Shown in their first-place Golden Girl award-winning costumes are, from left, Megan Rose, Alex Bradshaw, and Mackenzie Newby. [Submitted Photo]

Three decades after the men’s annual Galva Day event began, five local women decided to have a play day of their own.

The committee consisted of chairperson Kate Cromien, along with Irene Eldridge, Nancy L. Lord, Judy M. Anderson and Mari Lou Holding. It was held at Lake Calhoun Golf Course on August 20, 1976.

Forty golfers took part in the day’s contest, with over sixty attending the awards banquet that followed. The banquet was decorated with red, white and blue, in keeping with the country’s Bicentennial theme.

Peg Jones won the trophy for low gross, with Gail Shields taking home honors for low net.
Local businesses donated the trophies, with Lord Chevrolet providing a golf ball for each entrant.

In recent years, the event moved to Baker Park in Kewanee, with 88 golfers participating this year. The “Golden Girls” was chosen as the 2025 theme, with prizes for costumes awarded at the banquet that followed at Allenia Space in downtown Galva.

Preferred ball was played, with top honors going to Katy Mertz and Amber Sherbyn, for a score of 38, and the foursome of Haley Simoneaux, Shelly Hurd, Missy Aman and Jessica Edgell for a score of 37.

The first-place costume award went to the team of Megan Rose, Alex Bradshaw, and Mackenzie Newby, with the Carly Allen, Taylor Cratty, Lexy Rux and Cortnie Ackerman foursome coming in at a close second. Sherbyn and Mertz also received honorable mention for their costumes.

Second-place Golden Girl costume winners are from left, Carly Allen, Taylor Cratty, Lexy Rux, and Cortnie Ackerman. [Submitted Photo]

Cromien, the only surviving member of the original committee, was given a standing ovation for her efforts in starting the annual Ladies Day, which continues each year on the first Friday in August.

“Galva Ladies Day would not be what it is if not for Kate,” said committee chair Taylor Williams. “We are all here because of her.”

Daughter Sheila Cromien, herself a golfer, added that the elder Cromien has played in 48 of all 50 tournaments.

The banquet was held at the Allenia Space in Galva. [Photo by Diana Whitney]
Preferred two-ball award winners, with a 38, are, from left, Katy Mertz and Amber Sherbyn, shown here in their costumes, which also received honorable mention. [Submitted Photo]

“It took a broken hip to take her off the golf course for the last two years,” she said.

At 96, she is still active in her church and community, with five children, 15 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren, most of whom golf. Three grandchildren received full-ride college scholarships through the Chick Evans Caddie Scholarship program.

Kate golfing in the 2009 Ladies Day at Lake Calhoun [Submitted Photo]

“My house is really full of golf clubs when they all come at once,” she said with a big smile.

Kate admits that while she never won a trophy, she played a lot of golf over the years with her favorite #5 wood.

“I miss playing with my husband Bernie, [who died in 2017,] and all the fun of Ladies Day, but I have great memories of the game,” said Kate.