A Michigan Native, Clevenger Enjoys Life In The Valley With His Family

A Michigan Native, Clevenger Enjoys Life In The Valley With His Family

Casey Clevenger has lived in Water Valley for almost 11 years with his wife, Jacki, and their two daughters were born here. 

By Justin Geurin

A new Water Vallian sits down with the people that make this town special. Geurin and his wife, Robin, and twin daughters moved to town last July.

Now, Clevenger, a Michigan native and the manager of the Yalobusha Country Club, has come to think of this place as home and could not imagine being anywhere else. 

So the obvious first question, is how does a guy from Lansing, Michigan end up here in Water Valley, Mississippi. In this case, it was almost completely by chance. In the spring of 2005, Clevenger’s wife, Jacki, graduated with a degree and certification to teach art, but the economic downturn had hit Michigan hard and teaching jobs were hard to come by. When seeking another option, the couple wanted to be near family, if possible. “My brother was living in Collierville, Tennessee, so we came down here to check it out,” Clevenger says. 

Jacki got a teaching job in the Oxford School District and the couple looked for a home in the Oxford area, but struggled to find the right one. After months of searching and with school year fast approaching, the couple were at a restaurant in Oxford pouring over real estate listings when someone at a nearby table asked if they had thought to look in Water Valley. 

According to Clevenger, “We went home and looked online and found 10 or 12 homes that we thought might work for us.” The couple visited Water Valley the next day and, within a matter of weeks, bought a house and settled into Yalobusha County. 

Once in Water Valley, Clevenger quickly became a member of the Yalobusha Country Club because, as he says, “Golf has always been my favorite hobby.” In the meantime, he worked several odd jobs around the area and he and his wife started a family. According to Clevenger, a proactive Board of Directors at the Country Club, led by W.G. Griffin, Bebo Howell, and others, had begun a renaissance for the course, and Clevenger himself began to get more involved, volunteering for numerous projects and committees. In the summer of 2015, with manger Bebo Howell retiring, Clevenger was approached about taking his place. “I applied and was hired in September and I couldn’t be happier,” he says. 

As with any leadership position, serving as the manager for the Yalobusha County Club (YCC) is often a balancing act for Clevenger, but it is a challenge that perfectly fits his personality. “I am really pleased coming to work here, because there is always something to work on, or someone to interact with…it is never dull!” says Clevenger. On any given day, he may be mowing the grass, organizing a golf tournament or even mopping the floor. His favorite thing to do at the club is giving golf lessons, especially to kids, although he admits his most important job each day is, “making sure the coffee is ready, first thing!” 

In terms of the challenges facing a manager, for Clevenger it is sometimes difficult to balance the many ongoing improvement projects with the random problems that may pop up each day, such as the recent fire, which damaged some equipment vital to the club’s operations, just mere weeks before the start of their “busy season.” Clevenger gives credit to his support system to helping him manage these daily issues and focus on making the club better. “This is not a one person job,” he says, “but it’s not just one person doing it…I have a lot of great people to help out!” 

With summer fast approaching, the staff at the country club has a lot of intriguing activities to offer the citizens of Yalobusha County. Within a matter of weeks, they will be opening a brand new pool complex to accompany the nine-hole golf course. Clevenger says the staff and club board members are constantly looking to add more value to membership, such as an impressive schedule of golf tournaments throughout the summer, social events and holiday parties. He cites a “Second Saturday” kids’ day, which will allow parents to drop their kids off for games and activities and enjoy a night out themselves. 

According to Clevenger, the country club, “Is just another example of a community within a community, which fills a void for people looking for entertainment.” In addition to the consistent golf groups each week, several bridge groups meet at the club as well. YCC also makes itself available to high school students competing on their school golf team from both Water Valley and Coffeeville. “We want to continue to find out what our members want and ways we can expand our activities and connections within this community,” says Clevenger. 

As far as life in Water Valley, Clevenger and his wife could not be happier. “We live on Main Street and we can walk to everything,” he says, “and when we do, we are going to run into someone we know along the way.” 

He states Water Valley is a place where he and his family feel safe, plus it offers a growing amount of cultural offerings like food and art. When asked how he would describe Water Valley to a stranger, he responded, 

“It’s like Mayberry with Facebook, small and safe, yet slowly modernizing!” And if he could change one thing about Water Valley…? “I would make the Panola Street stoplight go away,” he jokes. 

For Casey Clevenger, golf has always been a big part of his life. While he probably didn’t imagine it taking his life in the direction of managing a country club in Water Valley, Mississippi, the outcome seems to suit him just fine and under his leadership the club seems to be in good hands. If anyone is looking for a fun place to hang out this summer, they should stop by the club, check out the new pool, and see what else the Yalobusha Country Club has to offer. 

Now for the rapid-fire questions to close the interview with Clevenger

What was your first car? 

– 1988 Oldsmobile Calais

You are stranded on a desert island, what three things do you want to have with you? 

– A Golf club, a ball, and a tee

Is a hotdog considered a sandwich? 

No

If you could have one superpower, what would it be? 

– The “Hundy Snap” just snap my fingers and a $100 bill appears in my hand! 

It’s karaoke night, what is your go-to song to sing? 

– A duet with my wife of “Summer Lovin’” 

Last meal, what do you want? Entrée, desert, and beverage? 

– A bone-in rib eye with sweet baked potato, my grandmother’s strawberry rhubarb pie, and an ice-cold beer