The Kingston Whig-Stangard
Jenny Ellis, a native of New South Wales, Australia, who emigrated to Kingston in 1963, excelled in three sports: tennis, squash and golf, which she only started playing in her 30s.
A rough first outing — a dozen shots needed to get off the first tee at Glen Lawrence — soon gave way to summers of splendid play.
Ellis, now 73, copped the women’s title at her Garrison course six times and for 15 years was a member of the team that represented the city at the Ontario championship.
It was during the latter event, in the late 1980s, that Ellis recorded her first hole-in-one. She carded another last year with a perfect wedge shot on No. 11 at Garrison. That makes — get ready for this — 11 career aces.
Golf she learned in this country. Tennis she knew well from her youth Down Under. The family backyard featured a full-sized court.
She captured the Kingston singles and doubles titles in 1979 and replicated that double-barrel feat six more times in the 1980s.
“I know it’s a short season, but I couldn’t believe how often they played over here,” said the retired physiotherapist. “In Australia, we played once or twice a week. Here they played every day.”
Ellis was the GAO’s 2008 District Volunteer of the Year, she is a past District Coordinator and was involved with the Kingston District Women’s Training Program. She currently volunteers as a Course Rater.
Ellis joins four others who will be honoured on May 1 in Kingston. The other inductees are: George Richardson, Athlete (hockey), Bob Storring, Athlete (fastball), Jack Aldridge, Builder, and Don Dennee, Builder.