Staff writer
There was much more at stake for Travis Hett than the immediate goal of repeating as champion of the Marion Country Club two-day golf tournament Aug. 11 and 12. His plans for future happiness depended on it.
Hett shot 148 to win by four strokes. After accepting the prize he turned toward his girlfriend, Sheila Makovec, took a knee, and as she stood open-mouthed with surprise, he proposed marriage. She accepted.
“I was with him all day at the tournament, and he didn’t even hint to it slightly,” Makovec said.
“I don’t think she knew what was going on at first,” Hett said. “I wanted to completely catch her off guard. It took some sneaking around to the jewelers.”
The couple celebrated one year together by going out to dinner Aug. 9. Hett said Makovec gave him a toolbox, but he wasn’t ready to slip a ring on her finger quite yet.
“I hadn’t talked to her dad and gotten approval yet,” Hett said.
Hett didn’t have the ring with him when he finished his round, but his victory and a hole-in-one by his father Aaron gave him a perfect excuse to go get it.
“We ran home and got a pack of cigars for everybody. It was an excuse to celebrate dad’s hole in one and my victory,” Hett said.
“I told him to hurry back in case they came out with the results, but he insisted on going,” Makovec said.
Hett said proposing at the tournament was the perfect setting.
“I could totally surprise her and with everybody else, it would be something we wouldn’t forget. I couldn’t wait — I had to get a ring on her,” Hett said.
“I’m glad that it worked out the way it did. It couldn’t be more perfect,” Makovec said.
MARION country club
championship results
First Flight
1. Travis Hett, 148; 2. Luke Gordon, 152; 3. Tim Young, 152; 4. Nickolas Hett, 153; 5. Joe Lovelady, 156.
Second Flight
1. Kevin Burkholder, 166; 2. Bill Lundy, 167; 3. Dusty Hett, 171; 4. Russ Hake, 171; 5. Dave Tharp, 173.
Senior Division
1. Greg Carlson, 162; 2. Tod Gordon, 162; 3. Stu Meador, 163; 4. Jerry Smith, 169; 5. Dave Shiplet, 171.
Women’s Division
1. Judy Noller, 161; 2. Lindsay Hett, 165; 3. Lois Smith, 210.
Handicap Winners (overall)
1. Judy Noller, 144.6; 2. Stu Meador, 145.2; 3. Travis Hett, 146.6.
Hole-in-one
Aaron Hett, hole 9, 162-yard par 3. Witnessed by Bryan Hess, Stu Meador.
