Because Bayou Din Golf Club was such an integral part of his professional life, Ed Campbell took the news about the 27-hole layout’s impending shutdown especially hard.

“It was a real sad day for me when George Brown told me his plans,” said the Babe Zaharias head pro. “I understand why he is doing it, but Bayou Din has a special place in my heart. I am praying for a miracle, hoping maybe somebody in the golf business will buy it at the last minute.”

Campbell’s attachment stems from having played an integral role in helping talk Brown’s dad into not getting rid of the course in 1980, then steering it out of the doldrums and into a money maker and popular hangout for golfers in Southeast Texas.

“What we accomplished at Bayou Din, taking it from a total mess to a prosperous 27-hole course makes me extremely proud,” Campbell said. “That probably tops taking Pinewood Country Club from its inception and seeing it prosper in the 1960s and early 1970s.”

Campbell was at Bayou Din from May 1, 1980 to Aug. 1, 1993, leaving just about the time the club’s 9-hole links course was opened. With Aquila Golf having worked out a deal to operate Babe Zaharias, Brown put Campbell in charge of the municipal course in Port Arthur.

“The Brown family supported me 100 percent at Bayou Din,” said Campbell. “Mr. Brown (George’s dad) just turned everything over to me. That course played a big part in the golf history of Beaumont. In my opinion, it had the reputation of being the best place for public course golfers in this area to play.”

With Bayou Din closing its doors Nov. 27, several thousand rounds of golf are going to be divided primarily among Babe Zaharias, Brentwood Country Club and Henry Homberg. There will also be numerous lucrative charity tournaments seeking a home.

Campbell and Aquila Golf are sure to make a run at many of those tournaments, and their sales pitch will be enhanced if the City of Port Arthur decides to make some long-overdue upgrades at Zaharias. Bridges have been in disrepair for years and there are irrigation drainage leaks creating quagmires on certain parts of the course.

If ever there was a time for Port Arthur and Aquila Golf to get together and take Zaharias to the next level, this is it. With the tournaments and extra rounds up for grabs, creating an improved, better- conditioned, more appealing venue is an opportunity that should not be allowed to slip away.

The Babe is a good basic layout with potential to be so much better given the proper commitment. Considering the upscale residential development around the golf course, and the tax dollars generated from it, the city should not have a difficult time justifying a facelift.

Especially since it can be brokered as an investment to significantly increase course revenue.

CHIP SHOTS
An abysmal performance on 5-par holes helped sink Chris Stroud in his first PGA Tour start of the 2016-17 season. Stroud, with rounds of 73-71 for an even par 144, missed the cut in the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Miss., by two strokes. He was two over on 5 par holes, after making four bogeys, two pars and two birdies. Lamar University ex Shawn Stefani, also making his first start of the new season, missed the cut by one stroke with rounds of 70-73 for a 143. Stefani played the 5 pars in 3 under . . .

PN-G ex Jarrod Brown wrapped up a strong fall season for the Mary Hardin-Baylor golf team by shooting rounds of 71-72 in the Abilene Intercollegiate. Brown, with his 141, missed winning by one shot, the second time in three tourneys he had missed victory by a single stroke. UMHB tied for first, but lost out on the score of its No. 5 man. Two weeks earlier, Brown finished 4th in the UMHB Fall Invitational in Killeen on rounds of 72-69. Boosted by a school record 13-under-par 275 on day two, UMHB won by 21 shots. Brown is currently No. 5 in Golfweek’s Division III invidiual rankings, while UMHB is No. 3 in team rankings . . .

Minus 4 was the winning score on both nines in the Monday Senior 50 Plus 2 ball game at Babe Zaharias. Winning the front nine was the team of Gary Whitfill, John House, Ed Hetzel and Jim Mercer, while the back went to the foursome of James Shipley, Lee Bertrand, Billy Thillet and Larry Foster . . .

The Super Saturday 2 ball game at The Babe saw the team of Craig Geoffroy, Gerald Huebel, Tom LeTourneau and Charlie Leard win the front with minus 5. On the back, minus 7 won for Shipley, Craig Fontenot, Don MacNeil and Mike Hollier . . .

The Friday Game at Zaharias was also played in a best 2 ball format, with minus 4 once again winning both sides. Winning team on the front was Shipley, Adam Noel, Bertrand and Dwayne Benoit. On the back, there was a tie between the foursome of Joey Alexander, Guidry, Larry Johnson and Tommy Duhon and the team of Craig Geoffroy, Huebel, Tony Trevino and Bob Barnes . . .

The Thursday Senior Game at Zaharias was played in a Select Drive All Points Count format. Winning with plus 27 was the team of Shipley, Larry Rogers, Charlie Huckaby, MacNeil and Johnson. Closest to the pin winners were Gene Noble (No. 2) and Bill Jones (No. 12) . . .

The Wednesday Babe Zaharias DogFight was played in a 2 man, 9-9 format, with nine holes of best ball and nine holes of scramble. In First Flight, there was a three-way tie at 65 between the teams of Whitfill-Guidry, Cap Hollier-Shipley and Russ Gloede-Cricket Owen. In Second Flight, Noel-E.T. Robicheaux won with 67, edging Bill Morrow-Darrell Latiolais by a stroke. Larry Reece-Dillard Darbonne took Third Flight by a stroke with a 71. Duhon-Roger Baumer placed second. In Fourth Flight, Jimmy Thompson-Bill Hernandez won with 72. Second at 76 was the team of Allen Suire-Gary Anderson. Closest to in the pinners were Pat Waite (No. 2), Gloede (No. 7), Bim Morrow (No. 12) and Guidry (No. 15).
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