Par for the Course: Kent State's Herb Page to enter MAC Hall of Fame
Walking into Windmill Lakes Golf Club, I am always thrilled to see Herb Page in the pro shop. Talking golf with Herb reminds anyone how much fun golf is and the relationships that are built playing the game we all love.
The retired Kent State University men’s golf coach is still very involved with the Golden Flashes golf teams. On this day, Page was talking about the women's golf team with pride.
On the brink of winning their 24th Mid-American Conference championship, the Flashes ultimately accomplished that goal.
Talking about the amazing streak, Page mused if there were any teams across the country that could hoist a conference championship trophy 24 consecutive times.
Think about that.
The Kent State women have been at the top of the MAC for almost a quarter of a century. No talk of needing a rebuilding year, no complaining about other teams and their resources. The team just continues to play quality golf each year as it advances to the postseason tournaments.
Ultimately, Kent State captured the victory at Kalamazoo Country Club in Michigan by 33 strokes over runner-up Northern Illinois University. The win was never in doubt for the Casey VanDamme-coached team.
The five Kent State women were all in the top 10 of the 51-player field, with Leon Takagi earning medalist honors by 4 strokes over runner-up Kayla Davis of Bowling Green.
So excited for the victory, Page failed to mention his own personal, recently announced accomplishment.
Page has been named to the 2023 Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame class.
A two-time Varsity K Hall of Fame athlete at Kent State, Page is unique, having been twice inducted into the Varsity K Hall of Fame as both a student-athlete and a coach.
Before he retired as a coach, Page earned 43 MAC championship rings as coach of the men’s team and helping with the women’s team.
The MAC Hall of Fame adds to his growing list of accolades, including induction into the Northern Ohio PGA Golf Hall of Fame, Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame and the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame.
The MAC Hall of Fame class will be inducted June 1 at the Metropolitan at The 9 in Cleveland.
Vince Cannata comes up aces
Vince Cannata of Aurora reported one of the first aces of the season.
Playing at Windmill Lakes in Ravenna, Cannata fired the perfect shot off the tee of the 14th hole with his five wood to the cup 165 yards away.
It was Cannata’s first hole-in-one.
Ohio Girls Golf Foundation launches new website
The Ohio Girls Golf Foundation has launched the organization’s new website at oggf.org.
Recognizing the accomplishments of girls throughout northern Ohio, the website also provides registration forms for the OGGF girls clinics and tournaments as well as information regarding scholarships.
Randy Dietz competes at PGA professional championship
Randy Dietz, former Kent Roosevelt and Kent State varsity golf team member, is one of the Northern Ohio PGA professionals competing at the 2023 PGA Professional Championship among the 70 qualifiers from across the nation at Twin Warriors and Santa Ana Pueblo golf clubs in Santa Ana Pueblo, N.M.
Dietz, a teaching professional at Windmill Golf Center in Macedonia, qualified for the event at the 2022 NOPGA Professional Championship at Westfield Country Club along with Jim Troy of the Golf Dome, Jaysen Hansen of Beechmont Country Club and Jason Carbone of Canterbury Golf Club.
The event runs from April 30 to May 3.
Tournament Calendar
(Please call 330-206-9083 or email golffam2@gmail.com to add an event to the calendar.)
PORTAGE COUNTY AMATEURS
Register at host courses, online at pcagolf.net or via Venmo and Paypal. Call 330-206-9083 for information
93rd PORTAGE COUNTY AMATEUR, July 29-Windmill Lakes Golf Club, Ravenna; July 30-Raccoon Hill Golf Club, Kent. Registration deadline $90 by July 10, $100 by July 26th
Portage County, Open and Women’s Divisions
53rd PORTAGE COUNTY SENIOR AMATEUR, Aug. 26-Raccoon Hill, Kent; Aug. 27-Windmill Lakes, Ravenna. Registration deadline $90 by Aug. 6, $100 by Aug. 23rd. Divisions: age 50-59, 60-69, 70 and older, women
KIDS AND JR. AM TITLE SPONSORS: Fairways at Twin Lakes and Birdie Shack, Kent
27th MATT MISHLER PORTAGE COUNTY JUNIOR AMATEUR, July 24-Windmill Lakes, Ravenna; July 25-Sunny Hill, Kent. Registration deadline July 20. $60 for divisions ages 16-19 and 13-15, $45 ages 12 and under
9th PORTAGE COUNTY KIDS AM, July 23 at Sunny Hill Golf Course, Kent. Boys and girls grades 8-9 and 6-7 $20 for nine holes; grades 4-5 $20 for six holes; grades 3 and under $15 for 4 holes. Deadline July 19
LOCAL SCRAMBLES, EVENTS AND TOURNAMENTS
May 7: Fairways at Twin Lakes Spring Two-Man Scramble (Call 330-673-7888)
May 13: Rootstown Wrestling Golf Scramble, Sleepy Hollow Golf Club, Alliance ($400/team; Call Erin Brunner 330-431-1273)
May 26: Main Street Ravenna’s First Ever Golf Outing, Windmill Lakes Golf Club, Ravenna ($125/person, other options available; call 330-235-9509)
May 28: Waterloo Athletic Booster Annual Golf Outing, Paradise Lake Golf and Banquet Center, Suffield ($110/person; call Todd Wise at 330-842-9279)
May 31-June 1: 37th Ohio Senior Open, Firestone Country Club, Akron (Deadline May 24, register at www.thenorthernohiopga.com)
June 10-12: Northeast Ohio Amateur Championship, Windmill Lakes Golf Cub, Ravenna (Northern Ohio Golf Association, 440-686-1070)
June 11-12: Northeast Ohio Women’s Amateur Championship, Windmill Lakes Golf Club, Ravenna (Northern Ohio Golf Association, 440-686-1070)
July 15: 12th Theodore Roosevelt High School Football Golf Outing, Fairways at Twin Lakes, Kent (Call Fairways at Twin Lakes 330-673-7888)
July 26-28: 102nd Ohio Open, Westfield Country Club, Westfield Center (Deadline June 19, register at www.thenorthernohiopga.com)
Aug. 12: 10th Danny Writtenberry Memorial Golf Outing, Olde Dutch Mill, Lake Milton (Deadline July 10, call Bruce Leifheit 330-885-1327)
JUNIOR TOURNAMENTS
(The Northern Ohio PGA has a host of tournaments throughout northern Ohio for all ages and skills. Local tournaments are included here. For a complete list and to register online, log onto www.thenorthernohiopga.com and click "junior golf.")
July 5-6: Windmill Lakes, Ravenna 36-hole NOPGA JR. Series Championship
July 7: Fox Den, Stow 18-hole NOPGA Jr. Series
July 25-26: 40th NOPGA Jr. Tour Championship at Club Walden, Aurora
Aug. 14: 18-Hole Collegiate Series, Barrington Golf Club, Aurora
USGA CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS (Log onto www.NOGA.org for registration information.)
May 25: USGA Girls Junior Qualifier, Portage Country Club, Akron
June 15: 75th U.S. Junior Amateur Qualifier, Avon Oaks Country Club, Avon
June 29: 123rd U.S. Women’s Amateur Qualifier, Chagrin Valley Country Club, Moreland Hills
July 6: 123rd U.S. Amateur Qualifier, Weymouth Country Club, Medina
July 26: 68th U.S. Senior Amateur Qualifier, Sand Ridge Golf Club, Mayfield
Aug. 3: 36th U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Qualifier, Kirtland Country Club, Kirtland
Aug. 3: 42nd U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, Kirtland Country Club, Kirtland
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Par for the Course: Kent State's Herb Page to enter MAC Hall of Fame
