Bev Schavone is lifted up in the air when she was presented a "sleeve of golf balls" for winning "closest to pin on the 15th hole." After Eric Oakley presented her with her prize, he picked her up and everyone cheered. Photo by Mel Toadvine

It may have been getting hot out on the beautiful greens of the Mirror Lakes Golf Course, but that didn’t change the spirits of about two dozen plus women who played in their first “Invitational Golf Tourney.”

“These ladies were really enjoying themselves,” said Bev Schavone, a spokeswoman for the group. “A lot of the women had not seen one another for some time since they all played at different courses in Lehigh over the years.

“Years ago when we had one golf course, we all knew one another and then as the years went by, many of the women played at other courses. A lot of us wanted to hold this “invitational” just to get us all together again and have some fun,” Schavone said.

Some 30 women were at the Mirror Lakes Golf Course for a shotgun start at 8 a.m. on Thursday, May 27. There all were foursomes except for one group of three, Schavone said.

She said the women who all call themselves “Golf Ladies,” may want to have their next Invitational a little earlier in the spring when it may not be as hot.

Lady Golfers: This is the group of women who played in the first annual Invitation Ladies Golf Tournament last week at Mirror Lakes Golf Club. Photo by Steve Knott

But they do plan to get together again next year and they expect more women to play because some of the golf ladies are from up north and have already returned to their homes. Schavone said there could have been at least 20 more women who would have planed if they were still down here in season.

Schavone was a snowbird of sorts and she has decided to return to her home up north and moved back to Lehigh where she has bought a home at Aston Greens. Her son lives in Lehigh.

Talk about excitement, these women enjoyed meeting old friends and being with those they played with on a regular basis when they at the different golf clubs in Lehigh.

The women followed up their half-day of golf with a delicious luncheon at the restaurant at Mirror Lakes Golf Club.

“We had had a great time,” said Karen Fuller, president of the Mirror Lakes Ladies Golf Association. The enthusiasm has just been great to see everyone playing.

First Place Winners: Eric Oakley, left, poses with first place winners of the first annual Ladies Golf Invitational last week at Mirror Lakes Golf Club. The winners were Diane Johnson, Dot Clark, Connie King and Alice Church. Photo by Mel Toadvine

“It would be great if we could do this much more often and invite all the women in Lehigh who play golf from the other golf courses to join us,” she said.

Shotgun start was early in the morning and by noon, the women were driving their golf carts back to the clubhouse, freshening up, and finding a place at the long table at the clubhouse restaurant. After the luncheon several prizes were handed out, all a “sleeve of golf balls.”

The women came from Mirror Lakes Ladies Golf Association, the Majestic Ladies Golf Association and the Copperhead Golf Club, said Eric Oakley, who operates the Mirror Lakes Golf Club.

Some years ago before the old Admiral Lehigh Golf Course and hotel were torn down, many of the woman played at what was Gereentree Resorts which included Mirror Lakes, Majestic and the 9-hole course now at the old Admiral Lehigh Resort. The others are all 18-hole courses.

“They all are local residents and they all seem like one big family,” Oakley said.

Connie King wins the "Closest to the Drunken Line on the 8th Hole" award. Eric Oakley makes the presentation. Photo by Mel Toadvine

For those who don’t play golf and don’t under understand the “golf lingo,” some of the prizes may seem amusing. They gave away prizes, a sleeve of golf balls, to women who got the closest to the Pin, Par 3 and to the closest to the “Drunken Line at the 8th hole.”

Steve Knott, a golf pro at Mirror Lakes was on hand and kept a smile on his face most of the day while the women played. He helped out when he could, they said, and they appreciated it. He hit two balls off the fourth hole for each team because it was a “difficult” hole to hit, some of the women said.

Of the women at the Invitational, several had hit holes-in-one over the years with one woman claiming she had hit five holes-in-one.

Linda Patterson, president of the Majestic Ladies Golf Association said she thought the day was wonderful

“It was a great tournament … we all met a lot of old friends.”

Karen Fuller is president of the Mirror Lakes Ladies Golf Association. Shown behind her are some of the women who played golf last week at the club in the first ever Women's Invitational. Photo by Mel Toadvine

Oakley gave credit to the golf course superintendent, Rick Jacobs who had the Mirror Lakes course prepared for the Invitational.

Most of the women are retired and their ages ranged from their mid 50s to two women who were 83. Kim Handley is 57 and was the younger golfer of the day. Clearice Cinquengrana and Lu Kurtz are both 83 and they were enjoying themselves as much as any of the others.

David Deetscreek, who is the general manager and director of golf operations, represents the owner and makes the final decisions on Mirror operations from financial statements to bugs (golf maintenance), was not on hand. However, as the general manager and director of golf operations, he represents the owner and makes final decisions on Mirror operations.

Eric Oakley, the head golf professional, gave out the awards and Steve Knott is the head golf professional and runs the daily operations of the club. Deetstreet said Knott also teaches.

at Mirror Lakes, a semi-private facility (open to public but also has private membership) operating with a renewed focus on its membership.

“We have re-established our Club Championships and membership events as significant events given top priority. We are proud of Mirror Lakes and appreciate the support of its membership and from an ownership standpoint are doing our best to give something back to its membership.

“Additionally, with the support of our membership, we are opening up the golf course to juniors and families by offering very affordable summer memberships that promote parent/child participation. Call the club and ask for Eric for details,” Deetstreet said.

“We were really glad to have the women play on our course and we look forward to them continuing this Invitational,” Deetscreek said.

And Bev Schavone already has plans for the summer: “Maybe we can play once a month, and then next spring, have more women in our Invitational.”