Par For The Course | Madolyn Kost, Grace Vidovic, do well at NOPGA Junior events
Two local girls, Madolyn Kost of Kent and Grace Vidovic of Aurora, grabbed top 10 finishes in their age divisions in the 90-degree heat at recent Northern Ohio PGA Junior tournaments.
Kost tied for first at Ellsworth Meadows in Hudson, firing a 4-over par, and she finished tied for fifth at Turkeyfoot Lake Golf Links in the Portage Lakes, carding an 85 in the girls' 16-19 age division.
Vidovic tied for fourth place at Turkeyfoot in the 11-15 age division, carding a 7-over par and won the Ellsworth Meadows' event, finishing with an 11-over par.
Also at Turkeyfoot, Nathan Kinter and Mason Dillon, both of Edinburg, competed in the 9-hole Future Tour for juniors, both landing in the top 10. Kinter earned a medal for his tie for second-place finish at 7-over, while Dillon tied for fifth at 11-over.
Tom Laubacher of Aurora won the senior division of the Northern Ohio Golf Association’s Scratch series. Laubacher fired a 1-under 70 to lead the tough field at Quail Hollow in Painesville.
Portage golfers top Pro-Assistant tourney
The top of the leaderboard at the Pro-Assistant tournament hosted by Mayfield Sand Ridge in Chardon was dominated by golfers with Portage County ties.
Taking home first place was Rob Moss, former Kent State standout and director of golf at the Pepper Pike Club, playing with his assistant, Sean McGuire. The team earned the victory with a score of 6-under 66.
Mitch Camp, director of golf at Club Walden in Aurora, tied for second at 5-under with his assistant, Collin McKendree.
Tied with Camp/McKendree was Trent Maxwell, director of the Windmill Golf Center and former professional at Windmill Lakes Golf Club. Maxwell and Randy Dietz, a former Kent State and Kent Roosevelt standout, combined for 5-under.
Locals attend the Curtis Cup
The Curtis Cup, celebrating women amateur golfers, was contested at the Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa., from June 10-12.
Organized jointly by the United States Golf Association and the SGA and the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, the team event features players from the United States and Europe.
David Benjamin, the husband of Aurora mayor Ann Womer Benjamin, has had the opportunity to visit many major championship courses as well as national tournaments, both to play and as a spectator.
Benjamin is the historian for Canterbury Golf Club in Cleveland. One of the top 100 golf courses in the United States, the course has been open since July 1, 1922. Canterbury has hosted 13 major championships, including the 2009 Senior PGA Championship, and is one of only two clubs to have hosted all five of the men’s major American championships: the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, US Amateur, Sr. US Open and Sr. PGA Championship.
At Ardmore, the United States team won the Curtis Cup to continue its reign since 2016.
However, there was a local golfer to cheer for on the Great Britain and Ireland team. Emily Price, a golfer with the Kent State Golden Flashes, competed for the GB&I team.
Benjamin enjoyed a few minutes with several of the golfers, including Price, at the event.
Americans won the event for the third consecutive time with a 13-point cushion. Price defeated Amari Avery of the United States team in the final match.
The next Curtis Cup is scheduled for Sunningdale in Ascot, England in 2024.
Father's Day
Kent Roosevelt and Kent State alumnus and golfer, Randy Dietz, is well known for his expertise playing teaching many successful adult and junior golfers.
He had the opportunity to step into another role at the recent NOPGA Junior tournament as he caddied for his son, enjoying his role just prior to Father’s Day. His son, Austin, finished in eighth place with his dad on the bag.
Those memories are always the ones his son will remember.
Golf professional Justin Thomas always talks about life lessons learned from his dad and the only swing coach he has had.
There is something special about playing with your dad.
In the days when women were not usually welcomed on Saturday or Sunday mornings, my dad and I would often play the now-closed Kent State University Golf Course. The course, formerly known as Meadowview, was purchased by Kent State in 1966. No matter who owned the course, they didn’t prevent women from playing in prime times.
On this Father’s Day, as our family tees off at 6 a.m. at Olde Dutch Mill where our son is the director of golf operations and events, it is still a family affair with our sons and daughter all playing together with my husband and their dad (and me).
It is a family tradition dating back 60 years, although at different golf courses over the years.
There is nothing better than celebrating Father’s Day or Mother’s Day on the golf course with your family.
