Spending our Fridays with you all has been amazing! We will miss all of our sunset golf outings, but can’t wait to see you back again next year!
The Woodford Cup
Like always, The Woodford Cup was full of fun member competition! Keeneland vs. Churchill Downs was a hard fought race!
Team Keeneland won the men’s division, while Team Churchill Downs won in the women’s division. Overall, with a total of 33 points, Team Keeneland was crowned the winner of The Woodford Cup!
Everyone played great out on the course and enjoyed some quality time with other amazing members. Thank you to everyone who participated in the tournament.
Member Spotlight - Pat Smejkal
In honor of our 46th Annual Oh! Susannah Tournament, we wanted to spotlight one of our amazing members and organizers Pat Smejkal.
The tournament started in 1979 and honored Susan Williams, who worked at the old Woodford Bank. Smejkal said she wasn’t too involved when it first began and joked that she didn’t play too much golf back then. Originally, she said it was titled “Hello Dolly Oh Susannah.” When Susan passed away, she said they decided to name it after her.
"Her son was deeply involved and it just went on for years,” Smejkal said. “I didn’t play too much in it when I was working. When I retired, then I got recruited to help with it. Edith Cable and I worked on it a lot.”
Smejkal really started working a lot more on the tournament in the 90s, but over the years she’s seen some change.
“It used to be so well attended that I had to turn people away, which got me in trouble with a few people,” Smejkal laughed. “That’s the way it goes!”
She said lately, they’ve been able to accommodate all the players who want to join. She said she recognizes many people who play at The Woodford Club in the summertime as well as people who play in other central Kentucky events.
The Oh! Susannah tournament is unique in many ways, but Smejkal said it’s the people who really make it special.
“It’s always been for all players because Susan Williams was a high handicap, so we want everybody to be able to play,” she said.
She recalls golfers around the area always asking about the tournament and how they can join.
“Everyone want it, so we keep doing it!” Smejkal said. “It’s fun. We don’t get too serious about our golf!”
Thank you to Pat for continuing such a longstanding tradition and being such a great member here at The Woodford Club!
Member Spotlight - Rock Vance
This week’s member spotlight highlights a special member of our club, who has been here for nearly 40 years.
Rock Vance has a storied history at The Woodford Club. Growing up in Lexington, he married his wife Teresa and moved to Versailles.
“We came out to check out the club, and Wilbur Moffett told us to go play a round of golf and see how you like it,” Vance said. “We joined shortly after and kept our membership since.”
Vance started his career working with the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government in 1974, working as a Police Dispatcher, then a Fire Dispatcher. After being around some of the Lexington Firefighters, he decided to take the test to become a firefighter in 1982.
While he’s worked on two different engine companies, he spent most of his career there, riding the ambulance as a paramedic. Working as a paramedic isn’t an easy job, and Vance knows that first hand.
“One of the basics of pre-hospital care is: what is the worst that I can possibly be looking at? Then work your way back to what you really have,” Vance said. “For instance, if someone tells you they have chest pain, you start by assuming it's a M.I. (heart attack) then work to confirm that, or is it just a chest pain from coughing - like a flu.”
Even though he retired from the Fire Department in 2002, he still has the mind of a paramedic.
“Unfortunately, I still see life that way. What's the worst this can be, then working my way back to whatever simple issue life has presented.” Vance said.
After he retired, he was recruited to teach Thermal Imaging, and has had multiple jobs since, as he said he struggles to officially retire.
With a background like his, the golf course brings a lot of fun energy and good memories. That’s why, after nearly 40 years, he still comes to the course to play a round with his friends and family.
“I enjoy the sport. I enjoy the people I play with, and the golf course is close,” Vance said. “I think everyone enjoys a big drive, but I really enjoy hitting a high, arching shot that ends up close to the hole.”
When it comes to his favorite memory at The Woodford Club, it doesn’t include the green. Instead, it includes his family.
“Sitting in the baby pool,” Vance recalled the memory. “With my kids who are now 35, 32 & 32. Yep, twins!”
You’re bound to see the Vance family at The Woodford Club either grabbing some dinner, playing trivia, or playing a round of golf out on the course.
We appreciate your loyalty and your service!
2024 Member-Guest Tournament
Here at The Woodford Club friends and competition go hand and hand. Our annual Member-Guest Tournament brought out some iconic duos and fun pairs. With matching outfits and bright smiles, the two day tournament was a blast!
For Brandon Gould, our Flight #1 winner, he had a great time out on the course.
“My favorite part of the event is being able to play the first day with my wife and her partner as well. The four of us have a great time together on the course,” Gould said. “The formats of the event really make it a lot of fun as well, and we get to play a little different game than normal.”
Gould has been a member off and on since he was 10-years-old.
“I grew up on the golf course…” Gould said. “It has always been home to me!”
Flight #2 winner, Matt Lawrence has been a member on and off for about 22 years.
“I played high school golf here at Woodford,” Lawrence said.
Lawrence also liked the different formats included in this tournament.
“ I really enjoy the different formats and being able to be around other members and guests at the Calcutta auction,” Lawrence said. “It’s a great time and dinner was wonderful.”
These winners didn’t win this all on their own. They both boasted about their partners, who helped them out on the course.
Matt Lawrence partnered up with JT O’Reel. The pair brought a lot of fun energy to the green. Lawrence said he’s known O’Reel since he was a kid on the 2012 State Championship Baseball team as the starting shortstop.
“We go well together with his length on the course and my short game,” Lawrence said.
Gould and his partner, Nick Walsh, also enjoyed their time on the course. They’ve known each other for about 15 years and played the last three to four years in this tournament together.
“My partner for the Member-Guest married my wife’s college roommate shortly after school,” Gould added. “We play well together as a team…focusing on the fun first and the good golf will come later.”
At The Woodford Club, we strive to make every event fun and unique. Thank you to everyone who was involved!
Winners Listed Below:
Flight #1
1st- Brandon Gould & Nick Walsh
2nd- Taylor West & Chad Egbert
3rd- Kaleb Lester & Patrick Oakley
Flight #2
1st- Matt Lawrence & JT O’Reel
2nd- David Gould & Kayla Gould
3rd- Tim Ball & Paul Riester
Closest to the Pin
1st Round
Hole #13 Men - Mike Marlin
Hole #11 Ladies- Melissa Walsh
2nd Round
Hole #13 Ladies- Teresa Wallen
Hole #2 Men- Ron Provost
Congratulations to everyone on a great tournament!
