KILGOROUND

THE EAST Texas Oilmen's Golf Classic will tee off this tomorrow.

If all goes as planned, the East Texas Treatment Center (ETTC) will end up with a nice amount to augment their coffers.

ETTC's Merlyn Holmes said some very special events are planned.

First, Bobby Everett, whose picture graces the cover of the tournament brochure and was the poster child for the tournament in 1961, will be at the tournament. Bobby and his family now live in Henderson but the golf tournament in 1961 was very special to him.

Two Rotary Clubs are joining to feed the golfers. The Kilgore and Henderson Rotary clubs will be working together to help the ETTC.

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GORE Kemp recalls the tournament was first held in Longview.

He said Premier Refinery of Longview promoted the tournament to help the treatment center financially.

"The refinery had its own 9-hole golf course," Gore said.

One year the refinery sold about six weeks before the tournament. The new owners said they didn't care for golf and would not sponsor the tournament.

"That created quite a stir," Gore said, "because that was where most of the income for the center came from."

Gore said Sam Ross of Kilgore and Clyde Tomlinson Sr. of Longview formed a committee and "got busy."

Gore was one of the original board members. He was joined by R.S. Martin Jr., Bob Schleier, Ben Stroop, Johnny Cace, Karl Edmons Sr. and J.C. McClurkin.

"We held a heck of a tournament," Gore said, "and provided the much deserved money. It was off and running then."

Gore also said the treatment center started out in Longview and was moved to Kilgore because someone donated a a little white building for the facility.

Both the center and golf tournament have a successful track record.

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Speaking of golf, some of you may know I'm trying to learn to play the game. I've had a little trouble finding an instructor since I'm left-handed. But have no fear, I can clear both sides of a fairway very quickly.

There is a World Association of Left-handed Golfers (WALG). There is also a National Association of LeftHanded Golfers (NALG) in the U.S. and associations around the world. (I'm not alone any more!)

According to NALG, the number of left-handed golfers on the PGA tour has

doubled in the last couple of years. Some of today's lefty pros include Phil Mickelson and Mike Weir.

We lefties spend a lot of time looking at life as a mirror does, reversing everything. That makes it interesting for a right-handed teaching pro. I had an instructor once that stood in front of me like a mirror image. Only thing when he hit the ball it went way down the fairway. Mine was about two inches from the tee.

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Have you noticed golfers do an awful lot of talking about food? No wonder they think their hit was FAT. The menu featured CABBAGE, CHILI DIP, CHIP, MULLIGAN and JUICE what a combination. Golfers must have strong constitutions.

As for me, I think I'll just take my PSYCHO GRIP to the 19th HOLE for a glass of TEE and a SLICE of cake and wait for the others.

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I hope the tournament this weekend goes well and everyone goes home a winner, especially the East Texas Treatment Center.

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Blowing out the birthday candles today are James Owens, Randa Watson, Becky Rossom, Jason Lee Willbourn, Bernice White, Todd Harrington, Jerry Bass, Camie Owens, Danny Nixon, Mrs. Lloyd Shields, Dotti Harris, Mrs. Pete Keiser, J.A. Sullivan, Matthew McFarland, Dr. Terry Ray, Robert Taylor, Jill Wright, Rod West, Merlene Coffey, Lonnie R. Lewis.

Anniversary greeting go out to Mr. and Mrs. Freddie Forth, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry W. Covington, William and Marjorie Stephenson, Milton and Lisa Frazier.