A reason to celebrate

The Tuesday night Eagle River Ladies Golf League had a reason to celebrate yesterday, as the group was recently named the largest ladies golf league in Wisconsin, according to the Wisconsin State Golf Association (WSGA). 

Golfers celebrated that honor during a fun-filled event that included putting for prizes on the practice green, along with a member-guest scramble to end the day.

Over 80 ladies take part in the weekly ladies league at the Eagle River Golf Course, with golfers coming from areas of Eagle River, St. Germain, Conover, Land O Lakes, Phelps, Sayner, Three Lakes, Rhinelander and Watersmeet, Mich. 

“We really grew two years ago when the Lake Forest ladies joined us after the unfortunate closure of their golf course,” said League President Sarah Guenther. 

Members on the board of directors other than Guenther include Debbie Cyrtmus, vice president; Lyn Croak, secretary; Jane Bowers, Treasurer; and Darla Ewer, past president.   

The league runs with three waves, an 18-hole division, a nine-hole division and twilight. Golfers in the league range from ages 30 to 80, with any skill level welcome to join. 

Mary Ann Hansen is one of those ladies and one of the founders of the league back in 1972, which puts her as the longest active member of the league.    

The idea started when Hansen was in a couples league with other golfers from Eagle River and Rhinelander, which brought up the brainstorming of having the ladies play on their own day. She started the league with nine other women.

“I was so new at it myself, I just wanted to be with like-minded women who liked golf,” Hansen said. “Why can’t we just make another day, and just have the ladies come? That’s how that all started.”

As of today, ladies come from nine different places around the North Woods and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Hansen has loved seeing the league grow every year with new ladies. 

She mentioned hearing stories from seasonal golfers and having fun with the game is what it’s all about. 

“It’s wonderful,” she exclaimed. “It’s the camaraderie of it all.” 

With over half a decade of new experiences within the league, Hansen has plenty of memories to look back on, but her favorite was when the course transitioned from a nine to an 18-hole golf course in 1988. 

“The day we cut the ribbon for this,” she stated pretty easily. 

She was on the committee at the time that the city tasked them with finding architects, the builders and the greenskeepers to expand the golf course when the land was purchased. 

Other long-standing members of 30 years or more in the league include Gloria Christensen, who has participated in the league for 47 years, Joan McKeever (43), Penny Neis (37), Dawn Gonitzke (35), Marsha Lewis (33) and Mary Ann Lambrecht (30). 

Anyone interested in joining the Eagle River Ladies League can contact the Eagle River Golf Course pro shop or Guenther at 920-290-2723 or cabincookery@gmail.com.