Suffolk native shines at Cedar Point
Published 8:56 pm Saturday, August 10, 2013
![Suffolk native and current Churchland-area resident Vickie Lombard holds the cup signifying her win in the 2013 Ladies Club Championship at Cedar Point Country Club last Sunday. She has won the event multiple times, a result borne out of her love for the game and the club, of which she has been a member since the 1970s. (Photo submitted by William Evans)](https://www.suffolknewsherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2013/08/20130804_150203.jpg)
Suffolk native and current Churchland-area resident Vickie Lombard holds the cup signifying her win in the 2013 Ladies Club Championship at Cedar Point Country Club last Sunday. She has won the event multiple times, a result borne out of her love for the game and the club, of which she has been a member since the 1970s. (Photo submitted by William Evans)
Vickie Lombard has enjoyed a strong relationship with the game of golf and Cedar Point Country Club, and the Ladies Club Championship continues to illustrate that fact.
With a two-day score of 173 last weekend, she was able to add 2013 to her collection of years she has earned the ladies club champion title from the most prestigious individual women’s tournament Cedar Point holds each year.
The Suffolk native and current Churchland-area resident started with a solid 83, but rain changed things for the final round on Sunday.
“Everything was really wet, and it was a little bit harder than it was on Saturday, but it was a nice day,” she said. “I enjoyed it.”
She scored a 90, but managed to finish two strokes ahead of Sarah Julien who shot rounds of 92 and 83 in the championship flight of nine women.
“I felt like I struck the ball pretty good, but I don’t feel like I putted as well as I normally do,” she said, referring to tentativeness on the moist, slower-than-normal greens.
Winning the Cedar Point event is a personal triumph for Lombard, more so than it might be for many others.
“It means a lot to me because golf has been good to me through the years,” she said. “I’ve had a lot of sad things happen to me, and golf has helped me get through a lot of things.”
It gave her something focus on, something to work for, and she could do it individually, unlike many sports where multiple people are required to play and play at a high level.
Lombard, 66, has been very dedicated to the game since first teeing off, but her introduction to it did not come until her early 30s.
“I had beginner’s luck,” she said.
She said had she started when she was a child as many do today, she might have had a shot at playing professionally. Nevertheless, she has gotten to play in higher-level tournaments.
“I used to play in a lot of state events,” she said. “The lowest handicap I’ve ever had was 4.”
She even got to play in a tourney featuring a World Golf Hall of Famer.
“I have played in two (professional-amateur events),” she said. “I played with Kathy Whitworth once when I was playing at the Sleepy Hole ladies pro-am.”
Lombard continues to work hard at the game, practicing faithfully, and credits her family and Cedar Point’s director of golf for helping her succeed at this year’s club championship.
“I’ve had a lot of good advice from T.J. (Young) and a lot of good advice from my husband,” she said.
In addition to benefiting from the game of golf, Lombard highlighted the club, saying, “Cedar Point has been like my second family. The members are wonderful. We all have a good friendship.”
It is a community she has been a part of since the 1970s, and it has shown support to her during difficult times.
“My second husband passed away, and I just can’t tell you how much Cedar Point meant to me,” she said.
Additionally, the club has consistently provided a comfortable atmosphere for her to go out to the driving range or play by herself.
In turn, Young explained how Lombard has meant a lot to the club.
“She’s certainly one of the most loyal members we have and is certainly the cheerleader when it comes to bringing guests out and talking the place up to non-members,” he said.
“When you think of a competition, you pretty much know she’s going to be in the middle of it,” he said.
And the 2013 Ladies Club Championship was no exception.
Following are the top finishers from last weekend’s 2013 Ladies Club Championship at Cedar Point Country Club:
Championship flight:
First —Vickie Lombard 83-90—173
Second — Sarah Julien 92-83—175
Third gross — Missy Holloman 93-93—186
First net — Steva Williams 74-76—150
Second flight
First gross — Fran Jones 101-93—194
First net — Terri Ashe 77-70—147