By Tim Douglass

tdouglass@pctribune.com

The Minnewaska Golf Club, now in its 100th year, was honored last week as the 2023 recipient of the Pope County Salute to Business & Industry award.

Casey Vangsness, Head Golf Professional at Minnewaska Golf Club, accepted the award at a luncheon at Lakeside last Thursday that attracted about 80 people, including past award recipients, local government officials and representatives from local businesses and organizations.

The award is presented each year by the Glenwood Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Welcome Center and this year the award was co-sponsored by the Cities of Glenwood, Starbuck and Long Beach, the Glenwood Development Corporation, the Pope County Commission, the Pope County HRA/EDA, Glenwood Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, the Glenwood Lakes Area Welcome Center and the Starbuck Area Chamber of Commerce. 

Rep. Paul Anderson and Sen. Torrey Westrom were also on hand to honor the recipients, including Vangsness, Head Groundskeeper Brady Scott  and the Minnewaska Golf Club Board of Directors.

Matt Daniels welcomed the crowd to the event and said the chamber was proud to recognize the Minnewaska Golf Club for “your substantial impact on the community.”  He added that to have a business in the heart of Pope County that has “been around for 100 years is an incredible accomplishment.”

Sen. Torrey Westrom took the podium to congratulate Minnewaska Golf Club on their “first 100 years in business.”

“Is there anyone here who played the first round at the course,” Westrom said as the crowd laughed.  “No, none of us, but we are fortunate that we had some committed individuals with the foresight to start Minnewaska Golf Club.”

Westrom talked of the impact golf has on the state’s economy and tourism.  “Congratulations on a job well done and let’s look forward to the next 100 years,” he added.

Rep. Paul Anderson also congratulated the club on its 100-year history.  “I see you as caretakers of an operation that has been around for 100 years and continues to thrive as an important asset to this community. Thank you for the work you’re doing and congratulations,” Anderson said. He said he was impressed with the foresight and passion of the people who started working on the golf course in 1921 and credited them for choosing the site they did, which now provides beautiful views.  “It’s a good attraction for this area and a great amenity to attract more to Pope County.  Keep up the good work,” he said.  

Others who congratulated the Minnewaska Golf Club staff and board included Pope County Commissioner Paul Wildman, Long Beach Mayor Mike Pfeiffer and Brent Cochran, representing the City of Glenwood and the Glenwood Development Corporation.   Wildman told the crowd that having the kind of golf course that Minnewaska Golf Club has become helps everyone in the community. Cochran congratulated MGC and said he knows it will “be around for another 100 years.” He said it was amazing to see the dedication that so many put into developing the course in the past and thanked the MGC board and staff work their dedication and work as they look to the future.  “It’s one of the most beautiful courses in the entire area and it’s also a very challenging course with “a lot there to engage and challenge golfers.  

Pfeiffer reminded those at the luncheon that Long Beach became a city in 1938, so the golf course was there long before the city where it’s now located.  He said the city was proud to be home to Minnewaska Golf Club.

Casey Vangsness, who accepted the award from Glenwood Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sara Hoffner, said Minnewaska Golf Club “would not have thrived without the strong support of the community.  He thanked the staff at the course as well as the entire board for their commitment to the club, crediting them for the courses success.   “The board of directors has been outstanding,” he said, taking over for other outstanding boards throughout the 100-year history of the golf club.