Gloria Ehret - Part 2 (The 1966 LPGA Championship)

Intro Music 0:07

Straight down the middle. It went straight down the middle.

Mike Gonzalez 0:13

Then it started to let's talk about the 1965 LPG Championship. I mentioned that was at Stardust. Sandahaney was the winner, but you finished fifth. That had to be a confidence builder, I would think, for you early on in your career.

Gloria Ehret 0:29

You know, um, I didn't even remember that until I read it. Um, I guess it was just a matter of, you know, uh, okay, I finished fifth. Uh no big deal. You know, let's go to the next tournament and see, you know, see what we can do there, what damage we can do there as far as, you know, competition. Uh as I said, uh until I read it, I didn't even remember finishing fifth.

Mike Gonzalez 1:01

Yeah, did you remember your parents coming out and that being their first plane ride?

Gloria Ehret 1:05

Oh, yes, I definitely remembered that. And why my dad picked that place, I just have absolutely no idea. But uh, yeah, they had never been on a plane, never other than maybe coming to Raleigh, North Carolina, or they would come to, you know, places they could drive um on the East Coast. But uh, you know, all of a sudden he goes, We're coming to Vegas to watch you play. And I went, What? I mean, uh, you know, too bad he didn't have enough faith in me to put a little money on me before the tournament started. I think he could have been a millionaire by by that time, because I think I was like 501 or something like that. Um, but uh yeah, I mean, he made me more nervous than I think the actual tournament itself, because I'd see him, I tried not to watch him, but he'd be in front, he'd be in back, he'd be with me away, you know, back and forth, watching Mickey, because that's who I was basically competing against. And, you know, it's like, dude, you know, uh let me play golf, you know, just watching you run back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. But uh, you know, again, uh some things just stick with you all the time. And it was after I won and we went back to the hotel to the start Austin changed, and we were walking to the uh convention center there. That's where they had the a party and everything. And I mean, he was like a little kid. He was my mother, God bless her. I mean, she she was like, why, you know, what this is not a big deal. I mean, it was just like she was just kind of walking down the path, and my dad, I mean, it was almost like he was skipping down the pad, uh, the path to the to the thing. It was just watching him, as I said, I can still visualize to this day him going going down. But uh, yeah, that was that was had to be the the epitome of of uh my life right there.

Mike Gonzalez 3:35

Yeah. Well, we're talking about we're talking about the 19 uh 1966 LPG Championship. This also at Stardust uh in Vegas, where Gloria won by three over Mickey Wright with a score of 282 minus two. Uh back then, as you look at the old newspaper clippings, they used to call that the Ladies National.

Gloria Ehret 4:00

The golf course or the tournament?

Mike Gonzalez 4:03

No, the tournament. Uh, it was referred to as the Ladies Nationals. I don't know who wrote the article, but do you remember that moniker being associated with the LPGA uh championship at that time?

Gloria Ehret 4:13

No. No, no, I don't.

Mike Gonzalez 4:16

I don't know if I'd come across that before. What do you remember about uh that week, that final day? Uh the newspaper uh uh uh accounting would suggest that you had a pretty windy final day. Do you remember much about the details?

Gloria Ehret 4:30

I remember it was windy, and uh it was I was on the putting green before my tea time, and uh at that time Lenny Wirtz uh was our commissioner, and Lenny came over to me and uh made some kind of a snide remark, and I got so mad at him for making that before I teed off, but then afterwards I realized he was trying to get me in another frame of mind rather than working, thinking about 18 holes or that first tee shot or whatever. Um he just got me out of that mindset, and as I said, just made me so mad. I mean, I could he was only like five, two. I could have picked him up and thrown him as far as I could. I as I said, I can't remember exactly what he said, but I remember that, and then Wick came over and she said something to the effect of just go play. Don't worry what's in front of you, what's in back of you, go play your own game. And I thought that was pretty cool.

Bruce Devlin 5:52

Yeah. Pretty cool, pretty cool to do with Mickey Wright, uh, to win your first major. That's that had to be something.

