Senior citizen golfer begins life at 90 in the Katke Senior Golf League
BIG RAPIDS – Golf is definitely a sport for all ages.
Bill Munroe, among many other individuals, is living proof of that.
Munroe is among the players in the Tuesday morning Katke Golf Course Seniors League, which has been played weekly throughout the summer. He said there are between 25 and 35 golfers who participate in the weekly league. The league tees off at 9 am for nine holes. Golfers who are 60 or older are eligible.
Munroe also played at the former Meceola Country Club, now the Clear Lake club. He plays at the indoor facilities at Katke with the large-sized screen golf simulators.
Munroe is retired from the music department at Ferris State University. He worked his last 25 years at Ferris. He’s been a lifelong golfer. Katke is his main course.
Jack Richards is a volunteer leader of the league, Munroe indicated. It started in May and goes until sometime in the fall.
“There are all kinds of prizes each week like closest to the pin and longest drive and longest putt, that kind of thing,” Munroe said. “You can win a couple of bucks here and there.”
He’s had some admirable scores. But Munroe acknowledged driving has been the most effective part of his game.
Is Katke a challenging golf course?
“Oh my goodness, yes,” was Munroe’s quick reply.
After he retired, Munroe split his golf and personal time between Big Rapids and Lakeland, Fla., the spring training home of the Detroit Tigers.
“I’m a Tiger fan,” Munroe said. “I bought a house in Lakeland.”
But he’s a regular at Katke now with the senior league and enjoys continuing his passion with the game of golf thanks to the efforts of persons like Richards, who’s been a volunteer leader of the league.
“I’ve been kind of doing this for probably the third year,” Richards. “We have about 40 people on our list.”
Richards indicated Munroe is the oldest player in the league although the official records haven’t indicated yet which golfer might hold that distinction.
Richards chuckled when asked if all the seniors in the league were quality golfers.
“For our age, we’re out here,” Richards said. “We’re having a good time. Once in a while we hit a good shot.”