JERRY EDEN'S GOLF LEGACY

"Signature" smile

Everybody has a story, I am glad I learned of this one!

Jerry Eden passed away on April 13. As the golf professional here for now three years, I had the pleasure of being his acquaintance. I can't ever say that we were ever close as he did not come as often as other members, but you begin knowing the man by the friends he surrounds himself with.

You can bet that this scorecard
is added correctly!

He was quiet, but very happy looking all the time. If he came around the shop, he sometimes asked about the golf team or a player in particular. I remember him a year ago asking for this "freshman (who was actually in his second year in high school) Logan Gore" whom Jerry had heard had played well in one of our tournaments. We talked for a few minutes and he went out to play with his closest golfing friends. But I never thought anything special about his inquiries, since other members also ask, but, as you will see, his questions were much more special.

The NOOF consists of about 12 golfing friends.
Here Jerry with 3 of them during the KECO 2013

I seldom, if ever, saw him play with anyone else other than this group that they named "NOOF" (National Organization of Old Farts). They played together is just about everything, daily play or scramble tournaments and also went in vacations together, usually to Colorado. I don't know if he was a good golfer or not, all I know is that he always gave the sense that he was always at peace with himself and everyone else. I never heard him utter a negative word in any form. Not even the slightest complaint. 



Yesterday, during a ceremony at the country club, I had the pleasure of learning a little more about this man, which strengthened our unspoken connection: he, like myself, and my family before, was all for junior golf, and in his case, and in particular, for high school golf, as he was the very first person to DO something in order to include golf in the Elk City High School schedule. 

Years, back, he went to the local School Board to plead for an expansion of the spring activities so that they could include golf. He was first told "no because there was no budget for such a thing", but he would not take "no" for an answer and began looking for private funds from local businesses and ended up helping the first golf team ever, and the rest, as they say is history. Among Elk City's strong golf tradition; six boys state championships, six runner up finishes, several regional championships, one girls championship and several runner up finishes, along with a few individual championships (the last one was Kelsi Wilson last year) and several top five finishes, by seniors ("All State") and non seniors (the latest one, Logan Gore, this year with fourth place after a total of 215, one under par).

Casey Eden (tallest right) poses with his family and some
of the NOOFS who attended the ceremony
at the Elk City Golf & C.C.

David Dyson and Pam Muncrief were instrumental in having this ceremony which was hosted by Casey Eden, Jerry's oldest son, who after this year's teams and coaches had been recognized, gave a generous donation to the golf team on behalf of his dad.

Rest in Peace, Jerry, golfer and FRIEND OF JUNIOR AND HIGH SCHOOL GOLF!