Miami Valley Golf Club marks 100 years
In the fall of 1913, the year of the Dayton flood, Walter and Georgeanna Kidder of Grand Avenue decided to build a golf course on a property they held at Salem and Hillcrest Avenues.
In 1915 they employed Donald Ross, the eminent golf architect of the day, to lay out an 18-hole course on those 153 acres. The golf course became the centerpiece of what we know today as Miami Valley Golf Club.
The dedication was held June 3, 1919, with Kidder driving the first ball off the No. 1 tee and Ohio Governor James M Cox, owner of the Dayton Daily News, following.
At the time. Dayton Country Club, organized in 1896, was the only other country club in Dayton.
Miami Valley Golf Club would host the Western Open in 1931, when the great Water Hagen finished second to Ed Dudley. It hosted the Ohio Amateur Championship in 1927, 1939, 1948, 1981 and 1996. The Ohio Open was played at Miami Valley in 1828, 1939, 1947 and 1952.
Miami Valley hosted the Ohio Junior Amateur in 1983, the Ohio Mid-Amateur in 1990 and the Ohio Senior Amateur (won by Dayton’s Skip Snow) in 1998.
The club’s most prestigious event was the 1957 PGA Championship won by Lionel Hebert, who defeated Dow Finsterwald in the final match. It was the last PGA Championship contested with a match play format.
Robert Servis, a member of Miami Valley, won the Ohio Amateur championship five times — in 1933, 1936, 1939, 1940 and 1947. He won the 1939 title on his home course.
Robert Tyre “Bobby” Jones won golf ’s grand slam (US. Open and Amateur and British Open and Amateur) in 1930 before retiring from competitive golf in the fall of 1930 at the age of 28. He played an exhibition match at Miami Valley on Aug. 29, 1931.
Walter Hagen treated Miami Valley members to an exhibition match on June 23, 1936. Others who have played at Miami Valley include: Tommy Armour, Patty Berg, Harry Cooper, Jimmy Demaret, Babe Didrickson, Ralph Guldahl, Ben Hogan, Joe Kirkwood, Lawson Little, Nancy Lopez, Byron Nelson, Gene Sarazen, Denny Shute, Horton Smith, Sam Snead and Jimmy Thompson.
All of this history is a prelude to the fact that Miami Valley is celebrating its 100th anniversary this season. The club will have events June 1, June 15 and Aug. 16 and 17.
On June 1, the club is holding a private four-person scramble followed by photos of club champions and a panorama photo of members. Cocktails and appetizers will follow.
On June 15 there is a 100th-anniversary gala that includes a reception and dinner.
On Aug. 16-17, Miami Valley is hosting a two-day Hickory Shaft Golf Tournament open to the public. On Aug. 16 there is a scramble for men and women with a 1 p.m. shotgun start followed by a reception and dinner. On Aug. 17 there is an 8:30 a.m. breakfast buffet preceding a 10 a.m. shotgun start for the golfers, who will be playing their own ball.
Chip shots
■ We are aware of only two Dayton-area players who advanced to the sectional round of U.S. Open qualifying. Both are from Vandalia.
They are: Austin Greaser, who was medalist with a 67 at Kearney Hills Golf Course at Lexington, Kentucky on May 9 and Zach Crawford, who shot 70 and was one of nine qualifiers at Kinsale Golf and Fitness Club in Powell last Monday.
■ Roger Fearn, who organized the two-man George Klockson amateur-amateur tournament at Community Golf Course for many years, is trying to revive the half-handicap event on June 1.
The entry fee for prizes only is $25. Entrants must pay greens and cart fees. Entry forms are at the Community Golf Course pro shop. The entry deadline is May 29.
■ The Dayton District Women’s Golf Association is holding its annual Spring Shamble event Monday at Sugar Valley Country Club.