The following feature on Louis Dade was written by 11-time Iowa Sportswriter of the Year Rick Brown and shared recently with Iowa Golf Association. The legacy of Louis Dade continues the celebration of Black History Month, an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. 

There’s a conference room named for Louis Dade at the African American Museum of Iowa in Cedar Rapids.

It is a fitting honor for an unassuming man with a golfing legacy many don’t know.

To appreciate Dade’s golfing accomplishments, which include becoming the first African American to reach match play in an Iowa Amateur Championship, you need to follow the path he took to reach the golf course.

Louis Dade was born and raised in Canton, Mo., and dropped out of school before he finished the eighth grade. Segregated schools ended in Canton after the eighth grade, and youngsters like Dade had to travel to Hannibal, Mo., some 40 miles away, to continue their education.

He worked odd jobs for several years, then moved with a cousin to Fort Madison in 1927, when he was 17 years old. His cousin left soon after, but Dade stayed. He had an assortment of jobs  at the Anthes Hotel, including shining shoes and working as a bellhop.

He got married in 1928, and another life-changing moment came shortly after. He was hired by W.A. Sheaffer, whose well-known pen company is a significant part of Fort Madison history.

Dade worked for the Sheaffer family as a chauffeur, butler and later a caretaker.

“I took care of the cars, vacuumed, waxed the floors, whatever needed to be done,” Dade told the Fort Madison Daily Democrat in 2003.

Sheaffer was a golfer, and built an indoor driving range in the basement of his home.

“I’d been with the Sheaffer family for a little while, but not too long, when (Sheaffer) put the driving range in the basement,” Dade said. “This is the first time I connected with golf.”

Dade was not allowed to play the golf course in Fort Madison, where Sheaffer played, but golf help bond the two men.

“W.A. would come home from the pen factory and we’d hit balls in the basement,” Dade said. “He really got me interested in golf, and a few years later I taught the first golf lesson in Fort Madison.”

Dade left Fort Madison around World War I, taking jobs at Wisconsin Steel in Chicago and then Douglass Aircraft in Santa Monica, Calif. A member of the Sheaffer family called Dade and asked him to return to Fort Madison to care for W.H. Sheaffer and his wife. W.H. passed away in 1946, and his wife in 1961.

The Sheaffer family created a trust fund for Dade when he worked for them, which gave him financial security for his loyalty and good care.

“I was very fortunate,” Dade said. “They gave me a chance to have a great life.”

Dade’s golf game was in full swing the1950s. He honed his game at Flint Hills in Burlington, as well as courses in Fairfield, Muscatine, Keokuk, Ottumwa and Quincy, Ill. He also played golf in California when he drove the Sheaffers there over the winters.

Dade said that several people in Fort Madison, including golf pro and Iowa Golf Hall of Fame member Bob Fry, told him he should try his luck in an Iowa Amateur. Fry also spent time as Dade’s instructor.

Dade started playing in the Iowa Amateur in 1954. The championship was contested by match play back then, switching to medal play in 1960. Dade would take vacation every summer to play in the state’s most prestigious amateur championship.

He failed to qualify for match play in his first four attempts, though he did have success elsewhere. Dade won the 1956 Southeast Iowa Amateur. His Iowa Amateur breakthrough came in 1958 at the Fort Dodge Country Club. Dade qualified with an 80, and found himself in a nine-man playoff for the last three spots. Dade made a long putt on the first extra hole and advanced.

Dade’s first-round match was equally memorable, beating Iowa Golf Hall of Famer J.D. Turner, 3 and 2. Dade’s picture, posing with Iowa Golf Association secretary Chuck Irvine, was on the front page of the Des Moines Register’s Big Peach sports section the next day (shown above).

The cutline to the picture read, “Louis Dade of Fort Madison, first Negro to win a championship round match in Iowa Amateur golf history, checks with Chuck Irvine, secretary of the Iowa Golf Association, after Wednesday’s 3 and 2 victory over J.D. Turner of Perry.”

Dade bowed out in the second round to Bill Hird, Jr. of Fort Dodge, 4 and 2, but it was a memory he carried proudly for the rest of his life.

“I’ve never been treated better,” Dade told Bert McGrane of the Des Moines Register. “Jack Rule, Bill Hird, John Liechty, Herb Klontz and some of the others treated me like I was one of the group.”

Dade always appreciated his experience of playing in the Iowa Amateur.

“I don’t want any better treatment than I get,” he said.

After his responsibilities with the Sheaffer family ended, Dade would spent his winters in Arizona and his summers teaching golf in Iowa at places like Spring Lake in Fort Madison, Mount Pleasant Country Club, New London and Flint Hills in Burlington.

One of his pupils was 14-year-old Todd Hamilton, who grew up in Oquawka, Ill., across the Mississippi River from Keokuk.  Hamilton would go on to win the 2004 British Open.

