THE EVOLUTION OF GOLF IN GANADO, AZ....

Recently, the Navajo Times published an article about "The Wagon Trail to Lonesome Pine" Golf Course just outside Ganado, AZ. Nine miles to be exact. When I overheard about it a few days ago, I didn't pay attention and thought they were speaking about a practice area adjacent to Ganado H.S. that Bob and Madge Becker opened in the late 90's. Let's start there (*):

Madge was the principal at Ganado High School, and Bob was a math teacher there. Madge didn't play golf, but Bob did as often as he could, which he usually did in weekday afternoons, while Madge either went shopping or stayed reading a book around the pro-shop. It was not the "I have to stay and wait for him to finish" type wait, or the usual "golf widow", it was something much different. Let's just say that Madge enjoyed Bob having some fun. This all evolved into talks about a golf team, then to actually having a team followed by instruction at the Gallup Municipal G.C., then, Madge, a great force to get things done for kids, secured a grant from the USGA worth several thousand dollars with which she bought some equipment, paid for some lessons but more importantly, opened a practice facility adjacent to Ganado H.S., which I had the honor to be invited as "co-host" for a grand opening that featured Notah Begay III as the guest of honor. However, Madge and Robert retired and moved to Colorado, and without their driving force and vision, the program soon died.

Enter Freddie Yazzie. Freddie was the usual bus driver that drove the kids to play and practice in Gallup. Since Freddie helped with the kids, he also began hitting some balls, and in time, he began playing golf as well. After the program ended, he also came a few times to play some golf himself, and we considered him sort of like "an assistant coach": HE WAS HOOKED!

There is more: Freddie happens to be cousin to Joe and Donald Benally, who own the land where "Wagon Trail" (for short) is located in the Navajo Reservation, which is the source of the Navajo Times article. After the article appeared in the Navajo Times, Freddie contacted Madge Becker, sent her a link to the article and finished his email by saying: "Madge, I know you had a dream like this". Yes she did Freddie, and now you and your family can help revive it as you expressed in our conversation.

Freddie expressed that he'd like to make this available to kids and maybe have some clinics. The start will be a remake of the tournament that was originally scheduled for two weeks ago and which will be rescheduled to August 28th (apparently The Navajo Times was published only a day or two before the original event and there was not a lot of advance notice).

This shows you what desire and dreams can put together. Yes, this is a dirt golf course, where you tee off from artificial grassed mats. It takes us back to the 1400's when the Scotts first played golf: some grass, some sand, some bushes, a hole and a lot of fun. This is the kind of project that deserves been given a chance to some funding to make conditions improve. Guaranteed, these people would make a few dollars go a long way!!!

Congratulations and thank you in the name of golf.

(DON'T FORGET!! AUGUST 28th - YOU CAN CALL FREDDIE AT 928-675-1733; JOE BENALLY AT 928-550-3390 OR DONALD BENALLY AT 505-809-8760

(*) This is not, in any way, meant to be a complete history, these are only some of the things I know first hand. I am sure that there were many other people who helped Madge and Robert Becker, and others who helped the Benally's and Freddie, so, if there is anything else that anyone knows, please feel free to contact me to add or correct anything written here. Thanks.