Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Shelby Oaks - Dave's Midwestern Ohio Memories

This is a guest post by an anonymous Fish Report reader as part of a series of periodic posts that will focus on cherished memories of growing up in Midwestern Ohio during the 50’s & 60’s.


Shelby Oaks Golf Course in Sidney was the first public course in the area. 
The Moose Golf Course in Sidney , a private club, existed prior to 1965.

Shelby Oaks

The first public golf course in the area was Shelby Oaks, which opened in the fall of 1965 with 9 holes during my senior year in high school. Our basketball coach Kremer was an avid golfer, so he recruited a bunch of newbies together from the seniors in high school and challenged Anna Coach Anderson to a golf match at Shelby Oaks. Coach Kremer had us practicing in the outfield of the baseball diamond. Fortunately, I had hit golf balls before, thanks to my uncle Gene from Chicago, who let us hit balls when he came to visit. I distinctly remember about age 12 hitting a golf ball with a 5 iron over the hog stable on our farm from next to the tool shed, a distance about 150 yards. That ball was never to be found, and it went farther by three times than any baseball I’d ever hit. So from that moment on, I was hooked on golf. Unfortunately for my wife, I’m still hooked almost 60 years later. Anyway, back to the story, the day of the big golf challenge arrived. I have no recollection of how our team did against Anna, but I do recall that I shot a 45, bogie golf my first time out, which I have a difficult time matching to this day. What a memorable round! Unofficially, I’d like to think this event was the first ever County golf tournament!

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