Hiland a true family affair
SUMMIT TWP — Hiland Golf Course is owned by the Zediker family.
Charlie Young feels like it's his course.
The Zedikers have no problem with that.
“He's just like part of the family,” co-owner and Hiland vice president Alan Zediker said. “It's like we all grew up together on this place.”
Zediker's father, Ralph, and uncle Ray bought the Hiland course in 1954, when it was only nine holes. Ralph Zediker bought his brother out a few years later, purchasedsome adjoining land and built the back-nine holes in 1963.
Young helped him expand the course — and had been superintendent of the golf course for more than 50 years.
This year, Young, 69, gave that position up to Greg Hesidence, though he still helps out three days a week.
“It was time for Charlie to relax a little bit and enjoy playing some more golf himself,” Zediker said. “Let somebody else deal with the headaches.”
The move wasn't easy for Young. He liked those headaches.
“After this many years, it was hard to give it up,” Young said. “It's kinda my baby. It did feel like I owned it.
“That additional land Ralph bought used to be a farm. It was a lot of work, setting up those other holes. We used the contour of the land and the whole thing just came together.”
Ralph Zediker died in 2001. Alan, his mother Charlotte and sister Sarah own the facility now.
“My mother will be 89 in July and she still does all the books for the business,” Zediker said. “She's been involved with my father in owning the course from Day One. We've got about 15 employees here and she handles the payroll.”
Five of those employees — three full-time, two part-time — work on the golf course itself.
Zediker said the greens and fairways are mowed daily while the rough is mowed twice a week.Young recalled having to learn the job of course maintenance while on the job.“Diseases in the greens, what equipment to use, we had to figure all of that stuff out,” he said.Young turned down five or six job offers from other golf courses during his decades of tenure at Hiland.“I like the Zediker family,” he said. “They're a great family and they've treated me well.“This golf course is just as good as any other you're gonna find. And the people here treat you right.”Hiland plays host to 12 different golf leagues. Zediker refers to those circuits as “our bread and butter.”“We have a lot of locals, plenty of regular people who play here all the time,” Zediker said. “We've met a lot of good people through those leagues, too.”Hiland has a number of unique holes, playing up and down hills. Zediker's favorite is No. 18, which has a dogleg right and plays uphill to the green.“It's one of the toughest holes in the county, especially for a finishing hole,” he said. “The second shot requires a 3-wood or 3-iron, at least, for the average person. A big hitter off the tee, of course, can make a difference.”Hiland also offers a pair of long par-3s. The No. 9 hole plays 225 yards from the white tee and the No. 15 plays 230.The No. 8 hole has three trees lined up directly across the fairway.“One Eagle article referred to that as ‘The Wall.' I remember that,” Zediker said, laughing.Hiland offers special rates for senior citizens and tee times are required for all golfers.
