12th Annual Mike Miller Golf Tournament at NGC
The Mike Miller tradition is back for this New Year’s Day, January 1st, 2024 and team sign-ups are now open!
A famous line in golf, “A tradition unlike any other,” has been coined for the Masters, but the same can be said for the playing of New Year’s Day golf at National Golf Club. For years, players of all ages and abilities have taken to the course on January 1st to ring in the New Year with a fun 18 holes. There are stories of shoveling the driving range and impromptu get-togethers just to say golf was played on January 1st at NGC.
Mike Miller was an ambassador of the January 1st tradition and would host a party at his home following the event. Mike left us January 24th, 2013 but we continue the tradition in his memory.
This year we celebrate the 12th annual playing of the Mike Miller Tournament. We hope you can join us — all NGC members and guests are welcome!
Please sign up with your team online here.
12th Annual Mike Miller Tournament: Monday, January 1st, 2024 — 10:00 AM shotgun start with annual champagne tee shot off 1st tee at 9:45 AM
Format: 4-Player Shamble — All players in foursome tee off, select the best tee shot to play 2nd shots from and, from the selected tee shot, all players play their own balls into the hole recording individual gross scores. Awards in Net + Gross divisions for both Individual and Team categories.
Cost: $20 entry fee for members (walking) — $45 for guests (with cart)
Online Registration Portal: https://bit.ly/2024-Mike-Miller
Please sign up online as a complete team foursome if possible. If you do not have a team of 4, sign up online with as many as you have and we will set you up with a group!
To confirm your team’s registration, please check the online leaderload.
A Little History of January 1st Golf at NGC
Longtime NGC member, Maureen Brady, put together and shared the following fantastic writeup which details the history of New Year’s Day golf at NGC:
Today, the Mike Miller Tournament is our way of welcoming the New Year. It’s a very important welcoming too. However, the New Year’s Day Tournament has not always been the Mike Miller Tournament. Yes, Mike played in the tournament many times. However, he played as a “Wet Shoe.” It used to be the “Wet Shoes New Year’s Day Tournament.”
Let me explain:
In the Early 70’s the first group of men to tee off on weekends was known as the “Wet Shoes.” It was a good name. The course was usually still wet that early in the morning, so the name was very appropriate. The group played every weekend, and sponsored a couple tournaments. Their most famous tournament was the New Year’s Day Tournament.
They played it every year. Rain, snow, sleet, sun, had no effect. It was 18 holes, and you played.
There were rules. For example, you had to drink on every hole, or you could not win. Drinks were already on every hole by the time the group teed off.
Originally, ladies were not allowed to play. We ladies provided food in several fairways. For example, I had ham biscuits on the first hole. Carolyn Lecrone had goodies beside the 8th green. Betsy Smith also took care of her hole which was number 10. Eventually, we did get to play, however, not with the men. We started on the back.
Since the kitchen was closed, Frank Bryan, a wet shoe, took care of lunch. He worked for a food service company, and as soon as he finished playing, he went in a warmed up soup, and put out sandwiches.
Mike Miller was a part of this. Not in the early 70’s, but as soon as he became a Tantallon member he joined the wet shoes. And, as time progressed, and we were not allowed to use the club’s kitchen, Mike invited us to lunch at his house.
Some memories still make us smile. Dick Ruane (lived on the 8th green) hit his tee shot on 18 and then walked straight out to the green. Thank God the pond was frozen. When he teed off, Tom Nunno still had on his Tux from the New Year’s Eve party. There was no time to change before teeing off.
I don’t know how many decades the Wet Shoes lasted. Members moved, passed away, or were unable to play golf in their twilight years. However, I am happy that the Mike Miller Memorial Tournament keeps the Wet Shoes’ Tradition going forward.
Happy New Year. Enjoy. Mike is proud of us.
Thank you so much, Maureen — this is the NGC history that we all love to learn about as we celebrate by playing golf on January 1st!
