HISTORY OF THE CENTRAL NEBRASKA SENIOR GOLF ASSOCIATION:

G.G. “Jerry” Treadway was a charter board member of the Nebraska Senior Golf Association which was formed in 1965 at Fremont.  Jerry later served as president of the NSGA in 1982.  During that time Jerry encouraged the NSGA to hold tournaments farther west in Nebraska with little success.  Serious discussions on starting our organization began during the summer of 1984.  On August 13, 1984 a group of senior golfers met at the Kearney Country Club, electing Jerry Treadway as acting President, Ted Richardson as acting Sec-Treas; and Dale Brownfield, Dean Candea, Wally Hopp, Al “Pug” Horn, and Lyle Teel as directors.  Treadway & Richardson then sent a recruiting letter to interested senior golfers, suggesting an initial tournament that fall, and 1-2 events per month the following year.  Interested golfers were to send $5 membership dues with the first 100 to be considered “charter members”, and a hope to get about 80 signed up.  A follow up letter stated “we have 181 paid members biting at the bit and ready to go”, so this group were considered as the “charter members”.  Charter members still on the 2008 membership roster include:  Charles Bourg, Dale Brownfield, Clint Hohnstein, Bob Lowry, Merlin Rathman, Gordon Reeves, Bob Sahling, Vernon Swanson and Norris Rusmisell.

The first tournament was held at Kearney Country Club October 2, 1984, with an entry fee of $25.00.  I could not find a list of tournaments for 1985, but charter members believe they had 6-8 one day tournaments.  There was also a 3 day tournament at Kearney CC on September 17-18-19, 1985.   The 1986 schedule shows 8 one day tournaments (Heritage Hills CC, McCook; Minden CC; Valley View CC, Central City; Deer Park, Valentine; Southern Hills, Hastings; Ogallala CC; Cozad CC; and Holdrege CC, plus a 2 day “state” tournament at Kearney CC.

Our group originated as the Western Nebraska State Senior Golf Association in 1984.  However it was soon learned that a Panhandle or Western NE Senior Golf Association was being organized at about the same time, so in 1985 the name was officially changed to the present Central Nebraska Senior Golf Association.  At the board meeting April 27, 1987 the annual two day “state” tournament was officially renamed the “Jerry Treadway Memorial Tournament”, and continues as our 2 day individual event.

In just over 2 years, the organization had grown to 458 members when Treadway and Richardson resigned due to health reasons.  Norris Rusmisell took over as president on August 25, 1986 with a treasury balance of $3,075.98.  Membership appears to have peaked at 653 in 1994, and has held steady at 500-550 the past several years.