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88-year-old Bartlesville man racks up 53 years in Adams Senior Men's Golf Association

mike tupa
·5 min read

A medley of golf shafts flashed in the sun like a symphony of lightning bursts during the recent Adams Senior Men's Golf Association weekly play.

But, Ben Lewis' metal stems might have shone a little brighter than those of his fellow veteran course stalkers.

Ben Lewis
Ben Lewis

While competing in the five-club limit tourney in mid-August, the 88-year-old Lewis snapped off a gross score of 78 — 10 strokes below his age.

It was 53 years ago when Lewis — then age 35 — experienced his first golfing lesson from then-assistant pro Jerry Benedict at the Adams course.

In 1992, he joined the ASMGA — and has blessed it with his play and personality since.

"I've think I've spent more years in the senior league than anyone else out there," Lewis said. "This is my 32nd year of playing in the senior group. ... I enjoy the camaraderie, playing with the other guys and having a real good time. I'm out there to have fun."

Lewis also is a realist — he was almost ready prior to this season of bowing to the impassive altar of age.

"I wasn't going to sign up this season," he said. "But, I said I needed to get out for the exercise."

Plus Lewis still shoots a quality game — his handicap is only 14, although up until his recent 78 he hadn't broken 80 for a while.

Lewis has knocked in three holes-in-one — but it's the "almost" one that stands out largest in his mind.

"I hit one on 16 that hit the bottom of the cup and bounced out," he said. "That was before I ever had a hole-in-one."

Even though many of his former golfing colleagues have matriculated to the country club on Cloud Nine, Lewis treasures the memories forged with them.

He also expresses gratitude to Benedict for helping launch him into his golfing exploits as his first teacher.

"He said, 'If you have any bad luck, you have blame it on me.' Jerry has been really good for me."

Lewis participated in the ASMGA events for the past two weeks.

In the four-man scramble, Wendell Price, David Williams, Larry Palmer and Mike Matlock held off the rest of the thundering herd to win the A Flight (62) by one stroke. Only five strokes separated the first seven places.

Steve Hughes shot 69 to win the five club limit medal tourney in the 'A; Flight, edging Jim Jenkins by a single shot.

Following are the leaderboards.

Four-man scramble

A FLIGHT: 1-Wendell Price, Dave Williams, Larry Palmer, Mike Matlock, 62; 2-Steve Seger, J.D. Paige, Danny White, Eric Hsieh, 63; 3-Bob Carse, Dennis Reck, David Holder, Walt Ward, 64. 4-Bill Bridendolph, Bob Wilson, Kim Shepherd, Vic Scullawl, 65; 4-Paul Taylor, Steve Bell, Boyd Geary, Lee Stephens, 65; 6-Jim Sasaki, John Simon, Craig Sarver, Lindsey Stubbs, 66; 7-Tom Bucher, Farrell Oldham, Gary Jenneman, Jim Liehr, 67.

B FLIGHT: 1-Ron Williams, Nate Bonham, Steve Nett, Don Antle, 63; 2-Gary Reheis, Dennis Cubbage, Stan Bennett, Kevin Sparks, 67; 2-Derek Griffin, John McCollum, Ray Lyle, Tom Polk, 67; 4-David Flick, Blake Davis, Sid Roper, Philip Warnick, 68; 4-Gregg Harder, Dennis Befort, Ken Fitch, Eldred Traxson, 68; 6-Bart Riling, Browning Pallet, Bill Estes, Jeff Gillispie, 69.

C FLIGHT: 1-Jon Hargis, Mark Riner, Gary Loose, Alvin Yearout, 61; 2-Kevin Bates, Tom Brewington, Ken Taylor, David Griffin, 63; 3-Ed John, Bob Lindblom, Tom DeSalme, Hal Johnson, 65; 4-Mike Bowden, Jeff Hall, Ed Durkin, Gerald Barnes, 66; 4-Marty Lowe, Ben Lewis, Del Piper, Steve Domann, 66; 6-Joe Bradley, Ruben Anguiano, Randy Everett, Jim Anderson, 69.

CLOSEST TO PIN: Bennett (No. 3), Sasaki (No. 6), Befort (No. 12), Carse (No. 16).

Five club limit medal play

A FLIGHT GROSS: 1-Steve Hughes, 69; 2-Jim Jenkins, 70; 3-Mike Tyndall, 75; 4-Paul Taylor, 77; 5-Steve Seger, 78; 5-Jim Sasaki, 78.

A FLIGHT NET: 1-David Ray, 66; 2-Bob Carse, 68; 3-David Flick, 69; 4-Bill Bridendolph, 71; 5-Derek Griffin, 72.

B FLIGHT GROSS: 1-Jason Peterman, 77; 2-Gary Reheis, 78; 3-Joe Allison, 82; 3-Kevin Bates, 82; 3-Rick Martinez, 82.

B FLIGHT NET: 1-Jon Hargis, 65; 2-Joe Bradley, 68; 2-Ed John, 68; 4-Mike Bowden, 71; 4-Frank Jorda, 71.

C FLIGHT GROSS: 1-Ben Lewis, 78; 2-Ruben Anguiano, 81; 3-Dean Robertson, 85; 4-Gary Loosen, 88.

C FLIGHT NET: 1-Tom Brewington, 63; 2-Eric Hsieh, 69; 2-Marty Lowe, 69; 4-Dennis Befort, 72.

D FLIGHT GROSS: 1-Farrell Oldham, 79; 2-Blake Davis, 85; 3-Steve Bell, 88; 4-Mike Glades, 89.

D FLIGHT NET: 1-J.D. Paige, 62; 2-Larry Palmer, 67; 3-Craig Sarver, 69; 4-Danny White, 71.

E FLIGHT GROSS: 1-Paul Vassar, 80; 2-Nate BonHam 90; 3-Ray Lyle, 94; 3-Sid Roper, 94; 3-Kim Shepherd, 94.

E FLIGHT NET: 1-David Griffin, 67; 2-Ken Fitch, 72; 2-Gerald Barnes, 72; 2-Del Piper, 72.

F FLIGHT GROSS: 1-Lindsey Stubbs, 89; 2-Don Antle, 94; 2-Darrell Potts, 94; 4-Eldred Traxson, 98.

F FLIGHT NET: 1-Mike Matlock, 63; 2-Walt Ward, 64; 3-Butch Young, 65; 4-Kent Blount, 67.CLOSEST TO PIN: 1-Hughes (No. 3), 2-Oldham (No. 6), Tyndall (No. 12), Lowe (No. 16).

This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: 88-year-old Bartlesville man's winning ways in golf marks 53 years