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A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Andy Burton
While 2016 was a tumultuous
year in many ways, it was an
exciting one of growth and
change for the Iowa Golf
Association. In addition to
breaking in a new President,
Chad Pitts succeeded long time
Executive Director Bill Dickens,
and our other staff members moved into more
challenging roles. We expanded the size of the IGA
office in Ankeny, successfully administered many
competitive events and welcomed Zach Johnson
into the Iowa Golf Hall of Fame. We continued
our string of successful fundraising years for the
Herman Sani and Ann Griffel Scholarships and we
are teed up for a great 2017.
In assuming the role of Executive Director Chad
Pitts had huge shoes to fill. Much of the success
we enjoy at the IGA is due to the many years of
service by Bill Dickens. Bill continues to serve as
Senior Director of Administration of the IGA and
he and Chad have led us through the smoothest of
transitions. The rest of our great staff and interns
played a huge role in making it seem as if we never
missed a step.
If you haven’t visited the IGA office in Ankeny
recently you should stop by to tour our expanded
offices. A vacancy next door created the
opportunity to add to our space and create a
better reception and entry area where we have
begun to build a display area for the Iowa Golf Hall
of Fame.
The induction into the Iowa Golf Hall of Fame of
Zach Johnson last June was a smashing success
and possibly one of the greatest golf related
events ever in Iowa. Zach was truly humbled to
be honored by his home state, and honored us
with not only his presence but also by bringing the
Claret Jug to Iowa to share with everyone present.
Kudos to Gene Elliott, the IGA staff and the Iowa
Golf Hall of Fame Committee for pulling this off. I
will never forget that night.
Congratulations also to Gene Elliott for his play
in 2016 and winning both the IGA and IGA Senior
Player of the Year awards. Congratulations go to our
other Player of the Year honorees Jenny Heinz, Rose
Kubesheski, Ben Epperly and Maddie Hawkins. You
can read more about their exploits on the course in
this yearbook.
No summary of the year in golf 2016 can go without
recognizing the passing of the legend Arnold Palmer.
As a member of the only Palmer designed course
in the state, Tournament Club of Iowa, and having
met Mr. Palmer many times from age 16 though last
year, it’s hard to imagine the game of golf without
him. I remember every encounter with him like it
was yesterday. From the first time I met him at the
Amana VIP in Iowa City where he drew a crowd of
over 20,000 people in the late 1970’s to the glass
of wine we shared in a chance encounter at the
bar at Bay Hill Club in Orlando six months before
he passed, he was always gracious, kind, warm and
engaging. There has been and will never be anyone
like him. A great man who will be missed by many.
On the tee for 2017 are a number of exciting
opportunities. Planning is under way for an
Iowa Golf Day that you will hear more about as
it develops. We have many fine venues for our
major championships this year, including a stop
at the newly restored Cedar Rapids Country Club
for the Iowa Amateur in July. The restoration of
this great course is superb and will provide a stern
test of golf for our many great players. And the
USGA is working with the IGA and other state golf
associations on handicap system improvements,
rules changes and other initiatives that you’ll hear
more about this year.
Thanks for your support of the Iowa Golf
Association. I’ll see you on the course somewhere
across this great state when the new season begins!
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