EATON — Fourteen is a significant golf number for local Auctioneer H. John Kramer, as well as 11, 25 and 50. These numbers all represent new standards in the record books of Eaton Country Club Men’s Club Championship golf.
Kramer won his 14th Club Championship at Eaton Country Club on Sunday, Sept. 1; an all-time record that goes along with his 11 runner-up finishes in the tournament, making it the 25th time playing in the finals. Kramer won his first Club Championship 50 years ago in 1974, the same year he married his wife Debbie.
Kramer’s six decades of golf participation date to his first Club Championship play in 1968, the last time the championship was stoke play. That year was won by Gordy Silvers, who later became course superintendent. Over those 56 years Kramer has competed, he missed two years while serving in the United States Marines and seven years while selling the Montgomery County 4-H Sale of Champions Auction. But he still found time to win Middletown’s Brown Run Country Club’s Men’s championship in 1983.
This year Kramer broke his father’s records for oldest participant in the championship finals, and the oldest champion. His late father and auctioneer Horace Junior Kramer was a three-time winner of the championship and won the championship in 1994 at the age of 69, by prevailing over John in the finals. This year, John is 73 years old, to set the new standard for oldest winner and finals participant.
Kramer’s steady and patient play resulted in a 5 to 3 win over John Lemmon. Lemmon is currently Northmont High School’s Freshman Ladies golf coach and a new comer to ECC. Lemmon played his way into his first championship finals by defeating Allen Ferguson, who was going for his 3rd straight Championship. Lemmon got off to a shaky start as Kramer won the first 5 holes, and then Kramer patiently maintained his lead until holes ran out on Lemmon. As is tradition, many club members and friends followed the two-some during their 36 hole match. Additionally, the First Flight Championship match was won by Tim Garber prevailing over Chris Ditmer.
Excepting the WWII era, ECC Club Championship has been played every year since 1922, when the first club champion was WH Hiestand. Since then, Sean Maggard has won seven times, the late Fred Jefferson and Wendell Aker both have six championships and Horace Junior Kramer, Earl Pinky Bennett and Jake Tinsley each have three wins.
Eaton Country Club is a semi-private nine-hole golf course open to the public on Friday, Saturdays and Mondays during the summer months. The historic clubhouse is available for rent or catering. Information about ECC can be found on the website at www.eatonohiogolf.com.
