2021 IGA Yearbook

FROM THE PRESIDENT I ’d like to start by thanking Bill Eby for his two years of service as our Board President, but also for the countless hours I’ve seen him volunteering for the IGA at numerous tournaments and events. Bill’s dedication to the game and our association is second to none, and we’re incredibly fortunate to have him on our team. What a year this has been for golf in our great state! When I look back at all the incredible accomplishments achieved by Iowans this year, I think it’s safe to say that the game has never been healthier in Iowa. Amidst the tragedy and challenges that COVID has presented for nearly two years, it brought an opportunity for us to find more outdoor activities to socially interact safely. Golf was one of the primary beneficiaries of that shift. The momentum and growth that we saw last summer with the game continued into 2021. Record numbers of rounds were played all over the state this year, and more importantly, we’re seeing more and more Iowans pick up a club for the first time. Some of the feats accomplished by our best players this year left us wondering what they could possibly do next! Gene Elliott’s victories at both the U.S. Senior Amateur and the British Senior Amateur put him in an incredibly exclusive fraternity. On his march to the U.S. Senior Amateur, he may have met his toughest test in longtime friend and Iowa Golf Hall of Famer Mike McCoy. Elliott needed extra holes to defeat McCoy in the Round of 32. I know many of us were tracking his final match in the U.S. Senior Am against Jerry Gunthorpe online, and what a finish it was! Leanne Smith, our 2021 IGA Women’s Player of the Year took her game to the national stage as well. In addition to her three wins in IGA events, Smith qualified for the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur and made the match play stage before falling in the round of 64. Back in Iowa, Joe Palmer seemed to win nearly every event he entered this summer. During his remarks at the annual awards banquet, Joe referred to himself as a grinder. Match play events tend to reward grinders, and Joe proved that by capturing both the IGA Match Play and Senior Match Play. Our State Amateur was held at the historic Wakonda Club this STEVE JERMIER, IGA PRESIDENT IGA Past President, Bill Eby serving as a starter during the 2020 Iowa Senior Amateur