Generations of champions: Cooke Municipal celebrates 100th Men’s Northern Amateur Golf tournament

“If there was a tournament being played here and I had the time to do it I’d be delighted to It’s a good golf course. I’ve always enjoyed playing the course,” Scissons said.

(Facebook/Cooke Municipal Golf Course)

He explained he first came to play golf in P.A. when he was just 15 years old playing in the juvenile division.

Also in attendance was 68-year-old Ron Stewart who has competed in the Men’s Northern since the ’70s. Stewart will compete in this year’s tournament as a six-time champion having won in 1973, 1975, 1982, 1988, 1989, and 1995.

“When you so many friends that aren’t able to play anymore or people that have passed on, you certainly feel fortunate to be able to still play golf and competitive golf in my late 60s,” Stewart said. “Luckily I’ve been able to get my game in shape to the point where I can go out and still feel quite comfortable on the golf course.”

Stewart began competing in 1970 and has played in the northern an incredible 47 times. He said to win the tournament you have to overcome some hurdles. The first is playing well enough on the first day to qualify for championship flight. The second is when you move into match play, he said sometimes you have to be fortunate in who you’re playing against. If your opponent gets on a ‘hot streak’ you’re likely not going to win. And finally, it’s a matter of everything coming together at one time.

(Facebook/Cooke Municipal Golf Course)

“A person focuses their game on this weekend, so you try and peak this time of year and so the object is to try and be as strong as possible and improve your chances,” Stewart explained.

He said when he began competing in the tournament in the ’70s it never crossed his mind, he’d be playing in it’s 100^th year.

“Nobody even thinks of that. You just play and you play and you play and pretty soon it adds up to a number,” he said. “Although the last few years we’ve been gearing up for this and we’ve been sort of looking forward to playing in the 100^th because we know it’s going to be a little extra special.”

Stewart gave credit to Scissons, who he played a practice round with on Friday. Stewart said he remembers Scissons when he was at the peak of his competitive golf play saying there was nobody better than him.

“He would just dissect a golf course, hit every shot exactly where he wanted it to be hit and so he was a great competitor,” Stewart added.

Danny Jutras, who was the master professional at Cooke Municipal from 1975 to 2009, was also in attendance for the celebration. Before he turned pro, he was runner-up in the Men’s Northern in 1963.

Since he was 10 years old, said Jutras, golf has been his life and to be a part of everything that happened at Cooke Municipal Golf Course over the years has been remarkable.

“Being part of something very special and this golf course has so much history and so much love for something that we all enjoy and to be part of that is very joyful,” Jutras said.

(Facebook/Cooke Municipal Golf Course)

Jutras remembers his first ever swing of a golf club at 10 years old was on the first hole at Cooke Municipal after his brother challenged him, he said.

“He let me use his driver, he got me a golf ball, we teed it up — at that time they were rubber mats, there wasn’t any green grass tees — but I couldn’t believe the thrill of it,” Jutras said.

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Ian.Gustafson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @IanGustafson12

by Ian Gustafson

Generations of champions: Cooke Municipal celebrates 100th Men’s Northern Amateur Golf tournament

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