Dr. Mel Woelfling
Mel was born and raised in Ashland and he was very active in all types of activities when he attended Ashland High School. He participated in basketball and golf on the junior varsity level, however, golf became his driving force and he set records in this sport that border on the fantastic.
In 1950, he won the Northern Ohio Junior Golf Championship and the National Caddy Championship in Columbus, which, incidentally, led to a golf scholarship at The Ohio State University. He played four years of varsity golf at OSU and captained the team his senior year. In 1956, he won the Ohio Intercollegiate Championship and followed this by winning The Columbus District Golf Association Championship the next year. In 1958-59, he played on the United States Air Force Golf Team.
Mel began his dentistry practice in Toledo and continued his golf domination in that town. He won five Toledo District Golf Association Championships, and served as president of the Toledo District in 1965. That same year he was also medalist in The Ohio Amateur Championship held in Mansfield. He was six times club champion at Sylvania Country Club between 1960 and 1966. He was also The Ashland Country Club Champion four times from 1950 to 1954.
Many more golfing feats would have been in Mel Woelfling’s future if his untimely death of a heart attack had not occurred suddenly at age 35. Mel is survived by his three children Andrew Woelfling, Teri Hammer, Wende Dryden, and his wife, Barbara Woelfling Battles.
Nominator: Dick Smail
