Bench is dedicated to 'Huckleberry Ham'

SANDPOINT — It was a banner day for the man affectionately known as “Huckleberry Ham.”

Prior to the final round of the Elks Club Championship Sunday morning, a host of friends and family regaled with stories about long-time Sandpoint resident and avid golfer Ed Ham, who had a bench dedicated to him on the 10th tee box.

His trusty — and durable — Ping putter, which he had quite an unusual use for, and huckleberries, which he picked with passion, were familiar themes as people young and old waxed nostalgic about Ham.

“He loved golf and huckleberrying,” said friend Jim Holt, who worked for years with Ham at Sandpoint furniture. “This is a big day for him. He had a lot of friends here; this was his home.”

Sunday was not only the final round of the two-day club championship, but also the one-day Merchants tournament, for which Ham has donated huckleberries to the morning breakfast for years. Ham, who’ll turn 90 next Sunday, was one of the original members at the Elks, where he became well-known for a certain golfing eccentricity.

“He always drove off the tee-box with his putter,” explained club pro Tom Tharp, who more than once welded the club head back to the shaft for Ham. “He hit the hell out of it. He’d get frustrated with his driver and play the hole with his putter.”

Those close to Ham remarked about his jovial spirits on the bright and sunny morning, many noting how much he loves this tournament. Many of the Elks golfers stopped by the new bench — provided by Valley Vista — where Ham was sitting, saying hello and exchanging pleasantries with the man who has been a fixture at the course for decades.

Ham no longer plays golf, although he did play three holes just last year, but had a very succinct and simple answer when asked what he loved most about the sport.

“Knocking it out there,” explained Ham, who moved to Sandpoint from Montana more than 80 years ago. “Hit more balls if you can hit them.”

Not surprisingly for such an established local, Ham was well known outside the links as well, one of those who can’t go to downtown Sandpoint without running into a familiar face.

“Ed knew everybody there was to know,” said Holt, who once rode on the hood of a truck driven by Ham when the Pack River flooded. “He’d say ‘I think that’s so and so. I haven’t seen him since 1939.’”

Most of Ham’s local family members were on hand to help commemorate the new bench, which will include a putter on the plaque, for obvious reasons. Grandson Scott Albertson said the honor was “awesome and well-deserved,” adding that Ham could smack the ball nearly 200 yards with his putter. Ham’s son-in law Don Albertson recalled how competitive he was, whether it was “nerf, darts or whatever,” adding that there was never a doubt what his favorite sport was.

“He was dedicated to golf,” said Don Albertson. “He loved it.”