93-year-old Marvin Hoye enjoying golf around town
Oct. 7—JAMESTOWN — The saying "age is just a number" directly applies to 93-year-old Marvin Hoye who regularly golfs at Hillcrest Municipal Golf Course in Jamestown.
Hoye said he continues to golf for exercise and to stay busy.
"It's something to do, a guy gets old sitting in a ... chair," he said.
Hoye said he has been golfing since he was in his mid-30s.
"I started when I was in Oakes, North Dakota," Hoye said. "My neighbor he golfed and we started out that way. Outside of that we never really had a golf course in Windsor, I traveled around, I never really golfed much until I was about 35."
Hoye got his son, Dennis, into the sport and the two still golf together at Hillcrest four times a week. Hoye said one of his other sons, Jeff, also golfs with them.
"I started down in Oakes too ... when I was in junior high school, about the same time dad did," Dennis said.
When he started golfing, Marvin said he never took lessons and would just play. He said sometimes fellow golfers would come to him and help correct him.
Dennis said the duo does not keep score and merely play for fun.
When the temperatures start to get lower, the two move down to Texas to play on courses there. Marvin said he still golfs with his friends down in Texas but mostly golfs with just his son in Jamestown.
"I just go over and visit with him every day and go golfing with him every once in a while," Dennis said.
Marvin and his son will head to Texas on Oct. 12. The two won't return from Texas until April.
Hillcrest Golf Course Operations Manager John Ruff said he will ask Marvin to be the first person to tee off when the course opens in the spring as the oldest current member at the course. Ruff said Hoye is one of two players on the course who is in his 90s alongside Mick Hogan.
"I've got a lot of friends down there that have been there for many many years," Marvin said. "The weather's always been pretty nice, a little bit windy."
In his lifetime, Marvin said he has had three holes in one. He said he doesn't have a favorite course that he has played on but enjoys playing at both Jamestown golf courses.
"I suppose the best course I played in was at the country club, the Jamestown Country Club," Marvin said. "I wouldn't say it's my favorite ... They kept it up pretty good at that time and this one now is kept up real good too now. But you can't really say there's a favorite."
When he was younger, Marvin said he played in adult golf tournaments but he estimates his current handicap at 20.
"When I was younger we played in just about (every) tournament you could play in and I played in tournaments in Jamestown here, Carrington," Marvin said. "I never played for a flag."
Over the years, Marvin said the two have cut the amount of holes they play from 18 to nine.
"I get tired after nine holes," Marvin said. "I probably could play 18 but I don't like to get that far along, get played out."
Marvin said he has a pretty simple answer for fellow retirees who want to continue to golf.
"Good for you," Marvin said. "I think if you can, you should stay with it, just for the sake of exercising and moving around instead of sitting at the house."
