North Shore Towers honored its tennis and golf tournament winners at the recently held annual closing dinners.
The Country Club handed out awards in many different categories, including men’s and ladies’ golf champions, tennis champions and doubles champions. Winners hailed the good will shared among opponents, and credited club professionals for assistance in helping them shape and improve their game.
“It was really a thrill. There was a lot of camaraderie between myself and my opponent,” said Men’s Golf Champion Stanley Yoel. “We both wanted to win in the worst way, but we had a good time out there.
“Winning the Club Championship was definitely the highlight of my season,” he said. “(Club pro) Bob Guido taught me how to play. Whatever success I have, I owe to him and (assistant pro) Brian Gerowski.”
Yoel, a three-time Cub Champion, feels there is still room for improvement and will look to the pros for help with his short game. He believes that golf is a constant game of improvement and the majority of help will come from watching others play.
“I watch my opponents closely,” he said. “It’s like free advice.”
Ladies 18-hole club champion Loretta Katz said it always feels good to be the winner, but the main draw of the tournament is the chance to play against other talented women.
“We have a wonderful group of women,” said Katz. “There is a lot of competition, but everyone is friends.”
Katz admitted to feeling a little apprehension about joining the tournament at first, but said that once she got over her nerves, it ended up being a positive experience.
“You’re always afraid you’ll make a fool of yourself,” she said. “But I finally got some confidence and went out there and did my best.”
Katz has won titles at other clubs, but this is her first at North Shore Towers. She would like to see her putting game improve and thinks it will with the help of Guido.
“Bob Guido is a wonderful man,” she said. “He takes a personal interest.”
Annelies Karp, Tennis Club Champion with Esther Fraser, respects all of the women she plays against and believes that just having the opportunity to play is a blessing in itself.
“My highlight is just getting up in the morning and going out on the tennis courts,” said Karp. “I’m not a competitive person.”
Karp calls tennis partner Fraser the personification of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) motto, “Tennis: Sport for a Lifetime.” Esther could not be reached for comment, but Karp said of her, “She is a great woman and always on the move.”
Harold Leaderman, a Men’s Doubles Winner with Lenny Santner, echoed the sentiments of other players who just wanted to have fun with a friendly game of tennis.
“No one’s out for blood or anything like that,” said Leaderman. “If the ball happens to bounce your way, you’re a winner.”
With his third title in doubles, Leaderman is proud of his accomplishment, but said he is most thankful that he was able to participate in the event.
“It’s a wonderful feeling to win anything,” he said. “But my highlight was being able to play all season.”
Other winners who could not be reached include Vernetta Nelson and Neil Felson for Mixed Doubles Main Draw, and Alan Weiss and Gerry Rubin for Mixed Doubles Back Draw.
Both the golf and tennis tournaments were held as a one-day round robin tournament.