Gloria Ehret 6:01

Oh, it you know, as I said, as much as I admired Mickey, uh, I didn't mind beating her. Uh but uh she we were kind of neck and to uh you know, back and forth, back and forth on the first twelve holes. And I remember it was a par three and it was two maybe two twenty or something like that from where we played it. It was a long hole and it was into the wind. And my caddy um he said to me, he said, hit your driver, and I went, my driver. You know, I've got this little green up there, there's OB to the left, uh bunkers to the right. You want me to hit this thing in this little area? But it was like, Okay, that's what you want, uh let's do it. So I knocked it on the green, two-cutted, went off, made my three. Mickey hooked it out of bounds. Ah, and it was like I have a couple of shots, you know, just yeah, eat the pace, keep it going, and uh that was the only thing that I ever knew about Mickey playing that in in back of me. Um and as I said, when my dad must have told my caddy, and my caddy said, you know, let's just play cool for the last four or five holes and we'll see what happens. And uh, you know, as I said, didn't expect her to do that, but uh she did it and thank you very much, and off I go.

Mike Gonzalez 7:58

So w was it a comfortable walk up 18? Do you remember what sort of cushion you had coming into the 18th hole?

Gloria Ehret 8:04

I think I had like a two-shot uh coming in, but I guess adrenaline was pumping because my second shot I hit so far over the green. I mean, it was like, where the heck did this come from? You know, uh it was a short iron that I hit into the 18th hole. And I got back there, and I've I I think now I'm thinking, okay, you know, at the worst, let's make five. But, you know, try your hardest to make four. And luckily I made four and that that did it.

Mike Gonzalez 8:44

Yeah. Did that change things much for you? Winning winning a major at that young age, second year on tour, did that change life much for you?

Gloria Ehret 8:53

Well, I wouldn't be here uh with two two famous people.

Mike Gonzalez 8:58

Uh yeah well, one anyway.

Gloria Ehret 9:01

Uh but uh you know, I think I was just so stupid at the time. It's like, okay, I want to major, I want a tournament. You know, let's go on. Let's, you know, let's see what else you can do. Um you know, it's only been well, I guess since the last since I left the tour that, you know, all of a sudden I I mean I think it's starting to hit me that, you know, that's a pretty big deal, you know, you stupid kid. Um you know, uh I can remember Sandy putting that tiara on my head because I still have the tiara up here. Uh Mickey was right there. Uh I think uh I have a picture. When is it? Maybe Mary Mills was there. Um anyway, uh it was it was another tournament. I mean, yes, it was the LPGA, but again, I don't think it just resonated or uh just I don't know. It it it was like, okay, all right, so let's you know, to see my dad happy, that's fine. That's all they wanted.

Mike Gonzalez 10:26

Yeah, cool with that then uh well this was uh for our listeners, this was um the last of six consecutive LPG championships contested at Stardust Country Club. So from 1961 through 1966, it hosted the LPG Championship. Uh you only got to play a major there twice. You probably wish you would have kept going. Yeah.

Gloria Ehret 10:50

Well, I think we played at the DI once, and uh I can remember playing the uh at the DI. Uh but uh I think the thing that the thing that that I also enjoyed about that tournament was the celebrities that we had a chance to play with. I mean, not only in the dyna did we play with with celebrities, but uh I can remember Joe Lewis. I played with him, and he walked up in that first T and I just looked at him and it was like, oh my god. And then we shook hands. I could have gotten three of my hands in a different one. And he was the nicest, nicest guy that uh just I mean, just so down to earth, and just you know, like, yeah, I'm Joe Lewis, but you know, let's go play golf. Um and another one I can remember uh playing was uh with Telly Sabalis. You remember Telly Sabalis?

Bruce Devlin 12:03

Sure, dude.

Gloria Ehret 12:04

Okay, well, the night before I knew I was playing with him, so my sister was in Vegas with me that time, and she loved Telly Sabalis, just loved him. So we had to go get popsicles, not popsicles, but those tootie, you know, that he always chomped on during the show and stuff. So when it was we were up on the tea, uh I motioned to her to come up and no, no, no, no, no. So I said to Telly, I said, look, my sister's over here and she has something for you. So he walked over, grabbed her, hugged her, and you know, and she gave him the the the suckers. And I mean, that ripped that paper off and he started chewing on that thing like crazy. And you know, so it's it's stuff like that that makes me so happy and proud to have been in that era to you know to know those people. As I said, Bruce, you the same way. I mean, it it just means something different for us than it does now. I mean, it's like now, it's like you're lucky you're playing with me, uh type of thing. And um I don't know.

