The Eagle Creek Golf Club will celebrate its 75th anniversary today with a tournament and banquet.
Duke Anderson can recall as a teenager hiking to the leafy pasture land between Swan and Willmar Lakes in 1931 to see workers dynamite stumps. The nine-hole golf course was built along Dale's Creek, now known as Hawk Creek.
Anderson returned as a caddy in 1935 in the club's fourth year. Except for four years in the service, the retired railroader hasn't missed a summer on his home-town links. He still does light maintenance.
He's 86 and will play in today's event. His playing partners will include Harvey Caldwell, who turns 86 next month, and Harold Westhoff, 87. Bill Magnuson, 76, has declined the invitation to play, but he, too, will share his memories at the banquet tonight. Another retired railroader, Magnuson had hip surgery in late April.
Magnuson broke in as a caddy in 1943 and in 1954 won the Lakeland Tournament on his home course. Caldwell said his first year on the course was 1935. He retired 15 years ago after running his own insurance business. Westhoff moved here in 1966 and had a long career as a financial adviser with Raymond James.
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Two decades ago or less, all four men were threats annually to win the club's Senior Division tournament.
Club president Gary Means said the anniversary is an exciting day for the club, which is made more special by the long-time members that will be present.
He commented on the men mentioned above: "These are the most honorable people you could ever want to meet. They are just an inspiration to everyone here, and I'm still afraid to play any one of them one-on-one."
The jubilation at the approaching anniversary was tempered Friday by the news going around that Dr. Willard Peterson had lost a son and so he was not expected to attend. "Doc'' Peterson is a long-time member who has dedicated his later years to beautifying the course with flower beds. "Our Green Thumb," said Means.
The Eagle Creek seniors also were saddened to learn of the death Tuesday of New Ulm resident and Montevideo native Hank Nicklasson, 92. The wiry former shortstop for the Minneapolis Millers competed in the match-play senior tournaments here throughout the 1980s, often going head-to-head with Westhoff, Magnuson, Caldwell or Anderson.
Today's tournament could have as many as 100 participants. Registrations ($40 each) will be accepted up to the noon tee off. The "Shamble" is like a scramble, except everyone hits their second shot off the best tee-shot.
Extra Holes
n The Little Crow Country Club stages its club tournament this weekend, as will Hawk Creek at Raymond. Eagle Creek has its match-play club title at stake next weekend.
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Hole-in-One
n Dan Colehour of Willmar sank a hole-in-one at Valley Golf Course in Willmar Monday.
Colehour used a five-iron on the 143-yard, par-3 hole for his first-ever hole-in-one. The ace is the second of the season at Valley Golf Course.
