Coach Bob White wins Big Lake Club championship

Bob White, known as Coach White, won the Big Lake Country Club Championship held Aug. 15-16.

Coach White's name will be added to the Championship board displayed in the clubhouse.

It was White's first time to win the championship and he now holds the record for the oldest golfer to ever win the title.

Ronald Holt was runner-up for the tournament. Both White and Holt are left-handed golfers.

White shot a 159 for the two days. On the Sunday competition the tee boxes were all moved back.

Coach White started golfing at the age of 48 and found he loved the game.

"Mr. Clark (former Manila School Superintendent) drafted me to coach the golf team," White said. "After I had signed my contract to coach basketball, Mr. Clark informed me I would coach the golf team, also."

White had coached football, baseball, track and basketball. He was one of the first referees when volleyball started as a high school sport in Arkansas, but he had never held a golf club in his life. He loved sports and was willing to learn the game.

Coach White coached the Manila High School golf team for 15 years. During those years his team won eight conference championships; two state championships and two state runner-up titles.

"The first year I coached, our team won the district championship," White said. "People asked me how I did it without knowing anything about the game. My answer was easy, I knew what I had and I kept my mouth shut and let them play. They played well."

White fell in love with the game from the start and has been an avid golfer ever since. He plays year round every day he can.

"As long as I can walk, I plan on continuing to play golf," he said. "I've always like to compete. I may get whipped but I still love to compete."

He said his wife Janice supports his golf.

"It gets me out of her hair occasionally," he said.

White retired in 2000 after 37 years of coaching. He still drives a school bus every day and substitutes when he is needed.

Most days after his morning bus run, White can be found at Big Lake Country Club teeing off with Bobby Moore or other golfing buddies.

White said he did get a hole-in-one about nine years ago but he did not have a witness, so it doesn't count. He was playing with two balls and hit the first one on the green and then turned around to get the second one.

"I didn't even see it go in," White said.

White was 71 years old on Monday and hopes to have a lot of years of golfing left.