Mike Gonzalez 13:31

I just it's different. We were playing with the great Kojak.

Gloria Ehret 13:35

Exactly. Exactly. Yes, yes, for sure.

Mike Gonzalez 13:40

So you were you were most improved player on the LPGA tour in 1966, yes, sir. Yeah, and uh let's go on to 1967. Uh you had a pretty good finish at the Venice Ladies Open at Lake Venice Golf Club in Florida, finishing second to a lady who won just a couple of tournaments, Kathy Whitworth.

Gloria Ehret 14:06

Uh yeah, it's uh you know, again, uh I think probably from my time on tour, I can remember playing Haney in the playoffs, and uh I remember uh walking up at Rochester uh for the US Open. Uh so there's there's a couple of tournaments I I remember. Uh other than that, it's just the privilege of playing all the places I played.

Mike Gonzalez 14:43

Yeah, yeah, you you mentioned a playoff uh you had with Sandra Haney that went three holes. That was in the 1966 Glass City Classic. Um uh that wasn't your only run-in with Sandra. We'll talk about another one later. But uh, you know, you uh as I mentioned, we've talked about you a lot, and so when we talked to Kathy Whitworth, we probably talked about Gloria Earrett because uh you were part of her record. 1968. Uh uh you had a good finish, finishing uh second behind a uh a lady you mentioned that was quite kind to you when you were doing your qualifying, that being uh Carol Mann. That was in the Shirley Inglehorn invitational. You remember that one?

Gloria Ehret 15:29

No.

Mike Gonzalez 15:32

No, people don't remember their seconds. They they remember their wins.

Gloria Ehret 15:36

I remember the second for the U.S. Open because I have uh uh an emblem or uh like a marker that they give you uh for finishing second at the open. So yes, I remember that.

Mike Gonzalez 15:52

And that one was Susie Maxwell Burning winning that one at Country Club of Rochester, 1973, and you were T2.

Bruce Devlin 16:01

That's right.

Mike Gonzalez 16:03

And sorry? You were tied second with uh Yes. Yeah. Uh was that one a close one? I mean, was that go down the wire?

Gloria Ehret 16:11

I think um I th I think bogey the last hole to fall into second place. Had I parted, uh, we would have had a playoff. But uh didn't happen.

Mike Gonzalez 16:25

Soulda, coulda, right?

Gloria Ehret 16:27

Yeah, exactly.

Mike Gonzalez 16:28

Yeah. Um you were you were in a playoff with Kathy Cornelius at the Bluegrass Invitation 1972.

Gloria Ehret 16:36

Yes, that I remember.

Mike Gonzalez 16:38

And why do you remember that one?

Gloria Ehret 16:40

Yeah. I shoot 66 the last day. We went out to number. I want to say it was like 14 or 15 tight hole going up the hill, trees right, teeth, trees left. Well, of course, Cornelius, she just pops it down the middle, and I knock it into the woods. And uh after I was finished, I made six. So I said, Well, at least I kept my sixes going. I shoot 66 and make six on the playoffs.

Mike Gonzalez 17:15

So you know. Oh my. Well, you were, I mean, you were in a lot of playoffs uh the the next year um uh in a playoff with Clifford Ann Creed and and Betty Burfint at the uh 1973 Birmingham Classic at Green Valley Country Club.

Gloria Ehret 17:33

Yes, yes, and Burfind to this day is mad at me because she free putted the 18th hole. And uh she in fact, this year when I saw her in Palm Springs, uh I don't know how it came about, but anyway, she goes, you know, I'm still mad at you because you I three putted that last hole. You should have never won that tournament. I said, Burf, I don't know what to tell you. But you know, it happens. So you know, we I won on the first hole. I mean again, I've got a picture, oh, over here on the wall. Uh I made some ridiculous putt from the back of the green uh diverting the hole. And it was it was kind of a short hole up up the hill. Um and you know, one thing you didn't want to do was get behind the pin. Well, unfortunately, I made that mistake, but as it turned out, why yes. It rolled in and burf missed hers and see ya. See ya.

