Benefactor S. Mills Ely who donated the original land will be honored at the fifth Ely Park Celebration on August 21st!
The fifth Ely Park Celebration will be held on Tuesday, August 21st up at Ely Park near the golf shop pavilion.
Four ‘Ely Park Celebrations,’ the first in 2003, have been held to honor the people who have significantly contributed to the legacy of Ely Park.
This year’s Honorees include four women golfers—Evie McCarthy (represented by her daughter Joanie), Mary Lewis (age 98), Pat Osgood, and Millie Lentine—and two men—the benefactor of Ely Park who donated the land to the city in 1909—S. Mills Ely—and 15-time Club Champion and legendary local amateur golfer Ray Linsky.
Millie Lentine (white top, center rear) in attendance for the 2017 Celebration will be honored this year along with three other women.
The first ‘Ely Park Celebration’ honored longtime Ely Park Head PGA Golf Professional/Golf Superintendent/General Manager (in those days he did all three jobs) Steve Vaskovic and two sons of Ely Park- professional golfer Al Morley and amateur golfer Mike Popik. All three honorees were living at the time and participated in the celebratory event up at Ely Park.
The second ‘Ely Park Celebration’ honored Ely Park’s golf course designer (with City Engineer Edward Prentice) and first Head PGA Golf Professional Ernie Smith, and two long time members and successful amateurs, Walt Kozak and Bob ‘Bert’ Kollar.
Ray Linsky, 15-time Ely Park Club Champion and avid historian of the game and all things Ely Park will be honored on Tuesday, August 21st.
The third ‘Ely Park Celebration’ honored one of Ely Parks first caddies, long time Golf Professional and successful golfer Al Vaskovic (younger brother of Steve); lifetime member of the PGA of America, member of the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame and accomplished golfer Ed Nosewicz; legend, 1969 Club Champion and creative writer, Bob ‘the Bear & the Barracuda’ Marachek: and three guys who played Ely Park every Sunday since 1948 (57 years at the time)- Joe Gomulka and the ‘Hammer & Nails’ combo of John Hammer and Joe Kovarik.
Last year’s ‘Ely Park Celebration’ honored the only other two PGA Golf Professionals to serve the golfing public up at Ely Park—Bob Steiner and Rick Mauro. Additionally, long-time Ely Park Golfer and 1975 Club Champion Andy Reistetter Sr. was honored posthumously along with five-time Club Champion and Texas PGA Golf Professional Ron Simkulet who missed the ‘Ely Park Celebration’ while vacationing with family in Utah.
With Ronnie Simkulet and his scrapbook preparing for him being honored in 2017.
Ironically Ron Simkulet passed earlier this year on June 29th while vacationing with family in Utah. He was a graduate of Binghamton Central High School, SUNY Cortland, and Binghamton University (Master’s Program), a Vietnam Army Veteran, a PGA Golf Professional, and a history teacher and golf coach at Susquehanna Valley H.S. Ron developed his passion for golf at Ely Park G.C., held a course-record of 62 for many years, and remained a life-long competitive player. Ron Simkulet will be remembered with a moment of silence at this year’s event.
Come up to Ely Park on Tuesday, August 21st at 1 pm to celebrate the history and people of Ely Park Golf Course!
See you there!
The Sixteen Honorees to date:
Joe Gomulka—Played Ely Park together with John Hammer & Joe Kovarik for over fifty years!
John Hammer—Played Ely Park together with Joe Gomulka & Joe Kovarik for over fifty years!
Walt Kozak—Long-time Ely Park Golfer, Club Champion, and successful amateur golfer.
Ely Park PGA Golf Professionals Bob Steiner and Ricky Mauro, two of only four to have served in that position. were honored in 2017.
Bob ‘Bert’ Kollar—Long-time Ely Park Golfer, Club Champion, and successful amateur golfer.
Joe Kovarik—Played Ely Park together with Joe Gomulka & John Hammer for over fifty years!
Bob Marachek—Ely Park Legend, 1969 club champion and creative writer, & ‘the Bear & the Barracuda!’
Rick Mauro—Long-time Ely Park PGA Golf Professional.
Al Morley—Long-time PGA Golf Professional who played in eight PGA Championships (one of professional golf’s majors).
Ed Nosewicz—Lifetime member of the PGA of America; member of the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame.
Mike Popik—Long-time Ely Park Golfer and competitive amateur golfer.
Andy Reistetter Sr. on the par-3 second tee box back in the old days of Ely Park. The cinder parking lot and old clubhouse can be seen in the background on what is now No. 3 fairway. This is the picture that was the spark for Andy Jr. to research and begin to write the history of Ely Park and hold the Ely Park Celebrations!
Andy Reistetter Sr.—Long-time Ely Park Golfer and 1975 Club Champion.
Ronnie Simkulet—Five-time Club Champion and PGA Golf Professional in Texas.
Ernie Smith—First PGA Golf Professional & Designer of Ely Park (with City Engineer Edward Prentice).
Bob Steiner—Long-time Ely Park PGA Golf Professional.
Al Vaskovic—Long-time Assistant PGA Golf Professional and the competitive golfing face of Ely Park.
Steve Vaskovic—PGA Golf Professional, Golf Course Superintendent, and Ely Park General Manager.
Let’s go play Ely Park Golf Course!
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