Labor Day weekend is always marked with the extraordinary tournament held in honor of the legendary man and coach: Neil Gutshall. Every year we write about Coach Gutshall and his demeanor and vision. However, without Coach Gutshall’s initial volunteer work, Holly Meadows Golf Course may not be the excellent course it is today. His dream was to have a top-notch golf course that the community could afford and would forever enjoy. Through his many tireless hours, Coach Gutshall helped to create Holly Meadows Golf Course as one of the most beautiful golf courses where all could play and enjoy an affordable round of golf. Coach Gutshall loved golfing, and he wanted to create a venue where everyone would have an opportunity to gain experience and to love the game.
Coach Gutshall’s name is very much respected throughout the community. His love of coaching and his love of golf draws the admiration of all. Jeff Felton of California, formerly from Tucker County and is an annual hole sponsor said, “what a nice way to honor such a humble man.” Coach Gutshall always spoke highly of his players on and off the field. Because of his demeanor, Coach Gutshall was very much respected and regarded as one of our finest coaches in Tucker County.
One of his former students, Mrs. Angie Evans said, “Neil Gutshall was one of my teachers and is very much respected throughout the county.” Mrs. Evans, her husband Jeff Evans, and two sons, Skyler and Shane Humphrey, have been hole sponsors for many years. She said, “we are glad to help honor such a nice man and to also support the Holly Meadows Golf Course.” Other community members commented that Coach Gutshall, “was a man to be remembered, and he impacted so many people in so many ways.” One member commented that Coach Gutshall “was a man who put his ALL into coaching and instilled in his teams the BEST of what it takes to become a man but above all he was a friend and asset to this community.” Another member commented that, “Coach Neil and Golf – A Perfect Pairing.”
Many volunteers are following in Coach Gutshall’s footsteps. Under the direction of his son, Tom Gutshall, and the Tucker County Parks and Recreation Board, Holly Meadows Golf Course continues to develop and thrive. Every year the board decides projects that enhance the golf course’s pristine condition.
Each year we have competitors that are continually amazed at how much the Holly Meadows Golf Course improves. Among this year’s record 130 golfers, you repeatedly hear compliments about how beautiful the setting and surroundings are and as always, the key question is, “how do we keep the course in its present unspoiled conditions?” Our answer is always, “the volunteers make this golf course one of the best places to play golf.” Just as Coach Gutshall did, volunteers such as the late Bob Gainer take pride in making Holly Meadows Golf Course a place golfers want to return.
Many golfers say that Holly Meadows course conditions are unparalleled to other courses that are much larger with a substantial budget for the personnel needed for maintenance and preservation of their courses. The competitors cannot believe that work on the course is through the work of its membership and volunteers. On any given day of the week, you will find such volunteers as Bill Evick, Joe Evans, Nick Channel, Todd Bolyard, Gary Lester, and Eldon Plaugher working on a project from cutting trees, treating the greens, and filling holes in the driveways. Because of the course conditions and the actual tournament competition, we have golfers returning year after year including Gary Chenoweth from Texas to compete. We have several father and son teams that say this is one competition that they enjoy the most because they can play as a father/son team. One competitor, David Murphy said, “how many people get to compete in an athletic competition with their father.” “We definitely are making memories, and I wouldn’t miss this opportunity to be with my dad.”
Because the tournament is “flighted,” everyone competes with like abilities, creating the best competition possible. Every year, competitors are greeted with an outstanding venue along with delicious food throughout the two days of competition. Tom Gutshall, (president of the golf course committee) and Bob Gutshall, sons of Neil Gutshall both agree that their dad would be so pleased that so many golfers come to Holly Meadows Golf Course and compete in his honor.
This year the tournament had a record 130 golfers playing as a two-person team scramble format ranging from the incredibly young golfers to our seniors. Golfers in this year’s event experienced some of the most beautiful weather on Saturday and Sunday. The cooler weather could not have been any more perfect days for golfing.
Golfers agreed that the tournament’s organization was flawless and very enjoyable. On the second day of the tournament, St. George Medical Clinic provided a $50,000 prize for a hole-in-one. To be such a small community we are so extremely fortunate to have Paul Wamsley, CEO of St. George Medical Clinic always willing to support community events. While no one won the hole-in-one prize, it goes to the integrity of the tournament that St. George Medical Clinic provided such support. However, many businesses throughout Tucker and Randolph County provided hole sponsorship and/or door prizes that always aid in creating this wonderful and successful tournament.
This year marked a very extraordinary finish. In the Championship Flight the winners, Hopwood/Shreve have been the winners for two years. This marks their third year as Champions. They were extremely excited!
The results were: Championship Flight- 1st (Shreve/Hopwood), 2nd (Smith/Billinger), 3rd (Mohr/Young), 4th (Cooper/Landis) First Flight- 1st (Allen/Williams), 2nd (Musgrave/McDaniel) 3rd (Osbourne/Osbourne), 4th (Peasley/Moyer) Second Flight- 1st (Pritt/Marshall), 2nd (Slaughbaug/Ours), 3rd (Shaffer/Ware), 4th (Riley/Hank), 5th (Fox/Scott), 6th (Haddox/Haddox) Third Flight- 1st (Moore/Kisamore), 2nd (Nichols/Buckley), 3rd (Davis/Davis), 4th (Betler/Betler), 5th (Carpenter/Carpenter), 6th (Laulis/Laulis) Fourth Flight- 1st (Simmons/Moyer), 2nd (Evick/Spears), 3rd (Hedrick/Carr), 4th (Sims/Sims), 5th (White/Holt) Fifth Flight- 1st (Triplett/Hansford), 2nd (Davis/Hockman), 3rd (Jarett/Richmond), 4th (Miller/Carr)