Mike Gonzalez 18:44

Yeah, yeah. Well, so uh it had been a little while since you were in the in the in the winner's circle, so that one had to feel pretty good.

Gloria Ehret 18:52

Yes, it did. Absolutely. Yes. I don't think, let's see, Birmingham. Um I won a senior tournament that Jane Blaylock uh she started the senior tour uh and in um Atlanta uh I won uh a senior down there with her. So I've got a trophy up here from that as well.

Mike Gonzalez 19:26

So yeah. Uh it was uh not too long after that uh that win, that playoff win of yours in 73 that we talked about uh you finishing tied second in the U.S. women's open uh in 1973. You remember where that uh U.S. Open was played? I wanna say Country Club of Rochester, I think, is what was played in 73, right? Yeah. Yeah.

Gloria Ehret 19:56

Yeah. I uh I also played well, I don't know how well at uh Wingfield um in 73.

Mike Gonzalez 20:11

But I yeah, that was uh yeah, that was uh uh uh the year before that's right at Wingfoot. Uh Suzy Susie won her second uh US Open. So he she went back to back, that's right. She had at Wingfoot, which had to be a real test, I would guess.

Gloria Ehret 20:26

Yeah. Again, it I think I hit every bunker on that golf course uh that final day. It was like no matter what I did, it was bunker, bunker. I became a pretty good bunker player uh in that in that round of golf. Um because again, it was the 18th hole where I messed up and um that I remember uh really more so, unfortunately, I guess, than Rochester. Um but uh yeah, another loss to Susie.

Mike Gonzalez 21:07

Well, as you as you click on down through some of the years, uh uh you know you you're in a playoff with Sandy again at the Lawson's LPGA uh open at Weymouth Valley in uh in uh Ohio. That was in 1974, and then and then uh you finished right behind Donna Capone at the Lady Terra Classic, 1975 at Indian Hill Country Club. Um and then in a playoff again with Janet Coles and Holly Stacy. Remember that one? 1978. That was the natural light Lady Terra Classic as well. So uh uh you had a couple of really good finishes there at the Lady Terra.

Gloria Ehret 21:44

Yes, yes, I can remember uh again now that you're bringing it up, uh uh with the playoff with Janet. Uh it was I don't remember how many holes we did, but uh it went three. Three. Three must be my number of playoffs. I don't like to go any further than three. So win or lose up to that point. But uh yeah, I can remember that playoff as well.

Mike Gonzalez 22:12

Yeah, well, this you know, speaking of three, is as you're probably uh uh thinking about winding down your professional career, you get to 1978, uh uh a little after that playoff, and uh uh uh you had uh a couple of other second places. So you had three seconds uh in the year of 1978. You had some close calls.

Gloria Ehret 22:33

See, there's my three.

Mike Gonzalez 22:35

Yeah, three again.

Gloria Ehret 22:36

Three, three, three, three, three.

Mike Gonzalez 22:38

So you you kind of you kind of retired in 1980. You mentioned you played a little bit of senior golf, but take us through, you know, as you're kind of winding down, what's the thought process? Is it is it the mental side? Is it the physical side? Is it you had other interests that you wanted to pursue? What were you what were you thinking about then?

Gloria Ehret 22:56

Well, I got to the point I'd love to practice. I mean, I did finish playing or whatever, uh, most of the time I'd go out and hit balls and you know, try and work something out or what what went wrong that day. Um so practicing was fine. I loved it. And maybe it was just uh peace of mind or something, I'm not sure. Uh but uh it got to the point where I didn't didn't want to practice. I wasn't interested in playing golf. It just kind of that it's time to pack it in. So I remember I think we had played like at Birdie Birdines uh in Miami. And on our trip to St. Petersburg, my mother was with me, and she used to come out quite a bit on tour, and uh the caddies loved her. They called her Nana. I mean, it was like get her water, get her food, whatever. I can remember walking into uh Moss Creek, and I'm there to sign in. And all of a sudden, it's my mother's behind me, and all of a sudden it's like, Nana, how are you? And it was like I just kind of stepped aside and she took over. I mean, it was like hugs and kisses and all this stuff, and it was like, uh, excuse me, but uh, I need to register here. Um so it was uh she just she had a great time went out there, but anyway, we were on our way back to St. Pete, and I said to her, I said, I think this is it, Mom. And she goes, What do you mean? And I said, I just can't do it anymore. I don't feel like playing, I just don't want to practice, and uh time for me to go. Well, she started crying and carried on, and it was like, oh god, you know, I just really you know tore her world apart because she went overseas with me. Um several trips overseas, and um she just loved coming out, and uh everybody loved seeing her, so you know it's not like she felt like an outsider or something. As I said, the caddies all went over and hugged her and kissed her and you know took care of her and stuff. Um but anyway, I decided I started in St. Petersburg.

