The Elks' Senior Golf League in Elkins has been hitting the green for 38 years.
Every Tuesday at 10 a.m. from the first Tuesday in May through Labor Day weekend, the league has taken to the course for a round golf at the Elks Country Club Golf Course.
The league also has lunch together once a month after their games, allowing its members to enjoy good company and conversation.
Article Photos
The Inter-Mountain photo by Joe Hoover
The Elks’ Senior Golf League in Elkins has organized matches every Tuesday between May and September since 1974. Pictured, from left, are league members Don Hansen, Robin Spicer, standing, Tharon Jack, Gary Tokarcik and League Chairman Arab Miller.
League Chairman Arab Miller says the league is more popular today than it's ever been.
"My dad was a member when the league was created," he said. "It started with about a dozen seniors who just wanted to play golf together.
"Now we have about 50 members. Every September, we have an awards banquet and an officers election. The league is a lot more organized than it used to be."
Though the league maintains its own officials, like the chairman, Miller, and the treasurer, currently Bob Skinner, its biggest focus is on simply having fun, rather than hierarchy or competition.
"We just like to play golf," Miller said. "Our league is more about camaraderie than competition. It's a way to get old people out of the house."
Accordingly, each member is assigned to a four-person team that is decided by the players' handicaps.
"We rotate the teams, so each team plays against a different team every time," Miller said.
The league also maintains a small money pool that funds their monthly lunches and rewards the week's longest put and closest ball to the pin on a par-three hole.
The Senior Golf League's members range widely in age and boasts youngbloods barely eligible for membership. The league maintains an age minimum of 50 and includes more experienced players who are only a couple puts away from becoming centenarians.
The league has had multiple members well into their 90s.
Aside from the minimum player age of 50, the league only requires its players be Elks Country Club members.
"We're always happy to have new members," Miller said.
