Each Tuesday morning for a quarter-century, a golf league has gathered at various area golf courses.
Pinecrest Golf Club has hosted the Sun City Men’s Golf League since the course became part of Huntley Park District. Previous locations were Whisper Creek in Sun City and Marengo Ridge. An 18-hole match-play format is used.
“We have 64 members now, and a list of 30 substitutes,” Sun City resident and league manager Andy Jones said. “The players are able to handle the 18-holes. We have some guys into their 80s and I would say the average age is the low 70s. There are a lot of golf leagues in Sun City.”
The competition is strong each Tuesday, organizers said, beginning with tee times at 7 a.m., with the final groups at about 8:30 a.m.
“We help to make sure it’s a fun day for them,” Pinecrest Golf Pro John Cundiff said.
“We try to keep the match play at four to four and one-half hours,” Jones said. “Pinecrest has been very good to us, as there are two
rangers who help. Most guys have golfed all their lives.”
The league has two divisions, each with 32 players, decided by their golf handicap score.
“It’s match play, where a player goes against an opponent in a head-to-head match, determined by the number of holes won. The outcome of the match is determined by the total number of strokes taken,” according to a league flier.
Jones is the fourth manager of the league, following Ken Sorensen, 2000-2009; Harry Anderle, 20009-2018 and Ron Hawley, 2019-2024.
A committee of four sets up the league, presently with Jones; Glenn Mitchell, software website and scoring; Ray Pemoller, scoring and Sam Henning, who gives out the weekly prize distribution.
On an early-season Tuesday, golfers described aspects of the league.
“It’s a good league with nice people,” Pemoller said.
Mitchell has been a league member for 11 years and has an “ace”, a hole-in-one, in league play.
“I started on the committee in 2020, the COVID year,” Mitchell said. We started that season in June, and you had to have your own golf cart. It’s a fairly low-key league, we cheer each other on.”
“It’s friendly competition,” Hanning said. “Match play is the best because if you have a bad hole, you can make it up.”
“I have been golfing for 50 years and this is the best-run league,” Jim Mellendof said.
“I love it, I just reached the green in three,” Mike Marchese said as he finished the 16th hole.