Bruce Devlin 25:43

So you're gonna finish.

Gloria Ehret 25:45

I'm gonna I'm gonna quit in St. Petersburg. And I remember I didn't say anything to anybody, but I walked into the locker room and Marlene Hage was in there, and she walked up to me and she said, What do I hear? Again, it's just a flashback that that I have, yeah. And uh I said, what are you talking about? She goes, We're gonna see you next week. And I said, No, Marlene, I'm out of here. I'm done. She started crying and carrying on, and Marlene have a strange relationship, but um when Marlene and Alice were out there, it was like I was their child, and I mean, why me? I mean, they started putting makeup on me and everything, and it's like, whoa, dudes, you know, makeup and me, we just uh maybe a cream, yes, but makeup, no makeup. We don't do makeup, but uh anyway, so she came over and gave me a big hug, and then Spooz came over, and a couple of the girls came over, and I made my exit. That was it. Yeah, that was it. It was time for me to quit. So I came back and went into the lawn maintenance business.

Bruce Devlin 27:09

And you've got a you've got a different job today, too, don't you?

Gloria Ehret 27:13

Oh, yes. As a matter of speaking, a place where you're familiar with, uh, Bruce. Uh it was at once called the Oak Cliff Country Club. Uh now it's called the Golf Club of Dallas. And it's uh about a half an hour from the house here. A great golf course. It's it's one of the oldies. It's tight, um it's so well manicured. The greens are tiny, tiny, tiny. And uh, as I said, it's just a great old golf course. And on Saturday mornings, I'm the starter and the marshal.

Bruce Devlin 27:56

And the marshal. I love it. Marshall.

Gloria Ehret 27:59

And I tell the guys, one tea box is here, nine green is here, and I tell them, I better see you back here in two hours or less. Because you see what I'm wearing?

Bruce Devlin 28:12

And the bus.

Gloria Ehret 28:14

You're gonna see it. And I don't have any problem going out and you know, and just telling them, you know, dudes, you're you know, two holes behind. Well, we've had problems. I don't care. I mean, how you can make it up, you can make a double bogey pretty quick. You don't have to, you know, get your little um thing out and yardage marker, you know, you don't have anyway. We've we've uh progressed and we've gotten carts with GPS systems on them now. So yeah, um, it's uh it's it's good, but um they better keep their pace because it's a four-hour round golf course or less, period.

Mike Gonzalez 29:01

Anyone can shoot 120 in four hours.

Gloria Ehret 29:04

Oh, I can do it in three three hours. I can I can make double bogey in a hurry. Uh but uh yes, that's my that's my job, and I look forward to it.

Mike Gonzalez 29:16

So, Gloria, you were quite involved with uh this LPGA reunion that we've talked about back in 2008. Why don't you tell our listeners a little bit about how that came together and and what it ended up becoming?

Gloria Ehret 29:29

Well, Sandra Post called me one day, and this was like in October, and she said, Would you help me with a reunion? And I went, yeah, okay.

Bruce Devlin 29:46

What sort of reunion?

