4735 Richmond Rd., Warrensville Heights, OH 44128
Email: nohio@pgahq.com Website: Northern Ohio Office: (216) 765-1214
Click here to view Northern Ohio PGA Section's Staff Listing
Click here to view Northern Ohio PGA Section's Board of Directors
••••••
For nearly four decades, Chuck Benes, PGA has been a constant at Oak Harbor Golf Club—a steady presence whose influence extends far beyond the fairways.
As he steps into retirement after 40 years leading the club, Benes leaves behind a legacy rooted in junior golf, community impact, and a deep love for the game that first took hold in his childhood.
Originally from Bedford, Ohio, Benes was introduced to golf by his father and grew up playing at Seanee Hills. After graduating from Bedford High School in 1974 while caddying at Hawthorne Valley, he attended Cleveland State University, where he briefly played collegiate golf before the program eliminated scholarships.
Like many PGA Professionals of his era, Benes’ path into the industry wasn’t linear.
“I ended up putting myself through school,” he recalls.
His break came at Grantwood Golf Course in Solon, where he worked under longtime PGA Professional Bob Garrett—a mentor who would leave a lasting impression.
“Number one, he gave me a job,” Benes said. “He was a great teacher and someone I learned a lot from.”
Benes served as an assistant professional at Grantwood from 1978 to 1987, earning his PGA Membership in 1982 before an opportunity arose that would shape the rest of his career.
In 1987, Benes accepted the Head Professional position at Oak Harbor Golf Club, hired by owner Jim Telliard, Sr. to help run the facility. What began as a new chapter quickly turned into a lifelong commitment.
Over time, Benes took on a dual role as both Head Golf Professional and General Manager, helping guide Oak Harbor as a public facility that thrived on outings, accessibility, and community engagement. Through gradual ownership opportunities, he also became a majority stockholder in the club.
Located in Ottawa County—a region known for its tourism and proximity to the Lake Erie Islands—Oak Harbor carved out a unique identity.
“We were always a public course, and we made it a place where people felt welcome,” Benes said. “We treated our employees like family, and we made a lot of friends along the way.”
While his operational success helped sustain the club, Benes’ most meaningful contributions came through junior golf.
In 1987, alongside fellow PGA Professional Chuck Redmond, Benes co-founded the Lake Erie Junior Golf Association (LEJGA), creating opportunities for young players in a region that previously lacked structured programming between Cleveland and Toledo.
“There were programs in both Cleveland and Toledo, but nothing in between,” Benes said. “That’s why we created the Lake Erie Junior Golf Association.”
Building on that momentum, Benes helped establish The First Tee of Lake Erie in 2004, with Oak Harbor serving as the original home base. He became a Level 3 First Tee coach and remained deeply involved in programming for years, even serving as program director during a transitional period.
“Getting kids into the game—that was always the main focus,” he said. “A lot of people play golf, but they don’t always understand the game or the etiquette. We wanted to teach both.”
For Benes, Oak Harbor wasn’t just a workplace—it was where life happened.
He and his wife Barb, who served as the club’s Food and Beverage Director, raised their family in the small town they came to love. Together, they built not only a business but a community hub.
The couple had two sons, Sean and Brad. While they endured the loss of Sean, the game of golf continues to connect the family in meaningful ways. Brad, now a scratch player, shares a special tradition with his father—one rooted in a remarkable coincidence.
Benes’ only hole-in-one came on June 14. Years later, Brad recorded his own ace—on the very same date.
“When he got his hole-in-one, I had a trophy made,” Benes said. “Then he realized mine was on June 14, too. Now we try to play together every year on that day.”
When reflecting on his career, Benes points less to personal accolades and more to the collective success of the club and its people.
From navigating the challenges of operating a public facility to the unexpected boom during the COVID-19 pandemic—which brought renewed interest to community golf—Benes remained focused on sustainability and service.
“COVID really helped smaller courses like ours,” he noted. “But more than anything, it was about the people—our staff, our players, the relationships we built.”
Though he’s stepping away from day-to-day operations, Benes isn’t disappearing entirely. He will remain involved with Oak Harbor as a board member and treasurer, while PGA Associate Jordan Smith takes over as Head Professional.
For the first time in decades, however, weekends will be his own.
“That’s what I’m looking forward to most,” he said with a smile.
Both Chuck and Barb officially retired on January 1, marking the end of an era at Oak Harbor Golf Club.
If you ask Benes how he hopes to be remembered, the answer is simple—and telling.
“Just that we helped get more kids into the game,” he said.
It’s a mission he fulfilled for 40 years, shaping not only a golf course, but a community—and leaving an enduring mark on the game in northern Ohio.
