‘I love the challenge’: Wichita golfer scores another hole-in-one, this one at age 90
.jpeg "Jerry Newman, a 90-year-old Wichita native, made a hole in one at Willowbend Golf Club on May 26.")
The goal these days for 90-year-old Jerry Newman is for his score on the golf course to be lower than his age.
Newman helped himself in his round at Willowbend Golf Club back on May 26 as he scored the second hole-in-one of his life when his 8-iron shot at the 145-yard Par-3 No. 4 rolled into the cup.
“It was pretty much dead-on the whole way and it took a couple of bounces and rolled right in,” Newman said. “My son (Jack) jumped straight up in the air and grabbed me and started hollering. He’s a pretty emotional guy. I think he got more of a kick out of it than I did.”
Newman has been a mainstay in the Wichita golfing community for more than five decades.
As the years have gone on, Newman has routinely shot in the 80s when many of his former golfing buddies are no longer physically able to play.
“I feel pretty privileged because most of my friends my age aren’t able to get out and play the game anymore,” Newman said. “I really feel fortunate I’m able to still do it. You’ve got to be physically fit to a certain degree. I used to walk all the time and carry my own golf bag. Now I just ride a cart. It’s not real strenuous, but you’ve still got to be able to walk a lot and be in halfway decent shape to be able to swing a golf club.”
Newman said he didn’t start playing golf until he was 35 and was introduced to the game by his father-in-law. He’s been at it ever since.
He used to work as a bank administer in the mortgage and lending area for Fourth Financial Corporation (now Bank of America) and regularly play with his real estate agent and banking friends. He would also routinely play in city and state amateur tournaments and even won a statewide father-son competition with his son Steve, which he still considers to be his favorite golfing memory.
He taught his three sons how to play the game and they’ve been to international golfing trips to Scotland (twice) and Ireland, which are more memories that Newman cherishes.
As the years have gone on, Newman’s love for golf hasn’t waned. He lives in Tallgrass Country Club, where he made his first hole-in-one, and he can walk out to the fairway of No. 10 through his backyard. He tries to either play or practice every day of the week.
“My goal is to always shoot my age or under,” Newman said. “I think I’ve shot my age or under in every round of golf so far this year except one.”
Newman said while his second hole-in-one was exciting, he’s not looking for his next ace. So what keeps him coming back to the game after all of these years?
“I love the challenge of the sport,” Newman said. “I plan on continuing to do it until I’m no longer here.”
This story was originally published June 9, 2021 at 7:00 AM.
.jpg)