Gloria Ehret 29:47

Yeah, what tell me a little bit more about what your, you know, what your thought process is here. She said, Well, she said, you know, most of us haven't seen each other in a long time, like 25 years. And we want to kind of get together again. And I went, Okay. Um, so what do you want me to do? Well, I want you to get in contact with everybody. Excuse me? Um you know, how well how how does that come about? And she goes, Well, you know, you're in contact with a lot more people than I am. So I went, Well, okay. And I think what really got me involved was not too long before that Ruth Jess had passed away. And that really tore me up. Um, Ruthie and I were good friends, and um I knew she wasn't feeling well, but you know, to have something, you know, just boom all of a sudden. Um, so that I think in my background uh kind of motivated me to to do to help posty. So I said, Yeah, okay. So I got on the computer and I probably had like 10 or 12 people. And uh I reached out to them and said, Look, uh would you this is our idea, would you pass the word along or you know, send me back emails where I can get in touch with people? And then I called the LPDA, thinking, oh yeah, they'll help. So I called and my the remark was, I'm sorry, we can't give you any information because it would be what's the word I'm looking for?

Mike Gonzalez 31:58

Uh yeah, breach the confidentiality.

Gloria Ehret 32:00

Confidentiality. And I went, you got to be kidding me. I'm an LPGA player or past player. I'm doing this to reunite our past players, and you can't give me this? No. So I won't tell you what I told them, but anyway, uh this started to multiply. You know, I was getting emails from a bunch of you know people and Posty and I are going back and forth and um anyway, uh okay, now uh well let me fill them in a little bit. Where are we gonna have this? Well, let's have it at the dinosaur. Celebrate, you know, because a lot of us played in the dinosaur. Okay, fine. Uh let's all get to Palm Springs and let's talk to, you know, some of our friends out there that live there and see about renting some kind of a place to have the reunions. We wanted two dinners. Well, we got out there. Uh Susie McAllister Morton, who was on our tour and was married to Gary Morton, who was married to Lucille Ball. Okay, so Susie was there, and then H.B. Dunce was there also. Or HB Dunce MacArthur. She was married to James MacArthur, who was Dano on Hawaii 5-0. So we've got two pretty influential people here that you know. Susie goes, I'll I'll host the the first party. Well, if you see Susie's home, she could hold a bloody convention there. I mean, it is unbelievably beautiful. Uh and big. And HB, I mean, her home is beautiful, but being from James, being from Hawaii and stuff, and not from Hawaii, but Hawaii connections, their their home is, you know, all the bog and villa and the Hawaiian flowers and stuff. So two magnificent homes, but two entirely different. So anyway, come to get together and everything. So, okay, well, we have that. All right, now food. Blah blah blah blah blah. And we had kind of a budget that, you know, okay, this is what it's gonna cost if you wanted to come out and play that or to come out to the reunion, fine. Um kind of dragging this on a little bit, but uh Susie went out and got the Hill and Garden uh hotel at a special rate for us, and uh the emails start coming in, and it's a little, you know, we're doing this, at least we had dates and places to have the reunion. Um, well, I mean, just influx of emails that I got. The one that really anything like it, but and we talked about it, was Chaco Haguchi, which in our time Chaco was one heck of a player. And she wants to come. I mean, it was like, whoa, I mean this is this is fantastic. So anyway, uh it progresses, progresses. So we uh with obviously the help of Brenda, uh, we made name tags because you know, you know, after 25 years, it's like uh who are you? Know you, but who are you? So we got the you know the the the lingards and all that stuff and made all tags and stuff. And uh Kay Cornelius uh helped us uh with registration and you know, people coming in and stuff, and of course at Susie's, you know, you have the ballet parking and I mean just all that stuff incredible.

Bruce Devlin 36:51

Right.

Gloria Ehret 36:52

But um anyway, um ended up we had a hundred girls that showed up. And like you're talking from you know from beginning to um 19 1980. We did 50s, 60s, 70s. That was it.

Bruce Devlin 37:14

Yeah uh not anymore.

Gloria Ehret 37:17

So um we had everybody coming in, and unfortun I mean, fortunately, um Mike has a picture of of all of us spread out uh in the back of Susie's home, uh took this picture, and it I went down and I've got movies of you know people coming into the garden uh to the hotel, and it would I mean like the surprise on their faces when they you know would see somebody or uh it was it it was just amazing. And um each could bring a guest, so the 100 went into 200, and probably in actuality we had probably around 225 people, and then David Foster was he was not well, but Carol Mann went over to David's house, drug his butt over to Susie's, and he is in that picture, front row center, because this is his tournament. This is why we all, you know, got together.