Report news
To be added to the golf calendar, provide league results or share great golf shots and holes-in-one, email golffam2@gmail.com or call 330-206-9083.
AREA GOLF CALENDAR
Record-Courier Portage County Amateurs
Register at host courses, via mail or online at PCAgolf.net.
July 24: 8th PORTAGE COUNTY KIDS AMATEUR, Sunny Hill Golf Course, Brimfield. (Preschool-9th grade from $15 to $20).
July 28-29: 15th MATT MISHLER PORTAGE COUNTY JUNIOR AMATEUR, Windmill Lakes, Ravenna and Sunny Hill Golf, Brimfield. (Ages 12 and under/$45, Ages 13 to 19 $60.
July 30-31: 92nd PORTAGE COUNTY AMATEUR, Windmill Lakes, Ravenna and Raccoon Hill, Kent. (County, Open and Women’s Divisions – 18-Holes, $85/person).
Aug. 27-28: 52nd PORTAGE COUNTY SENIOR AMATEUR, Windmill Lakes, Ravenna and Raccoon Hill, Kent. (Ages 50 and older, four divisions, $85/person).
Info: Email PortageCountyAm@gmail.com, text 330-206-9083
Other events
June 27-29: Ohio Open Championship, Westfield Country Club. (thenorthernohiopga.com)
July 15: Olive Tree Family Foundation 2nd Annual Golf Invitational, Raintree Golf and Event Center, Uniontown. (Four-person scramble, $100 per person, olivetreegolf.com, olivetree@olivetreefamily foundation.org)
July 22: Big Brothers/Big Sisters Golf Outing, Sugar Bush Golf Course, Garrettsville. (Four-person scramble, 18-holes, 95 per person. Call 330-805-0266.)
July 24: Ravenna Gridiron Club, Windmill Lakes Golf Course, Ravenna. (Four-person scramble/$500 per team.)
July 31: 4th Annual Adaptive Sports Ohio Golf Tournament, Olde Dutch Mill, Lake Milton.
Aug. 19: 36th Hattie Larlham Golf Classic, Sugar Bush Golf Club, Garrettsville. (Four-person scramble, 18-Holes. Morning/afternoon flights.)
Junior calendar
Friday: 18-Hole NOPGA Jr. Series and 9-Hole Futures, Tannenhauf, Alliance. (www.thenorthernohiopga.com.)
July 6-8: Good Park Junior Tournament, Good Park Golf Course, Akron. ($65, www.goodparkgolf.com, 330-375-2092.)
July 8: 18-Hole NOPGA Junior Series, and 9-Hole Futures Fox Den, Stow. (www.thenorthernohiopga.com.)
July 9: Drive, Chip and Putt Local Qualifying, Windmill Golf Center, Macedonia. www.thenorthernohiopga.com.)
July 12: Drive, Chip and Putt Local Qualifying, Lake Forest, Hudson. (www.thenorthernohiopga.com.)
July 13-14: 18-Hole NOPGA Junior Series, Windmill Lakes, Ravenna. (www.thenorthernohiopga.com.)
July 15: Greatest Golfer Junior In the Valley Junior Series, Olde Dutch Mill, Lake Milton. (330-654-4100.)
July 22: 9-Hole Futures Tour Championship, Mud Run, Akron. (www.thenorthernohiopga.com.)
July 25: Ohio Girls Golf Foundation Showcase, Avon Oaks Country Club, Avon. ($60/18-holes. lynne@oggf.org, 440-479-9579.
July 26-27: NOPGA Junior Tour Championship, Club Walden, Aurora. (www.thenorthernohiopga.com.)
Aug. 8: NOPGA Collegiate Preview, Alliance Country Club, Alliance. (www.thenorthernohiopga.com.)
USGA local qualifying
July 5: U.S. Women’s Amateur Qualifying, Lake Forest Country Club, Hudson. (Entry deadline has passed)
July 7: U.S. Amateur Qualifying, Weymouth Country Club, Medina. (Entry deadline June 22)
July 28: U.S. Senior Amateur Qualifying, Sand Ridge Golf Club, Chardon. (Entry deadline July 6)
Aug. 11: U.S. Mid Amateur Qualifying, Avon Oaks Country Club, Avon. (Entry deadline July 6)
Aug. 25: U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Qualifying, Portage Country Club, Akron. (Entry deadline July 27)
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Portage County amateur golf news and notes for June 19
