The venerable Santa Barbara City Golf Championship just finished its 63rd run — and a 90-year-old named Don Beeks has played in 59 of them, since 1963.
“I don’t know when to quit,” he quipped.
He still enjoys the game — and enjoys still being able to play — even past his competitive days when he won all three handicapped flights of the tournament multiple times. He hasn’t played the non-handicapped Championship Flight.
He last made the third-day cut in in a flight in 2017, at 85. But there’s still the fun, exercise and camaraderie. “Don’t take yourself too seriously and let the good times roll,” he advises.
“The last six or eight years, it’s been just a reunion (with friends) for me,” Beeks said. “I know I’m not competitive but I can have a little fun out there.”
Beeks is a popular figure among the Santa Barbara Golf Club regulars, and why not? He’s an engaging, soft-spoken gentleman with a lively wit and a raconteur’s touch with a story. The mention of his name brings smiles around the clubhouse.
A couple of other remarkable numbers: Beeks enjoyed a 48-year career as a teacher and counselor at Devereux Ranch School in Isla Vista, and he and wife Diana have been married for 56 years.
Diana Beeks is also a retired special ed teacher, from St. Vincent’s School, and was deemed “a natural” at golf from her first lesson, Beeks said. She’s not competitive about the game, he said.
Beeks came to Santa Barbara in 1958, transferring to UCSB from Orange Coast College. In need of a job during his studies, he was hired as a recreation counselor at Devereux, working with developmentally disabled kids, by virtue of a previous counseling job he had on Catalina.
He graduated from UCSB in 1961, and kept working at Devereaux as a teacher. In the early 1970s, he earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. at USC, in special education and psychology.
“I really loved working” at Devereaux the whole time, he said. “It certainly was a wonderful experience for me, and I hope that it was for the kids, because boy they deserve it.
“So those 48 years went by nicely.”
The rest has, too. Life is good.
“I’ve had a heck of a good ride, and I’m grateful for it,” Beeks said. “And thankful I’ve had good friends, and have something I can still do as I get up in the years, you know?”
He turned to playing partner Gabriel Segura, 34.
“You don’t know yet, but you will,” Beeks said.
“I hope I make it to 90,” Segura said.
“I hope you do, too.” Beeks said. “I hope you go longer than me.”
Segura, from Huntington Beach, was playing in his first City Championship, coming up with a friend.
“He’s a living legend,” Segura said of Beeks. “This is our first year here, and even before I got to the course, we heard about Don.
“We heard about he’s been here for so long, and he’s won the multiple levels of championships, and that no matter what happens, he’s going to see it through. He’s not going to just throw in the towel — wind, rain, whatever, he’s just going to see it through.”
While never missing a Santa Barbara City Golf Championship, Beeks has enjoyed many other golfing venues too. He remembers when a round at Pebble Beach was only $25.
And yes, Beeks has shot his age, but that gets harder even as it seems like it should be easier.
“People said, shoot your age, you know?” Beeks said. “I thought, well it should be easy to do now. I mean, 90.
“But it doesn’t get any easier. The only time it would have been significant, I wanted to shoot my age when I was in my 60s.
“And I did shoot one time a 68 when I was 67, on the blue tees at La Cumbre. That was a good one.”
On Saturday, he shot an even 100 as a raw score, which was adjusted to below his age when the handicap was factored in.
He’s lost some distance as he’s aged, as people do, but accuracy has been slower to betray him. He likes the short game. He made two 20-25 foot putts in Saturday’s round. Late afternoon wind gusts Saturday played havoc with everyone’s score.
“When you play it a long time and you still enjoy it, I think that’s great, because a lot of things you can’t do when you get old. I’m amazed that heck, I can still play well.”
He turns 91 in July. Will he be back for a 60th go at the City Championship next May?
“Well, that’s the next one,” he said. “And if the wind doesn’t come up, I might do a little better.”