The Apple Valley Golf Course at 433 Clubhouse Dr. in Howard has been a local favorite since it was established in 1972, and among the events it hosts, including the Ohio Public Golfers Associations Mid-Amateur (over 25 years of age), which is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, May 20 and 21, the course is home for the Monday Golf League at Apple Valley. According to league event-runner James Long, who has been in league for more than 40 years, it began as the Mount Vernon Business Men’s League.
“The person who ran the league (when) I joined around 1980 was Rick Shaw,” Long said. “Around 2000, Roland Hanna took over for another 20 years. Both guys did a very nice job, and for the last three or four years, the league was run by Shawn Whitehead of Loudonville. I assisted Shawn the last two years and now I am ‘in charge’ of things.”
League action is set to get underway May 8, and Long is certain that there will be some great play.
“We had a hole-in-one many years ago and went for a long stretch until Sean Whitehead (son of Shawn) had one on No. 5 two years ago,” Long said. “Then last year, Larry Salve also aced No. 5.”
Anyone interested in joining the league should contact Long.
“If someone wants to be in the league, they should contact me,” Long said. “We have eight teams and 32 players. We also have an extensive sub list, and if anyone wants to play this year, they would be on the sub list and be considered if someone drops out. They can also ask to be considered for 2024.”
Long said new players can still sign up, but until the league gets underway, there are no openings. Long does advise that “due to the age of many of us, injuries and job changes etc., one or two openings happen most years.”
The season will last 16 weeks, of which 14 weeks are regular play – no play on Memorial Day and July 4 weekends. The league ends in late August and there is a league outing the second Sunday of September in which there is an 18-hole event, a steak dinner and season prize money/awards are given.
To determine the eight teams, Long and his associates take the 32 players and separate them by handicaps, mostly from previous seasons or what they bring with them if they are new. There are four flights, and the eight lowest handicaps will be in the first flight, the next lowest in the second flight and so on. Players will only compete against others in their respective flights. After handicaps are established, they are adjusted every two weeks to keep play as even as possible.
The league is still selecting sponsors.
For information, contact James Long at jamrlong45@gmail.com.
