Golf took of hold of Skip Runnels early in his life thanks to his father Carl.
On Saturday, Runnels is set to tee in the Richmond City Amateur Tournament for another year.
“My dad was an avid player and he got me interested in the game,” the 67-year old Runnels said.
Spending time on the golf course as a youngster around some of the great players in Richmond helped develop his love for the game and allow him to establish the all-time victory mark of 18 titles in the city event.
“Through my association with my dad, I got to know all of the guys watching them and caddying for them,” Runnels said. “It grabbed me.”
Although he graduated from Richmond High School in 1971, Runnels began playing in the city amateur at the age of 15 in the late 1960s.
“There have been some tremendous players who have won it,” Runnels said. “I grew up as a next door neighbor with Scott (Porter) and also Bill McClure and Leo Bruck.”
McClure is second on the all-time winners list behind Runnels with 12 city championships. Runnels went to school with McClure’s son Kevin.
“His dad was the king of golf in Richmond, so I was around him all the time,” Runnels said. “I marveled how he played and wanted to be just like him.”
Porter and Bruck have two victories apiece.
“It was really cool for me to be growing up around those guys,” Runnels said.
A former golfer at Ball State University, Runnels won his first city title in 1977.
“There were so many good players back at that time and it was really difficult to win,” Runnels said. “I was just elated.”
There have been eight playoffs in the 89-year history of the city amateur and Runnels was the victor in 1983 at Forest Hills Country Club as he claimed his third championship.
Runnels, Gary Moorehead, Darrell Perry and Dave Thurman were tied with a 147 in championship flight. However, Phil Beck had a chance at the lowest score although he was in the A Flight.
“We were all called into the pro shop to take a vote,” Runnels said of everyone except Beck. “We all agreed if he made the put he was the winner and if he missed the putt, he should be able to playoff for the championship.”
Beck missed, which led to a five-way tie. Runnels ended the suspense early in the playoff with a birdie.
“I do recall making a putt on the first hole to win it,” he said.
Runnels has the respect from a pair of former winners, Jeff Mullin (2006, 2009) and Ryan Chalfant (2016).
“The 09 win was probably the most special because my dad (Mike) was in the group with us,” Mullin said. “In 06 and 09, I fought off Skip, but he’s fought me off way more with better results. You still have to execute and that’s what makes him special.”
Runnels was second by two strokes both times Mullin won.
When Chalfant won his title, Runnels finished third just four strokes behind.
“I have played a couple times with him and he has just been outstanding,” Chalfant said of some recent rounds with Runnels. “I’m looking forward to the competition.”
Winning the 18 city events over five decades is special for Runnels, who was inducted into the Indiana Golf Hall of Fame in 2015 for his numerous state victories and other accomplishments.
“I’m pretty proud of that,” he said. “How I was able to do it, I’m not really sure. I was blessed with good genes.”
“I was also blessed with never losing passion for the game,” he continued. “I always had a fire burning to play well. When I got into my 40s, I was able to play in some statewide events and had some success there. Another thing was, I remained competitive and I wanted to play well.”
That fire remains active as Runnels is set to defend his win a year ago in the senior flight.
City Amateur Titles for Skip Runnels
1977, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1990,
1991, 1992, 1993, 1998, 1999,
2000, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010,
2011, 2012, 2013