Golf tournaments galore with Ladies Tourney, annual Digs

Another year, another Puttin’ on the Ritz, the annual Ritzville Ladies Golf Tournament, and this year’s was one of the best. It occurred on August 10.

Patty Rueb, my golf partner and dear friend, golfed very well and I owe her hugely because, due to her great talents and powerful slams, we won money. It’s a near miracle and she could be the poster child for Best Friend Ever. Thank you, Patty.

Conditions were perfect for our tournament this year: a (comparatively speaking) balmy 92 degrees with a gentle breeze. After the sweltering summer we’ve endured, it was wonderful.

Although Dan Duff is officially responsible for the tournament and shoulders heavy responsibilities pertaining thereto, Patty and I organized most of the details for him. We enjoyed the experience, and were glad to utilize the talents and ideas offered so graciously by the women of Monday morning golf. Thirty-eight women played in teams of four (with the exception of Patty and I who made up the only two-person team).

Following the tournament, we enjoyed a refreshing lunch provided by Fairway Café, and an hour or so of casual conversation and laughter. Harriet Lynch and I provided some levity with a dramatized skit of golf quotes and jokes.

The tournament winners were:

First Flights: Ronna Galbreath and Darci Counsell won first gross; second gross winners are Jeri Stone and Karen Ostrander; and third gross winners are Cathy Jones and Erin Harris. The first net winners are Mary Owen and Beth Habib; second net winners are Gail Motzkus and Candy West; and the winners who tied for third place are Lyla Toner and Mary Duncan, Gaynel Gering and Harriet Lynch, and Muriel Rodriguez and Merlina Tate.

In the second flights, Mary Cox and Brenda Roosma won first gross; Marsha Nissen and Janet Wicks won second gross, and Debbie Pennick and Velma Ulrich won third gross. The net winners are Yvonne Adler and Julie Lloyd in first; Debbie Bolt and Elke Longwill in second; Karin Neilsen and Donna Schmierer in third; Sandy Gardner and Kathy Kniep in fourth; and Sandra Weigand and Patti Rueb in fifth.

Skins winners are Karin Neilsen and Donna Schmierer; Mary Cox and Brenda Roosma; Marsha Nissen and Janet Wicks; Lyla Toner and Mary Duncan; and Debbie Bolt and Elke Longwill.

We thank all who participated. Dan Duff, Bruce Benzel and Mike Lynch took on the perilous job of “scoring” for the event, which determines who won which cash prizes. Life could have become tenuous for them had they erred (which they did not). Weary wronged women can be woefully wisky, er risky.

We received generous cash contributions from Danekas Funeral Home, Ritzville Golf Association, and Jakes Restaurant. When it comes to our annual women’s tourney, it truly takes a village to accomplish the success we enjoyed this year.

As if that weren’t enough excitement, The Digs, Ritzville’s annual Men’s Tournament occurred on August 16.

Kirk and Ami Danekas and family always host a fine evening and tournament. They carry on the tradition begun exactly fifty years ago by Kirk’s father and mother, Ralph and Dorothy. Ralph was nicknamed Digger (his occupation had everything to do with that moniker), thus The Digs.

Mark and I attended the traditional, evening-before dinner and auction on August 15 at the Legion Hall. It was fun, as always, and as the evening progressed, festivities became noticeably more noisy for some reason. I even believed there were those who had enjoyed a drink or two before dinner, but I could be mistaken there.

After dinner (provided and served by the Fairway Café), Warren Kragt (master auctioneer) began vigorously plying his evening trade. Equitable transactions were concluded and the evening was a social and financial success.

Losing Kirk and Ami from our community has been sad for we who truly appreciate their contributions and love them. We are honored when they return each year to continue this fine, 50-year-old, Ritzville golfing tradition.