Gene Chadwell
Gene Chadwell’s interest in golf started at the age of 12 when he became the owner of a golf club by trading lost golf balls found alongside the old Omaha Country Club in Benson while delivering the Omaha Daily News.
By the age of 14, he gave up his paper route to become a caddy at the Dundee Golf Course. He was captain of the Benson High School golf team, winning titles in 1928 and 1929. Golf was his game as he soon became a contender in all amateur golf tournaments in the area.
Gene won the World Herald Publinks Championship in 1946 — the same year he moved his family to Lincoln — then his career took off, mainly because he was able to spend more time on his game.
In the 1950’s he won the Lincoln City Tourney, Mid-State Open at Kearney, and The Fremont Invitational. In 1964 he won the Tournament of Champions at Grand Island, comparable to the State Tournament, and four State Senior championships followed — the last one in 1980, one month before his 70th birthday! He was also a six-time club champion at Hillcrest Country Club where he was a member for 23 years.
Gene has shot his age hundreds of times beginning at 69 and is still doing so or better! One of his rounds was 76 when he was 88.
He was instrumental in organizing golf leagues in Omaha and Lincoln (past president in both) and Lincoln Men’s Senior Golf (past president); and served on the Board of Directors at Hillcrest Country Club and Lincoln Men’s Golf Association.
