Editorial - After 91 years, Resorters still resonates

Talk about it

Another page of golf history was turned at the Resorters Golf Tournament in Alexandria last week.

And what a page it was – another week of exciting qualifying rounds and pressure-filled match play contests. Of the seven divisions, four Alexandrians walked away with championship honors this year — Ben Vangsness, Maggie Leland, Tom Eidsvold and Steve Herzog.

But as these champions acknowledge, there’s more to the Resorters tournament than who wins and who loses – much more. The tournament, which just concluded its 91st year, is about family, renewing old friendships and making new ones. It’s about traditions, rekindling memories and passing the passion of a sport from one generation to the next.

Alexandria should be proud to host such an event year after year. It still draws some of the state’s premier golfers and many make the yearly trek here from Florida, Texas, Arizona, California and other distant states. Again, they’re not just coming here to enjoy some great golf; they come for the company and to unwind with family and friends.

The tournament, held at the Alexandria Golf Club, takes a lot of planning, coordinating and oversight every year. It’s a process that begins just as the current tournament concludes. All those involved, from the clubhouse staff to the starters and scorekeepers and all the way to the tournament chair, golf pro Ron Rebrovich, deserve credit for making the event run so smoothly. AGC members should also be acknowledged for giving up their course for a week in order for the tournament to take place.

The newspaper plays a part, too. The Echo Press puts out five Resorters publications during the tournament that include summaries of the matches and plenty of photos. Our staff typically works past midnight to report the results so the publication is available at the golf course before action gets under way every morning. We appreciate the kind words we receive from golfers who enjoy the Resorters paper.

Looking back over the last couple of decades of this tournament, it’s amazing to see how many familiar faces keep coming back. Not just the golfers but those who come to the course to follow the action. Yes, the galleries may not be as huge as they were 30 or more years ago, but a lot has changed since then. Back then, there weren’t many options for watching good golfers. There was no 24-hour golf channel, no cable TV options (at least locally), ESPN was in its infancy, and there was no Internet. The chance to see someone hit a golf ball onto the green with pinpoint accuracy from 200 yards out was rare. The Resorters filled that niche.

Even with the huge increase in golf viewing options over the years, the Resorters still resonates. There was still a big crowd following Vangsness’ final round match against a Resorters legend, Jerry Rose, who won it all it 1979, 1983 and 2000. The gallery, which encircled every green during the 17-hole match, saw some great golf, good sportsmanship and an exciting outcome. That’s par for the course at the Resorters.

Tags: opinion, editorials