If there is one person who has earned a hole-in-one themed birthday cake, it’s 90-year-old golf legend, Billy Maxwell. On July 22, he celebrated his ninth decade amidst fellow professional golf friends, family and a photo slide of all his career highlights at the TPC Sawgrass Country Club.
Maxwell even started the party off with a few putts on a model practice green to help him get warmed up.
It’s amazing to think that it was 68 years ago when Maxwell won the U.S. Amateur title after helping North Texas State College win four consecutive NCAA Division team championships. Later he would go pro, winning seven times on the PGA Tour after serving time in the army. At his height, he won the Bob Hope Desert Classic while ranking in the top 25 in 24 stats, and nine of those were in top 10.
“There is only one U.S. Amateur, so it's a lot of golfers’ dream today to win the Amateur,” said daughter Melanie Bevill. “A lot of them say, ‘I won the Masters but I would trade any one of those victories to say (I was a) a U.S. Amateur.’”
Originally from Abilene, Texas, Maxwell was practically raised on the green. His father was the superintendent of what is now known as the Maxwell Municipal Golf Course, which was named after him. Billy Maxwell was one of three sons who were to all become professional golf players. He married Maxwell’s mother after teaching her how to play.
“It’s always been about golf,” said Bevill, jokingly. “Really, at home I thought, could we ever talk about anything else?”
These days, however, Maxwell attends the American Golf Memories Project meetings so he can keep talking about golf — and is encouraged to do so. The nonprofit is hosted by Billy Dettlaff, who although retired, has sported a long career with the PGA Tour. He founded the first-ever American chapter of the program, which uses reminiscence therapy to help offset cognitive decline, such as memory loss, Alzheimer’s and dementia.
“It’s really lovely, they bring a group of golfers and they talk about some of their great memories involved,” Bevill said. “He will talk about winning the Bob Hope and what he shot on and whatever. That's what's amazing about golfers, they remember all those kinds of details.”
The day of his party Maxwell spent the morning attending a group meeting with the Golf Memories Project. He was in good spirits, identifying professional golfers from throughout history and smiling while talking about the game. As the party commenced, he greeted everyone as they came over and wished him a happy birthday. Bevill said he planned the next day, July 23, to go to Cracker Barrel on his actual birthday. He wore 90 proudly during his party, however.
“Usually if I had a birthday for him, he's been mad at me and didn't want me to have it,” Bevill said. “This time he didn't give me any trouble. I'm thinking 90 was kind of a big deal.”
The American Golf Memories Project will be hosted every fourth Monday at TPC Sawgrass, with no cost to attend. RSVP to Dettlaff at amgolfmemories@gmail.com. Spouses and caregivers of members are welcome to attend.
