Fifty Years and Going Strong
The Mount
Washington Golf League started in 1957 when the members decided to
start a golf league along with their softball league. Play originally
started at the Lunken Play Field and in 1967 was moved to the Ironwood
Golf Course (currently the Little Miami Golf Course) in Newtown Ohio.
The name of the
league was changed in 1986 to The Don Smith Social League in memory of
league president Don Smith.
Included in the
50th anniversary group is one remaining member from the
original league, Dave Spaeth. Dave has technically been in the league
for 49 years as he took one year off to coach baseball, but did indeed
play that year multiple times as a sub.
Two other long
time members are Phil Smith (current league president and treasurer)
and Glen (Wolf man) Smith. They both have been in the league for 41
years. Phil is the son of Don Smith.
The league plays
every Sunday morning starting with tee times at 7 a.m. and there are
32 members who play each week. The league has a few different rules on
the course to help the speed of play and make sure everyone enjoys
their time on the course.
Play begins in
early spring and continues through the middle of September. The league
uses the 80 percent handicap rule for scoring. Member handicaps range
from scratch to a maximum of 10. Handicaps change on a monthly bases
after the member reaches 20 matches. Before the 20-match mark is hit
it is computed on a match-by-match basis.
The league plays
on all holidays and unless there is a make-up day because of a rain
out, those days are reserved for scramble tournaments.
During the year
all the matches count toward the end of the year tournament starting
with the second from the last week as the doubles championship. The
last week is the singles championship with the best four records from
each of the divisions (North, South, East and West) playing for the
league championship. The remainder of the teams plays in a scramble
tournament on the last day.
Trying to make
sure all the members enjoy the company and get to meet everyone in the
league, they currently rent the shelter at the course and each team is
assigned a week to bring food to share with all the other members.
Food ranges from hotdogs, brats, mets, to roast beef with crab boiled
potatoes to Italian cuisine. And of course everyone is encouraged to
bring their favorite beverage to wash down the delicious food with.
The final day
prize money and prizes are distributed to all members with a day of
celebration capped off with a dinner of steaks, shrimp, bakes
potatoes, and salad.
- contributed by Michael Able
