Nostalgia Reigns in Pro-Lady Play
by Bill Nichols
Nostalgia was king Monday at the Oakwood Country Club. It draped the lush greenery like an early morning mist -- Claire Doran Stancik returned for a brief moment to her glory years of the past.
Watching Claire with her picture golf swing brought thoughts of bygone years, the incredible 1940s. There was General Ike. And MacArthur, too. There were ration stamps, big little books, zoot suits and Rosie the Riveter. And in golf, there was Patty Berg, Louise Suggs, and to Clevelanders, there was Claire Doran.
PLAYING OUT of Westwood Country Club in the '40s, Claire was the undisputed queen of Ohio golf. She won six city championships, four state titles, a pair of Western Amateur crowns and played on two victorious Curtis Cup teams.
Claire is now Mrs. Robert Stancik, a homemaker and mother. She hasn't played a competitive round of golf in 12 years, but Monday, her professional partner, Canterbury assistant Mike Kiely, talked her into playing in the Pro-Lady 18-hole Scotch tournament at Oakwood.
The Canterbury duo toured the east side track in 36-37 -- 73 to tie for third place among the 42 teams entered in the Cleveland Chapter of the PGA event.
THE PRO-LADY champions were Charles Stock, assistant professional at Oakwood, and Mrs. Doris Weil, 1971 women's runner-up at the club. They teamed up for one-over 34-37--71.
"We just had a great time," said Claire afterward.
"No, I have no plans to return to competitive golf, but I had a lot of
fun today."
"Mike was wonderful and we played pretty well."
Kiely was ecstatic. "She still has that beautiful swing," said Kiely. "She hit her tee shots real well. She didn't miss a fairway."
"Every time I hit one in the woods, she hit it out. I really had a great time and it was an honor to play golf with her," added Kiely.
Stock and Mrs. Weil have possession of the championship trophy, but everyone at Oakwood thought not of Monday but back to the 1940s when Claire Doran was the queen.