Grantham
“When I first started playing, my mother and father would come out and watch me,” said Nims, who is competing this week in her 50th consecutive New Hampshire Women’s Golf Association amateur championship at Eastman Golf Links. “But I was nervous when I’d see them, so they’d hide behind trees, and that would make it even worse.
“Here I am, a little 16-year-old kid, going up the fairway, and they’re peaking (out from) behind trees. They didn’t want me to know they were there, but I was always looking for them.”
A half-century later, Nims is still an avid player competing at a high level. A representative of Lochmere Golf and Country Club in Tilton, Nims is in ninth place after two days of play at Eastman. The 65-year-old carded a 13-over-par 83 on Tuesday following her 82 in the opening round. The tournament, led by reigning champ Chelsea Sedlar (11-over 151), concludes today.
Nims sat down inside a cool clubhouse following Tuesday’s round, one she played with NHWGA president and 16-time tournament champion Dana Harrity, of Rye’s Abenaqui CC, and Keene CC’s Alice Manwaring to reflect on her impressive run at the Granite State’s marquee event for female amateurs.
“I didn’t really think about it,” the regional golf icon said regarding the milestone. “Everyone told me, ‘This is your 50th year.’ I told them, ‘No, I think it’s next year.’ ”
Nims recalled playing in her first state am tournament when Louise Billy and, a few years later, Kathy Slattery — both tournament mainstays in their own right — became her peers. Slattery, the longtime Dartmouth College sports information director and Hanover Country Club member, died in 2007, while Billy has stopped playing competitively.
“There were three of us, and we came to be called the ‘Kiddie Corps’ way back, when we were just teenagers,” said Nims, who finished second at the state am as a 22-year-old and fifth a year ago. “And the years just progressed and progressed and progressed, and pretty soon we were all playing seniors as 50-year-olds.”
Nims, who had four brothers, grew up in a golfing family. Her father enjoyed the game and still plays at the age of 92. One thing he adamantly discouraged was his daughter playing the game left-handed. Nims’ dad told her that new equipment was too expensive, clubs for lefties were difficult to find and golf courses were mostly designed for righties.
The young southpaw was subsequently given right-handed clubs, which she initially flipped backwards and hit from the lefty position before eventually switching over to the right side.
“But then I putted left-handed for awhile,” she recalled. “After the way I putted today, maybe I should go back to lefty.”
Nims attended UNH from 1970-1974, when women were allowed to practice with their male counterparts but not compete in matches. When it came time to choose a career, her beloved sport guided the decision-making process.
“I didn’t become a teacher because I loved kids,” Nims said. “I became a teacher because it allowed me to play golf in the summer. Then I learned to like the kids.”
Nims retired from teaching in June after nearly 40 years in the profession.
Now a part-time employee at Lochmere’s pro shop, she taught all levels, ranging from K-12, in the Shaker Regional School District.
“I’m going to miss it,” she said. “I’m going to miss the kids, but it’s time.”
Nims, who plays 27 holes most weeks, including a round of nine with her father, is playing this year’s tournament with a knee brace. The device is related to an auto accident 13 years ago that led to an ACL replacement.
“The whole knee’s got to be replaced, so I’ll do that probably this winter,” she said. “I’ve been playing with this brace on the last two weeks because it’s very weak. If I hit a bad spot in the fairway, it’ll really damage it and I’ll have to go in now, and I want to get through the summer, just play a little. … It doesn’t bother me to play with it; it’s just hot.”
After initial hesitation as a youngster, Nims spent countless hours with her parents on the golf course over the years.
“My mother used to caddy for me,” Nims said. “Only because she had bad knees and she wanted to come watch me, so I let her drive my cart. … After she passed away, my father drove it for awhile.”
Hanover’s Amy Peters and Betsy Knights have become invariably familiar with Nims over the years.
“She’s easygoing,” Peters said. “There’s no stress. A lot of times you play and it can be stressful for some golfers, including myself. She’s pretty even-keeled, her temperament is awesome and she’s kind of a legend.”
Knights faced Nims in a tournament last week and lost by a narrow margin.
“She and I were paired together,” Knights said. “It was kind of a battle, and she got me by one shot. We had torrential downpours, but she sticks it out, she stays out there and she’s a player. She’s a competitor, for sure.”