Godwin’s run at Ozark Ridge ending 

Buddy Godwin has been at Ozark Ridge Golf Course longer than half the course itself. He’s there seven days a week most of the year, running the pro shop and clubhouse.

That will soon be changing.

Godwin learned recently that his lease with the Poplar Bluff Parks and Recreation Department will not be renewed when it expires at the end of this year.

The Park Department is seeking to hire a “golf course operations manager” that will oversee the day-to-day dealings and maintenance of the public course.

When asked what his plans were for next year, the 83-year-old Godwin said, “If it’s pretty I’m going to play golf.

“I’ll find me something to do.”

Godwin and Wayne Summers, who helps run the clubhouse, didn’t have many answers for golfers this week when they were asked about the change.

A warm and sunny Thursday morning brought in a steady stream of regulars, whom Godwin knew each by name, to play a round.

When Godwin took on the lease over 31 years ago there were only nine holes.

“He will always be ingrained and welcomed at Ozark Ridge forever,” Parks and Recreation Department Director Lanny Corcimiglia said.

The change at Ozark Ridge is more about the structure of how the course is operated than about the people doing it now.

Corcimiglia said that he and the Park Department board feel an operations manager at the course will be able to “manage the whole course and have a vision. Hopefully in turn, that will generate more revenue.”

The position will oversee the entire course working with course superintendent Albert Spradling.

The Park Department is accepting applications for the position until Friday.

Corcimiglia said there will be a transition period once the new person is hired.

“Everything will be under the Park Department’s, for a lack of a better term, control,” Corcimiglia said.

Godwin is not employed by the Park Department. Neither is Summers, who joined the staff about 20 years ago. Along with building the addition to the clubhouse, Summers runs the league and any tournaments.

“Wayne runs all those things,” Godwin said. “He sets them up and runs them and I make sure everybody’s happy and paid their money.

“We work two sides of it.”

The course is in better shape now after three years recovering from a perfect storm of bad weather that killed many of the greens.

“It’s a good golf course,” said Godwin, who has played more than his share of courses around the country.

Godwin said he’s always hearing from out-of-town players how great the course is and lucky Poplar Bluff is to have such a facility for public use.

Golf has historically been a game reserved for the upper class in society with private clubs and expensive equipment.

Ozark Ridge is the rare golf course that looks and plays like a private club but is available, and affordable, to everyone.

The son of farmers, Godwin picked up the game as a caddy at Westwood Hills Country Club when he started working there at age 12. He won over 100 amateur tournaments, including the Missouri Amateur in 1973 and the Ozark Invitational a record nine times from 1964-86. He was a four-time qualifier for the US Amateur and played professionally on the senior tour for six months.

“I knew right away I wasn’t going to make a living doing that,” Godwin said.

As a member of the greens committee at Westwood Hills, he helped oversee changes to that course and at Ozark Ridge. When he recommended a driving range being added at Westwood Hills the older members thought he was crazy.

Godwin always hit at least 100 wedge shots a day and knew the importance of practicing the game instead of just playing it.

It’s probably a main reason why the Poplar Bluff High School golf team regularly competes at the state tournament.

Before 1970, the Mules placed at state as a team just three times since winning the program’s first title in 1939. Since then, there have been five state championships, five runner-up finishes, and six more times the team finished in the top four.

Ozark Ridge is like golf summer school for many Poplar Bluff kids through the years. When asked to put a number on how many lessons he’s given, Godwin couldn’t even guess.

He’s also not sure if he will be offering lessons or what his plans are next year.

It will likely be playing a round of golf with friends and family, including his wife Mary, who holds family bragging rights with six holes-in-one.

“I’m going to tell you what a high is, it’s when you go out and play golf with three of your friends,” Godwin said. “You go somewhere, stay at a hotel. You play all day long, you all go eat together. That’s a high.

“It doesn’t get any better than that.”