Goodbye Winter (Good Riddance,) Update From PARD, and Special Memory Lane.
My wife Jo Ann often tells me not to put thoughts into the universe that can bite back. It is a little bit like saying wow I did not lose a ball on the front nine of Lions as you tee off on 10. It seems you wake up the golf gods and they say collectively, "What?" We all know where the tee shot or second shot is likely to end up.
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| Bevo in the recent snow |
Just before the Texas ice storm of 2021,I almost under my breath said, "We sure have been lucky this winter with reasonably mild weather and a lot of golf." Ok, you may now agree with my wife and I may be responsible for the Big Texas Blizzard. As of Friday, March 5 at 5 o'clock we officially finished getting our house and yard back in order. As if to say good bye and good riddance to this record winter attack on Texas, our son Todd who was of great help to us, ran a Beautiful State of Texas flag up our front yard flag pole to celebrate being finished. Today is Saturday the 6th and I am admiring the flag blowing in the wind and feel we have once again said "Don't Mess With Texas!" We will always come back. It is the Texas Spirit. Now I am pretty sure that is a Texas fact and I am not putting a thought into the universe.
The Austin Parks And Recreation Department's Golf Advisory Board met virtually Wednesday. Jack Scruggs, our PARD representative, was not able to attend. I will summarize some of the updates Kevin Gomillion, Division Manager presented to us.
- Golf rounds played at all city courses are way up including Hancock.
- The big freeze may hurt Jimmy Clay and Morris Williams' Greens. Hoping for best.
- Jimmy Clay is fully back up with 18 holes in play. The new irrigation system is done.
- Both Lions and Morris Williams will continue to improve practice areas, maybe a sand trap will be added if there is enough room.
- New synthetic driving range turf is being installed at the back of the Jimmy Clay/Kizer driving range as an alternate teeing area when needed to preserve the real grass.
- Though 8 minute tee times intervals may come back, fivesomes will likely not be allowed soon.
- Regular tournament play such as scramble fund raisers are still not being permitted.
- Butler Pitch and Putt is being greatly improved and is nearing completion.
- Progress is continuing towards a good future for Lions. Keep the hope and help coming.
2020/21 will long be remembered with the pandemic and much interruption for all of us. It was our goal to make sure we did not overlook the passing of any of our members and hope we have giving proper recognition to them over the last 14 months during this time. The one thing about being a part of a senior group that begins at age 62 is we are all closer to our final round. It seems to me that you often only get to know someone well that you meet later in life when you read their obituary. We have a very diverse and amazing group and I am always wishing I knew you all better than I do. Please join me in moving on down the NEWS after reading this and remember our latest two members that have recently passed, plus another special recognition for General Marshall. Should you wish to review all nine that have left us during the last 14 months their names are in alphabetical order and you can find their story in the NEWS by scrolling down.
Joe Baitz, Fred Blazine, Troy Collins, Bob Gamble, Charlie Gorin, Carl Hedrick, General Marshall, Waymon McLamb, and Gene Payne. Nine Great Golfers and humans.
This News has been brought to you on behalf of the ASGA Board of Directors and The Austin Senior Golf League,
Travis McWhorter
President
JOE BAITZ RECENTLY PASSED AWAY.
Pat Baitz, Joe's wife of 62 years recently advised Handicap Chair Bill Burke that we should remove Joe from our e-mailing and handicap list list as he is now playing golf in heaven. Joe joined ASGA in 2014 and was on our active list until his passing February 26, 2021. Joe had not been playing for a good while, but had played in the past with John Osgood and more recently some with Steve Ellis. I played with him a couple times and others of you may recall having played with him over the years. I agree totally with the following comments. He was so nice. Steve Ellis said when learning of Joe's passing, " I have not seen him for quite a while. I did play with Joe and he was always friendly, gracious and fun to play with. Sorry to see him go."
ASGA wishes Pat and the family much comfort and you should know you are in our thoughts and prayers. Maybe we will all be lucky enough to get some rounds in with him in heaven at some point down the line.
Please follow the link below to Joe's Obituary. He was quite the man.
Travis McWhorter
President of ASGA
https://www.brookhavenfuneralhome.net/obituary/joe-ray-baitz
CHARLIE GORIN PASSES
Former ASGA member and World War II veteran Charlie Gorin passed away February 21, 2021. He was best known as a star left-handed pitcher for the Texas Longhorn Baseball Team, leading them to back-to-back NCAA championships in 1949 and 1950. Charlie also played professional baseball for the Milwaukee Braves and later taught and coached for Lanier and Anderson High Schools. He enjoyed playing golf immensely. He was a member of ASGA until 2011.
Sam Mihalik
Secretary Treasurer ASGA
Charlie’s full obituary can be found at https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/austin-tx/charles-gorin-10069812.
Bruce Jones, Website Chairman recently ran across this updated story about our former member GENERAL MARSHALL. We covered his passing originally June 26, 2020. Click on the link below.
https://www.themunyconservancy.com/remembering-general-marshall.html
