Eddie arrived in the Rogue Valley with his family at the age of 13. His golf interests were immediately developed by caddying for such well-loved golfers as H. Chandler Egan, E. Raymond Driver, Mrs. Belle Thompson Schenck, and Mrs. EC (Bunny) Jerome, this lady was his favorite teacher who permitted him to skip typing so they might play golf.

Mail Tribune: “Ed Simmons, a youth of only 18 summers, who was the club’s crack caddy only a year or two ago, was crowned the 1934 champion”…and Eddie didn’t stop winning. He holds 10 Southern Oregon championships and many RVCC club championships. He was invited to play in the first Portland Open in 1944, won the O.G.A. in 1954 and the same year was a member of the Hudson Cup Team.

An article by Bob Robinson of the Oregonian: THE REAL MEANING OF CLASS IN GOLF…”  one of his most memorable wins came way down in the seventh flight of the 1954 Southern Oregon tournament. Yes, this is the same Eddie Simmons who already had won the title six times it all began when Eddie won the Oregon Amateur his home course. That automatically made him an overwhelming favorite to take the Southern Oregon title later in the year. ‘But everything went wrong for me in qualifying and I shot an 87, he said. ‘Some people thought I would withdraw and not play in the seventh flight. But I don’t believe in that sort of thing, and I played. Eddies clubmates kidded him mercilessly all week long. At the same time, out-of-towners on hand for the tourney showed nothing but sympathy. The good-natured Simmons enjoyed both approaches and went about the business of chopping down all challenges in the flight. Then came the award ceremony and that is what Simmons will never forget ‘It was an amazing thing, he recalled. ‘When they called his name, the applause was the greatest that I’ve ever received at any tournament. ” Eddie had a lovable personality.

In addition to golf, Eddie played football for Medford in 1934-35, played outstanding American Legion Baseball and later he became a devoted dry fly fisherman, tying all his own fly’s. He was an ardent skier for 28 years and was one of the organizers of the Rogue Snowmen Ski Club.