How “EagleSticks”
Got Its Name
A community naming contest, a lifelong golfer, and the perfect word spoken on the drive home from a round.
Long before EagleSticks became one of the most recognized golf destinations in Ohio, it was something far simpler: rolling countryside on the McClelland family horse farm just outside of Zanesville.
In 1988, the McClelland family made the bold decision to transform the property into a championship golf course. Renowned golf course architect Michael Hurdzan was selected to design the layout, and construction soon began across the hills, valleys, and natural terrain that would eventually become EagleSticks Golf Club.
As the project moved closer to completion, one important question still remained.
What should the new golf course be called?
The Community Had Its Say
Rather than simply choose a name themselves, the McClelland family decided to involve the people of Zanesville. They held an open naming contest through the local newspaper, and they made the prize something every golfer would dream about — a lifetime membership to the club for whoever submitted the winning name.
Entries came in from across the community. Among them were several submissions from one avid golfer in particular: Everett Semon of Zanesville, Ohio.
Everett had already put forward a handful of ideas. But as the contest deadline approached, he had not yet found the one that felt exactly right.
That was about to change on a golf course a few miles down the road.
“My eaglestick.”
— Everett Semon, Perry Country Club
A Perfect Shot. A Perfect Word.
Everett was out playing a round at nearby Perry Country Club when it happened. He stepped up and holed out for eagle — one of the most satisfying moments in the game of golf.
After the shot, one of his playing partners turned and asked what club he had used to pull off such a great shot.
Everett smiled and replied: “My eaglestick.”
Something about the phrase stuck with him on the drive home. It was simple. It was unmistakably golf. It captured something the other entries hadn’t.
So Everett submitted one final entry into the contest: EagleSticks.
The rest is history.
The Course Quickly Made Its Mark
When EagleSticks officially opened, the golf world took notice fast. Golf Digest gave the club rave reviews, and in 1991 EagleSticks was named 2nd Runner-Up for Best New Public Golf Course in America — a remarkable achievement for a public course on rolling Ohio farmland.
More than a decade later, EagleSticks earned national recognition again when it was named to Golf Digest‘s prestigious Top 100 Public Courses list in 2004. It was the kind of distinction that confirmed what golfers in the Zanesville area already knew: the course that began as a family horse farm had become something genuinely special.
| 1988 | McClelland family begins plans to build the course |
| 1990 | EagleSticks Golf Club officially opens |
| 1991 | Named 2nd Runner-Up, Best New Public Golf Course in America — Golf Digest |
| 2004 | Earns a spot on Golf Digest‘s Top 100 Public Courses list |
| Architect | Dr. Michael Hurdzan |
| Location | Zanesville, Ohio — Muskingum County |
Everett R. Semon
September 13, 1924 – August 10, 2016
Everett Semon was born in Woodsfield, Ohio and served his country as a U.S. Navy Veteran in World War II. He later worked as an accountant and made his home in Zanesville, where he became known as an avid and devoted golfer.
After EagleSticks opened, Everett remained a familiar face around the club for many years. While he certainly enjoyed playing golf, those who knew him best would probably say he enjoyed something else even more — visiting with first-time guests and proudly telling them the story of how EagleSticks got its name.
He passed away on August 10, 2016, at the age of 91. He was survived by two sons, Evan and Eric, one grandchild, and a great-grandchild.
More Than a Name
Every golf course has a name. Not every golf course has a story behind its name.
EagleSticks does. It came from a community that cared enough to participate, from a golfer who had already made several good attempts, and from one off-the-cuff remark after a great shot on a late afternoon round at Perry Country Club.
Everett has since passed away, but his legacy remains on the course in a way that no plaque or monument could quite capture. For many years after the opening, he was a regular presence — not just as a member, but as the unofficial keeper of the origin story, sharing it with anyone who would listen.
Every birdie, every eagle, and every memorable round played here carries a small piece of that history forward.
And somewhere along the way, “my eaglestick” became part of the lore of EagleSticks Golf Club.
Come Play the Course Behind the Name
EagleSticks Golf Club — Zanesville, Ohio. Book your tee time and experience a course with a story worth knowing.
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