Inaugural MGA Senior Series visits for two tourneys

~ The over-50 set played at Cape Country Club on Thursday and visits Bent Creek today.

The Missouri Golf Association's Senior Series is such a big hit, one wouldn't blame executive director Scott Hovis for taking all the credit.

But Hovis, in his second year as the executive director, said the idea came from the Kansas Golf Association, which has had a senior series for 11 years.

"These guys are loving it," Hovis said Thursday when the series stopped at Cape Girardeau Country Club. "They're wanting more events next year."

The inaugural MGA Senior Series has 12 events and a series championship tournament, which is scheduled for Oct. 2 and 3 at Meadow Lake Acres Country Club near Jefferson City. Each tourney has five age divisions for golfers 50 and over, and the series schedules events on back-to-back days in a 24-hour span. After playing at Cape Country Club on Thursday afternoon for the sixth event on the circuit, the seniors will tee it up this morning at Bent Creek in Jackson.

"This is a good thing for us old farts," said Darrel Huisinga, a Fenton resident who shot a 72 to lead the 50- to 54-year-old men. "This is the best thing the MGA has done for seniors in the five years that I've been a senior golfer. This gives us a chance to compete without all the flat-bellies, and this is a fun group, too."

Following their rounds, several golfers lingered for jokes and golf stories over drinks at the Cape Country Club's 19th hole.

Others, such as David Hohler of Cape Girardeau, exited quickly.

"I had to get to the driving range to work out my issues," said Hohler, 57, who shot an 87 Thursday. "I'm not much for sitting around after. I didn't play well today, and I go to do well."

Hohler, like Huisinga, has played every event on the tour so far. But unlike Huisinga, who could trace his playing days against some in the field back 15 and 25 years, Hohler said he knew just one other player on the senior series, which has exceeded Hovis' expectations by drawing 260 members.

"I've met a lot of people from all over the state," Hohler said. "Some of these guys can play. "

Leading the charge Thursday was Jerry Waitulavich, a Chesterfield resident who shot a 4-under-par 66 to top the 55-59 division.

Points are awarded in each division toward making the field in the year-end championship, and golfers under 65 and over 65 are awarded pro shop prize money based on both gross and handicapped scoring.

Huisinga, playing on Cape Country Club for the first time, was impressed with the course.

First-year Cape Country Club pro Steve Harris hopes to have the seniors back next year.

"It's fun to show your place off," he said," and these guys play golf. That's what's neat about it. They enjoy this golf course because it's a good course for an experienced player. It's short with small greens so you're not always standing on the tee with a driver every hole and you've got to know where to put the ball on the green."

Hohler also enjoyed it because it's close to home after previous stops in Kansas City, Springfield and St. Louis.

"I was joking with the guys that it was such a short trip, I drove to the far end of town and back so I would feel like I was traveling," he said. "It's Bent Creek [today], and I can hardly wait to get there."

Scores

50-54

Player Gross Net

Darrel Huisinga, Fenton 72 68

Mike Dallmeyer, Jefferson City 73 72

Paul Lane, St. Louis 74 72

Mike Goff, Huntsville 76 73

Craig Hardcastle, St. Louis 77 77

Charles Kidney, St. Louis 80 78

Tom Nichols, Ballwin 83 78

Gary Johnson, Jefferson City 85 72

55-59

Player Gross Net

Jerry Waitulavich, Chesterfield 66 66

Ed Davis, St. Louis 73 70

Stephen Slaughter, Jefferson City 73 68

Terry Tessary, Collinsville, Ill. 73 72

Jim Vastyan, St. Louis 73 71

Jerry Wall, Springfield 74 70

Bruce Robert, St. Louis 76 71

William Womack, Rocheport 76 69

Larry Zimmerman, Jefferson City 77 67

Charlie Blackwell, Mountain Grove 78 75

William Wunderlich, High Ridge 79 73

Steven Arndt, Sikeston 80 76

Randy Rahlmann, Poplar Bluff 83 79

Tom Rainwater, Bloomfield 83 77

Danny Lansdown, Bucyrus 84 75

David Samp, Moberly 85 76

Jim Evans, Nixa 86 76

Tom Hollis, Bolivar 86 79

David Hohler, Cape Girardeau 87 79

John Fogerty, St. Charles 91 79

60-64

Player Gross Net

Ed Ewing, St. Louis 77 69

Wally Obremski, O'Fallon 77 73

Rocky Walther, St. Louis 77 74

Fred Steeg 81 72

Carl Benbrook, Chesterfield 82 80

Danny Buckler 83 75

Steve Duke, Dexter 85 80

Thomas Gura, St. Louis 85 75

Ron Glover, Columbia 87 80

Richard Morris, St. Louis 88 75

Duran Duggan, Lee's Summit 90 77

65-69

Player Gross Net

Jerry Freeland, St. Louis 74 71

Henry Hartle, Lebanon 74 72

Bob Iglehart, Columbia 76 67

Jerry Kirksey, Bolivar 76 73

Gene Kemna, Jefferson City 82 69

Norton Balber, St. Louis 83 73

Donald Francis, Springfield 83 76

Gary Mears, Manchester 83 77

Ned Gregory, Manchester 91 83

Gary Hovis, Jefferson City 94 79

70 and older

Grant Scharnhorst, St. Charles 79 73

Gene Olson, Jefferson City 83 72

Guy Jones, Columbia 90 75

Tony Nigro, Jefferson City 98 81