Mike Gonzalez 38:33

So uh it was uh his involvement as the chairman of Colgate Palmola back in 1972, partnering with Dinah Shore to bring that tournament to fruition. That really sort of became in my mind, it seemed like it was the LPPG's version of the Masters because it had the same home every year for 50 years, right?

Gloria Ehret 38:55

Right. Yes, it was. And I mean, we all looked forward to um, you know, play hard that year because you might get into, you know, the dinosaur, which was the epitome of, you know, you won that tournament, man, you were a player. Um and um it was it was just I mean, David just brought everything. I mean, he took us, he was the first one to take us overseas. If you were in like the top 35, you went to uh Japan, you went to London. Well, of course, he had the uh the British Open, but he had a tournament at Sunningdale, which you wanted to play in every year. So, you know, you worked your tail off to, you know, to be in the top 35 because you wanted to go over there. Uh so you know, without David, I mean, and these kids nowadays don't even know who in the heck David Foster is, but without David, they'd be punching typewriters because he just illuminated the um the LPGA. I mean, it just and he believes so much in us. And I think I was telling Mike that when he went and asked Dinah Shore if she would represent the woman's side of it, and she's she said, Oh, absolutely. And then he goes, Well, it's a golf tournament, and she she thought it was a tennis tournament because she played tennis and had no clue what a golf club was, no clue, but anyway, she Well, it had to be a great reunion.

Mike Gonzalez 40:49

Of course, that's 15 years ago, so it's probably time for another one.

Gloria Ehret 40:53

Well, as a matter of fact, we had uh uh probably five or six years later, uh I did another one because everybody said that was so great, you know, let's have another one, another one, uh, in Phoenix at the Wigwamp uh establishment out there. And uh we had about 60 or 65 players that came out to that one as well. Uh then this last year or last year uh at the Dinoshore with it being the last year there and I don't know, Chevron, I think is what it's called, but I'm not sure. Uh, but we call it the Dinosaur. So again, it was like, okay, let's do a farewell to David Foster and to Dinoshore. And we had probably 80 girls or so that showed up for that one. Again, it was at Susie's. Um and she, oh yeah, I'm in, I'm in, I'm in, I'll I'll host it, not a problem. Um so I think that's probably you know, and I was looking at uh you know the picture, and it was like, oh my god, I mean, we've lost probably 10 or 12 since that first reunion. I mean, I knew we we lost, you know, a few, but the more I'm looking, it's like, okay, she's gone, she's gone, she's gone, she's gone. And you know, we had one founder left, and that's Marlene. And Marlene is not doing well at all. Um we used to talk like at least two or three times a month, and then her birthday's in February. Last year, I tried calling her, no answer, no nothing.

Bruce Devlin 42:55

Yeah.

Mike Gonzalez 43:01

Yeah. Well, thanks for thanks for sharing that about the reunion. I thought that was pretty special, special photo and special memories, I'm sure. You know, as we sort of wind down, Bruce, uh, as you know, we have uh we have just a few questions we like to ask all of our guests. So you want to start it off?

Bruce Devlin 43:20

Uh-oh. Yes, easy, easy. No, this is a this is one that uh most people have a little bit of trouble thinking about which what it should be. So if I were to give you one mulligan, where would you take it?

Gloria Ehret 43:40

There's not a doubt in my mind where I would take it. It would be on the 14th hole at Mission Hills. Um I was tied for the tournament at that time, standing on 14T. Wait a minute, 13, Sapar 3, 14, 14. There's no reason to hit it left. But I did. I snapped it and it was like snapped it OB and that was it. It was I th I don't know, I I I think I finished in the top ten at that tournament, but I mean i i it it was it was there. But I'm not so sure I could have jumped in in the pond anyway but but that that definitely would be a not a doubt.

Mike Gonzalez 44:36

Think about this. If you knew at age 20 what you know now. Oh, okay. What would you what would you have done differently?

Gloria Ehret 44:53

I would have started an exercise program for myself. Um you know, the running, the lifting, the terror, whatever they do. I mean, if you you know, I would build myself up to be much stronger. That would be one thing I would do. Um can't say I practice anymore. Um I think that would be my the initial thing that I would do. Because I mean, you've gotta be strong out there because these girls I mean are just incredibly strong. I mean look at Brooke. I mean, and Brooke and I are pretty good friends, and Lexi and I are pretty good friends, so uh it was great to see her win over the weekend. Uh but uh I mean, and Clubhead Speed? Oh my god. I mean I can't even make the fan make noise.

