A family's backyard
SUMMIT TWP — Where the Zediker children once played, a parking lot and golf course now sits.
They wouldn't have it any other way.
Ralph and Ray Zediker bought Hiland Golf Course — then a nine-hole facility— in 1954. The back-nine holes were built in 1963.
“That land used to be a dilapidated old farm,” Sarah Zediker, Ralph's daughter, said. “We lived in a farmhouse here until our house was built.
“Watching my father turn that land into an 18-hole course, seeing his passion and the tireless work he put into it, is something I'll never forget.”
Sarah Zediker is now the girls golf coach at Butler High School, the only coach the six-year program has known. She does the banking for the golf course and helps out on-site as needed. Her brother, Alan, manages the daily operation at Hiland.
Their mother, Charlotte, turns 90 in July and still does all of the books and payroll for the business — without the aid of a computer.
Hiland has approximately 20 employees.
“I do payroll on Mondays and that's half my day,” Mrs. Zediker said. “The rest of the time, I spend maybe four hours a day doing book work.
“I'm not a golfer, but I was always proud of what my husband and children did here. I wanted to be a part of it.
“I've never used a computer. If I was younger, I would have. At my age, why bother?,” she added.
Ralph Zediker and two sons, Martin and Ralph Jr., have passed away, but were heavily involved with Hiland during their lifetimes.
“We've all been here and I've known no other way of life,” Alan Zediker said. “This place is my backyard.”
Literally.
Charlotte lives in a home overlooking the No. 9 hole. Alan and Sarah live in a home overlooking No. 12 and the farmhouse they used to live in overlooks No. 18.
Alan admits he doesn't play as much golf as he would like these days, getting out on the Hiland course only once or twice a week.He enjoys the game most when he's traveling and playing somewhere else.“It's hard for me to relax when I play here,” Zediker said. “I'm always looking around, trying to see what needs done, if tee markers need cleaned, something like that.“I'm more like a ranger when I'm out playing on this course.”He's only taking care of his yard.“This is my life. I haven't done anything else,” Zediker said. “This is where I grew up. I got a degree in business at Clarion University. Besides that, I've been here.“My mother is still sharp as a tack. The changes my father made in this course are remarkable. This place used to be a cow pasture.”The front nine holes at Hiland are the second-oldest in the county. Only Butler Country Club has been around longer.Hiland is home to 13 golf leagues and has a steady clientele. Yet Zediker plans to reconstruct hole No.'s 15 and 16 and is always tweaking the course.“My favorite part of doing this is the people,” he said. “I meet new people every day and I enjoy being around them. This is a fun business.“There's always a way to make the course better.”Sarah Zediker teaches third grade at Clearfield Elementary and has been a teacher for 30 years. During the summer, she puts in a lot more time helping out at the golf course.Her dream was to have a girls golf team at Butler, her high school alma mater.“I've been playing since I was 5 and didn't know ladies tees existed until I was 9,” she said. “My brothers always made me tee off with them. I thought that's where everybody hit from.“We had no girls golf team when I was in school. I was aked to play for the men's team in college (at Indiana, Pa.) but I was way too shy for that one.”Sarah has received 12 pins from her former golfers on the Butler girls teams — one from each who has gone on to play in college.“That's all I've ever asked from them,” she said. “It's been a wonderful experience coaching them.“When I retire from teaching, I'll work fulltime at the golf course. That's my plan. I can't imagine our family without Hiland. Never.”
