Sue Kish, our first legacy member, with her mother Nelda Machutas, a much-loved member before she moved back to Ohio
Judy Onken
Cottonwood Ladies Golf Association has achieved another first! Sue Kish is our first legacy member.
Nelda and husband Charlie followed their daughters Sue and Linda to Arizona. They loved Sun Lakes, and they loved golf. They hosted one of the best Kentucky Derby parties each year where Linda became a favorite bartender of those of us lucky enough to be invited.
Nelda was a preacher’s kid, though this protestant, West Virginia upbringing never limited the mischief in which she either led or assisted. She was part of a group that traveled to various casinos with golf courses nearby. We played Emerald Canyon, Apache Stronghold, Southern Dunes, The Duke, and Desert Highlands. She and Judie Shaw rarely gambled and often went off on their own to see a movie or shop while the rest of the group gave up their money to one-armed bandits. Gathered in the casino’s finest restaurant for dinner, the group asked them how they had spent the late afternoon. They responded by leaving their chairs and displaying tattoos on their upper thighs to the gasps of the group. We soon discovered that they were actually decals, but they had fooled us. Another group played Mountain View in Sierra Vista each October during overseeding, and Nelda was the favorite stand-up comedienne at dinner gatherings.
When Nelda got a hole-in-one on Cottonwood hole 5, she held it over the head of Sue’s husband who hadn’t achieved the rare feat at the time.
Sue and her husband bought their home when Nelda and Charlie moved back to Ohio. He is retired, and Sue works three days a week, which allows them to enjoy their shared love of golf. We are so glad to celebrate Sue as our first legacy member.