November 2004

Montague, Michigan – Some collegiate athletes letter in their freshman
year, but Meriam Bailey Leeke has been waiting for 47 years to be
recognized for her athletic achievements. Her waiting will be soon be over
when she receives her ‘N’ at the end of November.

As a student at Northwestern in the 1950s, she was one of just a handful of
women studying business, and one of even a smaller number of women who
participated in national athletic events. Even though she carried a full and
rigorous course schedule, Meriam found time to keep up on her golf game.

Meriam played in three consecutive US Women's Opens and made the cut
for the final 36 hole round each time just a week to 10 days after her final
exams at NU. Despite her athletic victories, pundits of the day declared:
“Meriam will never get her letter.”

It took nearly half a century to proove him wrong, but in a ceremony to take
place during halftime at the November 20, 2004, Northwestern Football Game
against Illinois, Meriam will be awarded her ‘N’.

Golf as a foundation
Meriam was a member of the 1958 United States Curtis Cup Team and played
competitive golf for several years until she married Lyle Leeke in 1960 and they
moved to Germany where Lyle headed an engineering crew for the Army.

Upon their return to the US in 1964, she and Lyle moved to Montague, Michigan,
to assume management of Old Channel Trail Golf Course, a 9-hole facility
designed by Robert Bruce Harris and built by Meriam’s grandfather, H.O. Bailey
in 1927. She and Lyle expanded the facilities over the years, raised their son,
Bill, and ran the course together until Lyle’s death in 1990.

Inducted into Northwestern Athletics Hall of Fame in 1992, Meriam looks forward
to finally earning her ‘Letterman’ status.

Since her days of competition, she has a career as a businesswoman, serving
on several bank boards, several college trustee boards, charitable foundations
and as treasurer of the National Golf Course Owners Association, and expanding
Old Channel Trail Golf Course from 9 holes to the current 27 with a full driving
range and three practice holes.

Most recently, Meriam’s son Bill Leeke (who golfed for NU’s Men’s Golf team
in 1988 and 1989) and his wife Heather moved into management roles at the
course to allow Meriam more time for leisure pursuits, including a trip to England
in the summer of 2004 to take part in the Curtis Cup reunion team and
competition for the Saucer Cup, where her victories continued.

“My mother taught me a lot on the golf course,” Bill Leeke said. “How to stay
cool under pressure, how to think through challenges, how to be strategic. She’s
done a great job taking care of and expanding the course while also pursuing her
own activities.”

Even though her athletic persuits came 15 years before the Title IX legislation that
created new opportunities for women to compete in athletics, Meriam was never
discouraged from going after her passion.

"I started playing when I was 13," Meriam said. "Everything I did after college -
from getting my pilot's license, to bank boards, to charity foundations - I can trace
my success back to three things: A great education in Evanston at Evanston High
School and Northwestern, and competing in golf. It made a lot of other things
easier for me in life."

Photo 1:
Meriam Bailey Leeke just following
her 1957 Womens Western Victory.
Download high resolution photo here
(meriam_bw_golf_hires.eps)

Photo 2:
Meriam Bailey Leeke at Old Channel Trail 
Golf Course in 2004.
Download high resolution photo here
(meriam_2004.eps)

Other Resources:
Northwestern Athletics: www.northwestern.edu/athletics/
Old Channel Trail Golf Course: www.octgolf.com
Women’s Western Golf Association: www.wwga.org

1926 – Old Channel Trail Golf Course (Montague, MI) founded by H.O.
and Mabel Bailey; 1st nine holes designed by Robert Bruce Harris,
opened for play in 1927
1954 ~ Graduated from Evanston Township High School and enrolled in
Northwestern University’s undergraduate business program

1957 ~ Won the Women’s Western Amateur Title

1958 ~ Member of US Curtis Cup Team

1960 ~ Married Lyle Leeke; moves to Germany with Lyle’s Army Engineering assignment

1964 ~ Moved back to Montague, Michigan, to run Old Channel Trail
Golf Course

1967 ~ Opens second 9 hole course at Old Channel Trail

1969 ~ Son William (Bill) Bailey Leeke is born

1988 ~ Inducted into NU Hall of Fame

1992 ~ Elected Treasurer of National Golf Course Owners Association

1994 ~ Third nine (Valley) at Old Channel Trail Golf Course is built and
opened for play with driving range, three practice holes and practice
facilities

2004 ~ Presented with ‘N’ during Northwestern Football game November 20, 2004