will participate in the match-play tournament. There will be a Championship flight and eight other flights in the format.

“The golfers had to mail in their entry about three weeks ago,” McLaughlin said. “We had more than 72 ladies enter, but there is only room for a certain number of golfers to fill the nine flights. The remaining golfers were put on a waiting list, and if someone cannot compete, the next golfer in line will be able to enter the tournament and play.”

There are many great golfers from around the area, and they will start arriving in Clarendon on Sunday, September 13, to begin preparations for the week. Golfers will come from Alpine, Amarillo, Andrews, Big Spring, Borger, Canadian, Canyon, Childress, Clarendon, Dumas, Farwell, Graham, Hereford, Lubbock, Memphis, Muleshoe, Shamrock, Snyder, and Tulia.

Last year’s tournament was hosted by Hereford, and next year’s tournament will be in Andrews. The golfers will be allowed to play practice rounds on Sunday, and Monday will be a qualifying round to determine medallist for the regular tournament and the senior tournament, which is open to those 65 and over. Match play rounds will be played Tuesday and Wednesday, and the Championship round will be played Thursday when the champion will be crowned.

There will also be a nine-hole Broken Spoke tournament on Thursday for the non-winners of the week.

Local golfer Sherol Johnston will not only participate in the tournament, she is also part of the governing board for the WLSSLGA and servers as the vice-president. Next year Johnston will be the president of the association.

“This is a big tournament for the ladies,” Johnston said. “We have a lot of very good golfers coming to play from around the area, and there are 24 ladies golf organizations that will be represented at our tournament.”

According to Johnston, the requirements to play in the senior ladies association is that you are at least 50 years of age and you are active in the ladies golf association of your local club.

“This is the 17th year for the tournament,” Johnston said. “We have worked hard to bring great opportunities to our town and county. The ladies that come to play will stay in our motels, eat at our restaurants, and shop in our stores.

“The community has really stepped up, and we are looking for a great week.”

There will be nightly festivities at the CCC with things kicking off Sunday evening, September 14, with a Flag Raising Ceremony. The Pairings Party will be held Monday evening around the pool, and there will be an association meeting on Wednesday evening.

The Awards Banquet will be held Thursday after play at a buffet luncheon in the dining room. Some of the downtown merchants will remain open Tuesday night for late-night shopping for the out-of-town guests, but the public is invited to take advantage of the extended hours as well. 

Both McLaughlin and Johnston are excited for the tournament to begin.

“We feel like it will be a great tournament, and we are thankful for all of the support the community has offered to help us make this a fantastic week,” they said.