THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 7, 1994 TAG: 9408050268
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 19 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SUSAN SMITH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines
Melba Waugh, 86, had a large red and white striped umbrella handy as she eyed the dark, circling clouds.
``It doesn't look good,'' Waugh said.
She was referring to her golf game, scheduled for the next day, that would probably be rained out. And it was a large golf umbrella she carried against the predicted summer downpour.
Waugh is a member of the Greenbrier Women's Golf Association and every Thursday is her regularly scheduled golf day.
Waugh grew up near New Market, Va., and about a year ago she said she made the turn to come back to her home state. But it took a birthday surprise membership to Greenbrier Country Club to finally get her back.
She had lived alone in Fayetteville, N.C., since her husband, Lyman Waugh, died in 1983. For the past several years her son, Samuel Waugh, had tried to persuade her to move nearer to him.
``But I just couldn't leave my golfing buddies,'' laughed Waugh.
But her son was concerned about her living alone and with the membership gift as a strong incentive, Waugh sold her house and made the move.
``A few years ago, my golf score was in the mid-80s,'' Waugh said. ``Now I have trouble breaking 90. But I guess I'll just have to keep practicing.''
Her husband was in the Marines, and they made the tour of bases from Norfolk to Hawaii during his military career. When her husband retired, they looked for something they could do together.
``We didn't want to garden or maintain a house,'' said Waugh. ``I was more than 50 years old the first time I held a golf club. Young fliers on the base wanted to know what that little old lady was doing out on the course.''
Waugh said she was addicted to the game the first time she teed off.
``I liked being outside, and I liked the challenge of the game.''
For 15 years, Waugh organized the Junior Golf Association for youngsters from 5 to 18 years old at Fort Bragg. She and her husband played there and also enjoyed the courses at Myrtle Beach and at the reknowned courses in Pinehurst and Southern Pines, in North Carolina.
``The Greenbrier course is difficult,'' she said and then paused for a moment. ``But I wouldn't want it to be easy.''
There have been a few memorable golfing incidents. In 1979, Waugh's golfing opponent ran over her with a cart. She had to have surgery for a crushed knee and extensive rehabilitative therapy. The doctors told her she would never play golf again.
She remained friends with the golf cart driver and proceeded to prove the doctor wrong.
And then a few years ago, she had to replace a favorite putter.
``I didn't lose it,'' she explained ``I just wore a hole in the end of the putter.''
This has been a year of more adjustments for Waugh. She moved in with her son and daughter-in-law. There also have been some minor health problems, which she considers a small detour. Now she looks forward to her weekly golf game unless, of course, she's rained out.
``The Greenbrier Women's Golf Association were superb with their welcome,'' said Waugh. ``They signed me right on as a teammate.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by STEVE EARLEY
Melba Waugh belongs to Greenbrier Women's Golf Association.
by CNB