On Thursday, March 21, Village of Oak Creek resident and golf enthusiast H.B. “Boots” Claunts turned 100 years old.
A little over a year before that, on Jan. 3, 2018, Boots became the oldest player to ever hit a hole-in-one at Canyon Mesa Country Club.
“I was named after my father and the doctor that brought me into this world, but they had hideous names,” Claunts said. “All of my diplomas feature the name ‘Boots’ instead of H.B. or Hubert.”
Hubert Bluford Claunts, or Boots, was born on March 21, 1919, to Hubert and Vivian Lane Claunts.
“‘Boots’ probably comes from a little girl that I was raised with in Oklahoma,” Claunts said. “It did not come from cowboys’ boots but from the way she pronounced my name.”
Boots had one sibling, Rupert Wesley “Tag” Claunts. With little else to do in the small farming town of Britton, Okla., he picked up golfing at 16 years old.
At 98 years and 10 months old, Boots narrowly edged out runner-up Don “Maestro” LeGate by four months; Boots’ hole-in-one was his 14th overall and his 12th at Canyon Mesa.
His first ever occurred in November 1988. The 14th hole-in-one came six years after his previous hole-in-one on June, 12, 2012.
Before moving to the Village of Oak Creek, Boots forwarded on Oklahoma Baptist University’s basketball team from 1940 to 1941.
He retired from banking in 1990 and moved to the VOC from Oklahoma. Every morning, Boots plays a game of cards before hitting the links.
“People ask how I got to 100 years old and my answer remains the same,” Claunts said. “I have been living the same way since I was 50 years old.”
“I do not take any miracle drugs, but I do partake in good clean living and I rely on the man upstairs,” he continued.
Boots also has a daily reminder on his front door: “It says hearing, teeth and zipper, which I am very proud of myself for.”
Boots married childhood sweetheart Jackie Riley on Valentine’s Day 1953 in his hometown.
Angels Care Home Health has been instrumental for Boots maintaining his health at his age.
“You can see and hear for yourself what kind of people they are and I truly love them all,” Claunts said.
“When I met Boots, he was in his mid-90s and he was rather frail at that point,” occupational therapist Angela Ferrari said.
“He calls me Mother Superior because I always made sure Boots got up and got dressed in the morning.”
Much to the dismay of his therapist, Boots continued golfing regularly.
“The Mother Superior nickname came after I scolded him for hurting his back while golfing,” Ferrari said. “He has asked about me ever since and I am very happy to celebrate his 100th birthday.”
“My job is to learn the goals of our patients and Boots intended on staying at home and remaining independent,” Angel’s Care medical social worker Diana Rodriguez said. “He has always been the most wonderful human being during his time as my patient.”
“I was so happy to meet him after doing the admission because I saw him all over Oak Creek initially,” caretaker Jude Slonchka said. “For me, it has been about an admiration and a love for this person.”
On Thursday, March 21, Boots celebrated his 100th birthday in the only fashion he could: At Canyon Mesa with his closest compadres.
Friends from all over Arizona and Boots’ home state of Oklahoma came out to support one of Oak Creek’s most beloved residents.
“We do not have enough feel-good stories in this day and age but I think Boots is an inspiration,” Slonchka said.
If you ever hit the links at Canyon Mesa, you might catch Boots in his element on holes six or seven.
“It is amazing to see him still going strong five years after meeting him,” Ferrari said. “I always drive past the parking lot to make sure that Boots’ car is still parked out front.”
