FORE Magazine

Top Menu

  • About Me
  • Contact Us
  • Home

Main Menu

  • Current Issue
  • Profiles
  • Sustainability
  • Travel
  • 19th Hole
  • Classic Course
  • FORE Her
  • More
    • Know the Rules
    • Handicap Hints
    • SCGA Junior
    • Where Are They Now?
    • News
    • Public Affairs
  • scga.org
Sign in / Join

Login

Welcome! Login in to your account
Lost your password?

Lost Password

Back to login

logo

FORE Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Profiles
  • Sustainability
  • Travel
  • 19th Hole
  • Classic Course
  • FORE Her
  • More
    • Know the Rules
    • Handicap Hints
    • SCGA Junior
    • Where Are They Now?
    • News
    • Public Affairs
  • scga.org
Golf GroupsSpring 2022
Home›Golf Groups›Wednesday Special: San Diego’s Hookers And Slicers Celebrate 50 Years

Wednesday Special: San Diego’s Hookers And Slicers Celebrate 50 Years

By Jack Margaros
April 20, 2022
1687
0
Share:

The San Diego Hookers and Slicers Golf Club is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, a milestone that fills George Sperla — one of the club’s founders — with gratitude.

“It is probably one of the best clubs in all of San Diego County,” he said. “I think we’ve gained a lot of respect over the years.”

Hookers and Slicers was founded on the pillars of integrity and friendship, a philosophy that immediately resulted in success, with membership quickly climbing from a core group of eight to more than 100 currently. The club hit triple digits for the first time just before 2000, towards the end of Sperla’s time as president. When he established a shotgun start to his club’s outings to ensure that everyone would have time to connect afterwards, he saw membership soar.

Allan Wicks joined in 1999 through his uncle and has stayed because of the culture of fellowship the club exudes. The 19th hole is just as important as the other 18.

“It’s the relaxed atmosphere where you’re not under pressure to play every week,” Wicks said. “You don’t have
to be the best golfer … we’re more about the camaraderie and keeping players out on the course and active.”

That doesn’t mean they play for nothing, however. Around 40-50 players sign up on a given week and are then divided into flights that play for prizes during the club’s weekly Wednesday outings, in addition to side games such as closest to the pin and a Canadian skins game.

“It’s not like we’re playing for mortgages,” Wicks said. “We’re playing for lunch money, but it keeps people focused. There’s a little prize at the end.”

That’s a key aspect that Wicks believes has kept the club together for so long. Especially now that most members have watched each other transition into retirement and are still able to connect through golf.

There are members as young as 55, and then there’s Kenny Bonatus, a dual-sport All-American quarterback at San Diego State in the mid-1950s who still stripes drives at 94.

“They do really push the camaraderie part as far as sticking around, having a drink with the guys, sharing some lunch, whatever,” Wicks said. “(My uncle) described the club as a great bunch of guys, highly organized, highly ethical — nobody you can’t put up with for at least 18 holes. That really stuck with me.”

The club is always looking to add new members, and hopefully build toward a group that will last another 50 years.

“It’s surprising how many guys say, ‘Oh, I’ve heard of (the club),’” Wicks said. “We have three or four guys who are just adamant about trying to expand the membership to whomever they see… once they give it a try, they’ll see that it’s a great group of guys to spend a Wednesday morning with.”

Previous Article

Nine is Fine (and here’s why): Get ...

Next Article

Western Home of Golf: Legends, Legacy and ...

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

Jack Margaros

Related articles More from author

  • Know the RulesSpring 2022

    The Provisional Ball: What? How? When?

    April 21, 2022
    By Jimmy Becker
  • Spring 2022Travel

    The Pubs of St Andrews

    April 21, 2022
    By Mike James
  • First CutSpring 2022

    Nine is Fine (and here’s why): Get Creative when you Play and Find your New BFF

    April 20, 2022
    By Tina Mickelson
  • 19th HoleSpring 2022

    A Community Staple: With Zaidee’s Bar & Grill, Ojai has a Place to Gather

    April 21, 2022
    By John Figueroa
  • Golf GroupsWinter 2022

    A Space of their Own: Raza Golf Club Association

    January 24, 2022
    By Jack Margaros
  • Golf GroupsSummer 2019

    Tiny Putters: The Country Club for Everyone Else

    July 25, 2019
    By Scott Fluhler

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Recent Posts

  • FeaturedSustainabilityWinter 2023

    Sun Spot: Indian Wells Golf Resort Goes Solar

  • Classic CourseFeaturedWinter 2023

    A Return to SoCal: The U.S. Open at LACC is the Start of Something Big

  • At The TurnFeaturedWinter 2023

    Pins & Needles: An Ancient Remedy for an Age-Old Problem

  • FeaturedHandicap HintsWinter 2023

    New Year’s Daze: Looking Forward and Looking Back at your Handicap

  • FeaturedTravelWinter 2023

    Cactus Makes Perfect: Travelin’ Joe’s Top Six 36-Hole Arizona Desert Courses you can Play

FeaturedThe PodiumWinter 2023

Changing of the Guard: New Galleri Classic Set to Debut in the Desert

In what can be viewed as an unprecedented, albeit unofficial baton pass, the Coachella Valley is trading one pro golf tour for another this spring. As many will recall, last ...
  • New Year’s Daze: Looking Forward and Looking Back at your Handicap

    By Kevin O'Connor
    February 7, 2023
  • Grass by Design: Pure Research Yields New Strains of Drought-Tolerant Grass

    By Craig Kessler
    February 7, 2023
  • Best Ball Bar & Grill: Woodley Lakes GC Gets a Big Culinary Upgrade

    By David Weiss
    February 7, 2023
  • Making a Future in Golf a Reality: Skylar Graham and the Pathways Internship

    By Ken Van Vechten
    February 7, 2023
© 2016 FORE Magazine About Us | Contact Us | Advertise