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Paul Weichert turned 80 this past April, but age hasn’t kept him off the green. A lifelong golfer, Paul still plays once a week at Ma Cal Grove Country Club, more often when his children are in town, like this past week.
His golfing journey began at the age of 16 with his cousin, whose father (Paul’s uncle) owned a share in Ma Cal Grove Country Club and was a member. It’s the very same course Paul still plays today.
“Golf’s probably been one of the biggest entertainment factors I could ever have had in my life,” Paul shared.
Paul’s connection to Ma Cal Grove runs deep. Over the years, he has become the club’s unofficial historian and served on its board for six years, including three as president. He purchased his first share at age 21 for $150. “Back then, golf shares were coveted,” he recalled with a smile. Today, he remains a proud member and one of the club’s most enthusiastic promoters.
When reflecting on his 64-year golfing journey, Paul is quicker to praise his family, Ma Cal Grove, and Caledonia golf instructor and mentor Ken Van Den Boom.
Paul’s life took a dramatic turn when his father passed away suddenly from a heart attack at age 57. Paul left college to return home and work in the family’s car dealership business, where he remained until retirement.
He started painting cars at 15, noting that he was a good painter and a perfectionist at heart. When asked if that perfectionism carried over from painting cars to playing golf, Paul replied with a chuckle, “There was a day I could par this course. I was much younger then, and I didn’t even have the big clubs.”
Family plays a central role in Paul’s story. His wife Rose, used to golf with a group of women at Ma Cal Grove but found more joy in the social aspect of golfing than the sport itself. “Golfing just wasn’t her thing,” Paul said. “But she loved coming out with her friends and enjoying lunch after a round.”
Their son Brenen played on the Caledonia High School golf team and thrived under the guidance of Ken Van Den Boom, a dedicated coach and mentor. Their daughter, Kristinne, was also a golfer on the school’s golf team, and even married a fellow golfer she met in college who had come to the U.S. to play the sport.
In 2004, Paul and a few friends attended the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Ga. Paul said, “We witnessed three holes-in-one that day. Augusta is a gorgeous course.”
When asked about his golf heroes, Paul immediately named Jack Nicholas, Lee Trevino, and Arnie Palmer. “You watch the professional golfers of today, and they’re out there, a long, long way, 200, 250 yards or more, and they’ll take an iron wood, and they’ll hit it on the green.”
When it comes to local courses, Paul said, “I’ve played all the courses in the bi-county area, Fillmore and Houston counties. We used to have a Monday night league with eight people on a team. Each week, we’d go head-to-head with another club in match play and play for points. That gave us the chance to play all different courses, with different players in different settings.” He added that Winona is a good golf course.
He also played in Arizona with a few friends, Doug Russell, Tim Murphy, and Tom Murphy, for a week of golf and good food every spring.
Although golf technology has evolved, Paul prefers a simpler approach. “My kids use GPS apps and rangefinders,” he explained. “But we’ve got 100-, 150-, and 200-yard markers on every hole, except the par threes. If you’ve played your entire life, especially on the same course, you know the distances.”
As for staying healthy, Paul credits golf for keeping him both physically and mentally sharp. “Although I never did a lot of walking. I always had a golf cart. Everything from a Cushman scooter to a freewheeler,” he said. “I love to play, but I never really loved to walk. Still, being active enough to play the game is good exercise. It is good for the mind, too.” He added, golf is a lot like life. You get out of it what you put in.”
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