Bruce Devlin 46:03

Go that quick, huh?

Gloria Ehret 46:05

So I'd I'd have a tough time out there, but uh so our la our last question, yes.

Bruce Devlin 46:12

Our last question is how would you like people to remember Gloria Eric?

Gloria Ehret 46:21

Well, I'm just grateful that people remember me. Um I I I mean, as I said, this is I just can't tell you how uh thrilled and and just honored I am to be asked to be on the podcast. I mean, uh, you know, I mean people at the club they know a little bit about my background and stuff, and you know, it's amazing the the comments and stuff uh from those people, but uh just a plain old country girl.

Mike Gonzalez 47:03

I mean it was funny because when I say that uh when I was at the the pioneer uh um how about the cognizant founders cup pioneer? Is that what you're talking about?

Gloria Ehret 47:16

Yes, the the announcer that that walks around give us a clue, male or female? Female, female, and she pepper.

Mike Gonzalez 47:25

No, so not Dottie, not Judy. No. Um Karen? Karen Struppels?

Gloria Ehret 47:32

Karen Stupples. Karen came up to me on Saturday afternoon and she goes, we have something in common. And I looked and I went, okay. Um, yes, what would that be? She goes, we both love uh Mowgrass. And I went, Yes, we do. She loves to get on the riders, you know, that that do the fairways and stuff. She said she's done it a couple of times, and she said, that is so cool. And so when I cut my yard in the back, which is that's my saving grace. I mean, I love being outside and messing with my vegetable garden and and flowers and only grass and and everything. And and I said, yes, I said, we do have that in common. And after I finish, I I'll text her and I'll say, okay, just finish mowing. I went vertical this way this time, or you know, went par you know, parallel or whatever. And uh that was that was pretty cool. But um, as I said, uh I how to I'm I don't know. I can't answer that.

Bruce Devlin 48:46

So talk about cool. It's been cool to have you with us today, Gloria. Thanks. I know Mike and I have enjoyed uh talk chatting with you, and uh uh the time the time will come fairly quickly, I believe, where all of these podcasts will be archived in some pretty fancy locations. We thank you for your time today.

Gloria Ehret 49:10

Well, it as I said, it's been absolutely my pleasure, and I think it's great that you know you're archiving, you know, these players, uh, because it's just something that hopefully, hopefully, that these kids will look back on and say, you know, thank you, you know, for not even thank you, just being a little more appreciative of what's happened so that they can make their millions and and whatever. Um, you know, money was we didn't make money. I mean, let's let's face it, to be 12 on the money list to make$12,000. You can, you know, um make the judgment from there. But um just the camaraderie that you know that we had, the closeness. I mean, they don't have to be bosom pump type uh people, but um I don't know, just a little more appreciative of what they've got.

Mike Gonzalez 50:17

Yeah, I think it's fair to say that uh both of you love the game.

Gloria Ehret 50:22

Oh, you know, it's a love-hate relationship. There are some times I love it, and there's sometimes I just go, why are you doing this? Why are you just being out there?

Bruce Devlin 50:37

Tormenting yourself.

Gloria Ehret 50:39

Yes, exactly. Exactly. So it's uh it's a love-hate relationship for sure.

Mike Gonzalez 50:46

We sure have loved having you on the program, Glory, and and we're uh uh there's no doubt that in generations, future generations, there's gonna be young boys and young girls gonna listen to this episode and learn a lot about the champion. Glory Earth, thanks for being with us.

Gloria Ehret 51:00

Thank you. My pleasure, Mr. Devlin. Thank you, sir.

Mike Gonzalez 51:04

Thank you for listening to another episode of For the Good of the Game. And please, wherever you listen to your podcast on Apple and Spotify, if you like what you hear, please subscribe, spread the word, and tell your friends until we tee it up again for the good of the game. So long, everybody.

Intro Music 51:29

It went smack down the fairway. It started to slight just offline. It headed for two and it mounts off line. My head is as long as you're still in the stage, you're okay.