A Vicksburg icon recently received an honor every golfer dreams of: a lifetime membership.
Lee Standish is only the third person in the history of States Golf Course to receive such an acknowledgment. Considering Standish’s affinity for the game, the benevolent gesture might have an impact on the course’s bottom line. Regardless, few people will argue Standish was not worthy of the gift.
Standish turned 90 August 4. He has spent most of his life in Vicksburg and is as well known for his pleasant demeanor as much as for his love of golf.
“I started playing golf after I was married and out of the Army … my first round was on April Fool’s Day in 1960,” Standish said. “My brother-in-law and his brother talked me into going to Milham Park. I loved it so much that on the same day I went to a hock shop, bought a set of clubs and I’ve been playing ever since.”
For the record, Standish has since acquired a newer set of clubs.
Standish said he likes the individuality of the game. In other words, the success or failure of a round falls squarely on the shoulders of the individual, he explained. Furthermore, no two rounds are ever the same, Standish added.
“You have good days and you have bad days,” he said. “I just don’t let the bad days get to me because I know I’m not going to do my best all the time.”
Standish is a 10-handicap golfer. For the uninformed, that equates to – on average – bogey golf, a standard generally better than 80 percent of all golfers. His strength is in putting and Standish said though his drives aren’t as distant as they once were, he manages to keep his ball in the fairway almost without exception.
He said he decided this season to start teeing off from the gold tees, a modest distance advantage afforded by all golf courses to senior citizens. Standish said he plays nine holes during his twice-a-week league competition, but always enjoys the full, 18-hole course otherwise. He prefers to play with a partner or in a group of four.
In 60-plus years of golf, Standish has hit just a single hole-in-one.
“Hole No. 17 here at States,” he said. “There’s a little slope there so I didn’t see it go in. But what a surprise to see the ball in the cup.”
A 1955 Vicksburg High School graduate, Standish is a retired power-plant boiler and turbine operator who worked for Consumers Power.
Standish is a former bowler, too. But he said he had to give it up because he had difficulty in his later years gripping the ball. Nonetheless, he remains faithful to golf and plans to keep playing until he is physically unable.
He started playing at States when it was owned by Lucien Axtell. Later, under subsequent ownership, Standish said he spent the summer as a grounds crew member when Consumers went on strike in 1971.
“It was just a part-time job to bring in a little money,” he said. “I love being out here so it was fun for me.”
Standish’s late wife, Judy, was also an avid golfer. She died 11 years ago. They had five children. The family now includes 13 grandchildren and nearly three dozen great-grandchildren. (Standish sheepishly conceded he is not certain the exact number of his great-grandchildren.)
Regarding the lifetime membership, Standish said he was handed an envelope by States owner Eric Jasiak back in March. Inside the envelope, Standish found a lifetime membership certificate. Membership includes use of a golf cart.
“I was flabbergasted. Absolutely shocked. I was really surprised,” he said. “Eric told me I’m only the third person to get a lifetime membership. The others were Mason Bishop and Joe Gabriel.”
In honor of Standish’s milestone birthday, States on July 26 hosted the “Lee Standish 90th Birthday Celebration” four-person scramble.
Jasiak said Standish has more than earned the lifetime membership and he hopes Standish takes advantage of the opportunity frequently.
