On Friday, May 26, Hospice of North Central Oklahoma Inc. will host the 28th Annual Hospice Memorial Golf Tournament at Lew Wentz Memorial Golf Course in Ponca City. Shot-gun start is at 8 am and refreshments and snacks will be provided throughout the morning with a lunch and awards ceremony to follow at the outdoor courtyard of Ody’s courtesy of D&P Tank and Ody’s.

“We are very excited about this year’s tournament and are deeply grateful to Larry Murphy and the Murphy family for establishing this tournament 28 years ago. Through the years, funds from this event have provided care to patients without insurance, extended bereavement care to surviving families, grief and loss support for the community ” stated Wendy Stobbe, CEO of Hospice of North Central Oklahoma.

The cost per golfer is $100, which covers the 18 holes of golf, two mulligans, golf cart rental, refreshments and snacks throughout the tournament and a catered lunch at Ody’s courtyard. Individuals, churches, organizations and companies can honor a loved one by sponsoring a hole in $200, with signage recognizing the donor and the one being remembered. This year we are honoring Dr. Phillip Knight and Guy Palmer Clark.

Phillip Knight: Dr. Phil Knight was born in Ponca City in 1950, he was raised here, went to Po-Hi, raised 6 kids, was a doctor for 40 years and a member of the Ponca Nation. With all that life lived the one constant was his never-ending love of the game of Golf. As Phil would drive past a group of golfers on a course or flip channels past a televised golf tournament, he would always say to whoever was around; “look at all those happy people”. Phil began playing at a very young age. He would often walk to the high school football field with his bucket of balls and hit until dark. His father would drop him off at a golf course and come back hours later to pick him up. Phil was a natural. He played competitively in Jr High and High School, often winning or competing for the top spot. At Oklahoma State University, Phil was the best player in his fraternity. One story recounted by his friend Chuck Gall tells of how Phil was scheduled to tee off at the fraternity championship at 1:30. At 1pm, he found Phil casually having lunch and a few beers at a local restaurant, apparently unaware of his impending tee time. Chuck raced him across town just in time and without warming up, a full stomach and a few beers in him, he won the tournament. Phil began his practice as a Doctor in Ponca City in 1978. If he wasn’t working, he was likely playing golf. He played in amateur tournaments all over the country, still winning or competing for the top spot. Phil was a regular player and multiple time winner at local Ponca City tournaments such as the Cherokee Strip Classic and the Ponca City Country Club Championship. Phil and Guy played in the Hospice of North Central Oklahoma Golf Tournemant each year. Phil was a great golfer who loved the game his whole life. He introduced his daughters, sons, son-in-laws and grandson to the game. Doing his best to deliver his unique style of constructive criticism to every lap around the course. Phil would love it to know that people think of him whenever they hit a great shot or flip on the television to watch the final Sunday round of a Major tournament. Phil Knight loved golf and the game was a little better when he played it.

Guy Palmer Clark: Golf was one of Guy’s many hobbies and interests which he enjoyed immensely most of his life. Besides being dedicated to his law practice, he knew how to enjoy life by golfing, fly fishing, quail hunting, ranch sorting or working on the ranch. However, he appreciated the history of golf and analyzing every stroke and hole.

Being a competitor he played in the Saturday morning birdie games and many tournaments. For over 50 years he played in the Cherokee Strip Golf Classic. A highlight was to partner with Jim Self in the Four Ball Tournament at the Ponca City Country Club (probably because they won a few times). Of course, he was delighted to be able to play in tournaments with his son, Jeffrey.

Even though he wasn’t a traveler, he would go any place if golf was on the itinerary. Playing in Ireland and Spain with three other couples was most memorable to him. Vacations in the mountains and on the east coast always included golf. No doubt about it, he remembered every course and hole!

If you knew Guy, you understood that he loved to teach. So all of the family was educated on the game of golf. If we didn’t learn anything, we learned to respect the game and play “ready golf”. Being able to cheer on his granddaughter at her tournaments and playing with the family were very special times.

Thank you to Hospice of North Central Oklahoma for choosing Guy to honor. He and Phil were best friends.

For more information or to register for the tournament or sponsor a hole, please call Hospice of North Central Oklahoma, Inc. office at 580762-9102 or we can email you a registration/sponsorship form. You can also pick up a registration form at Wentz Golf Course, Ody’s or Hospice Office at 445 Fairview and ask for Angie Spicer, Director of Development or email her at aspicer@hospiceofnco. com and she will get a registration form to you.