On the course, Dade was shooting his age well into his 80s. He shot an 80 to win a senior tournament in Wapello when he was 82.

Dade was 88 when retired from teaching in 1996.He was 100 years old when he passed away on Oct. 22, 2008.

Five years before he passed, Dade and the Sheaffer Foundation donated $10,000 to the African American Museum of Iowa. And a conference room was named for him, complete with a photo exhibit of his private life and golf career.

“It’s quite an honor,” Dade said then. “I’m really pleased with that. I came here from Missouri back when I was 17, I didn’t have a high school or college education and I just wanted the chance to work.”

He also became a golfing trailblazer.

The Iowa Golf Association is excited to announce the development of its own podcast – Greenside – The Official Podcast of the IGA. ‘Greenside’ will explore a wealth of topics surrounding the world of golf in Iowa and beyond. From Rules of Golf education to recaps with IGA Champions to anything golf related, we’ll look to keep you entertained.

The podcast is currently now available on a variety of channels including Anchor, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and several others. We will provide links to those channels on social media as episodes are distributed online.

Feel free to reach out to us if you have an idea of a guest or topic(s) we should include in the future.

The following feature on George Roddy first appeared in “Golden Harvest. Iowa’s Rich Golf History”, written by 11-time Iowa Sportswriter of the Year Rick Brown and commissioned by the Iowa Golf Association. The story of George Roddy in Iowa also celebrates Black History Month, an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. 

George Roddy’s family couldn’t afford a bus ticket to send him from Keokuk to the University of Iowa in the late 1920s. So he packed his bags, put his golf clubs on his shoulder and hoofed it.

Born in 1908, Roddy was the first African-American member of the golf team at Iowa. He also became the first black captain and letterman in program history.

Roddy, who lettered in 1930 and 1931, ran into plenty of obstacles during his career. He wasn’t allowed to play in some meets, including the Big Ten championship, because they were held at exclusive clubs that closed their doors to blacks.

Roddy saw very little varsity action as a sophomore in 1929, even though he was medalist in the varsity-freshman meet to start the season. He also won the All-University Championship, beating Marc Stewart in the title match, 2 and 1. Roddy received both the Howard L. Beye traveling trophy and the Rudolph A. Kuever cup for his victory.

When Iowa opened the 1930 spring season against Grinnell, Coach Charles Kennett had Roddy as his No. 1 man.

“A star negro golfer from Keokuk, George Roddy, seems likely to head the attack against the Pioneers,” the Iowa City Press-Citizen reported on April 15, 1930.

In a dual with Minnesota on May 11, Roddy shot a Finkbine course-record 72 the hard way – 31-41. He defeated the Gophers’ William Fowler, who had won the North Dakota State Amateur championship in 1927 and 1929.

The Hawkeyes played just four matches that season, repercussions of a football slush fund scandal that had shut the door on any competition against Big Ten schools. A Big Ten faculty committee lifted that suspension on Feb. 2, 1930. The Minnesota dual in May was a late addition to the schedule.

Roddy also won the All-University Championship for a second time.

According to the 1930 “Hawkeye,” the University of Iowa’s yearbook, “George Roddy repeated his performance of a year before when he outplayed all competition to win out in the all-university tournament in the spring. Roddy plays with a style that few teams could cope with and went through the season without once tasting defeat. In most cases he won his matches by quite comfortable margins. The late return of Iowa into the Western conference accounted in part for the scheduling of but four matches.”

The Big Ten Championship was played at Westmoreland Country Club in Wilmette, Ill. Roddy was not allowed to play because of the color of his skin. Teammate Fred Agnew couldn’t play because the two-day event conflicted with his senior law exams. Both Roddy and Agnew had gone through the regular season undefeated.

“Too bad about George Roddy and Fred Agnew not getting to take in the conference golf meet next week in Chicago,” Press-Citizen sports editor Jack Patton wrote on May 17, 1930. “Agnew is busy with senior law exams, while Roddy’s color bars him from the Chicago links. Roddy wasn’t used at all last year in spite of his being all-university champ, and cut loose this year with three wins and a university course record. He’s Iowa’s most serious threat in conference golf history. No one has ever played on Finkbine field who has more golf etiquette than Roddy.”

Without their two best players at the Big Ten meet, Iowa was in last place after the first day of 36-hole competition. The Hawkeyes trailed ninth-place Chicago by 44 strokes. Iowa withdrew before the second round.

The Hawkeyes won the 1931 state collegiate championship in Roddy’s senior year, but the highlight was a 10-8 victory over DePaul in Iowa City. Roddy led the winning effort by shooting 73. It was DePaul’s first loss in two seasons. Roddy had a hand in six of those 10 points with victories in both his singles and doubles matches.

Roddy was denied a third all-University crown, falling in the semifinals. He did win the University of Iowa team championship.

Race ended Roddy’s season and Hawkeye career prematurely.

“The Hawkeye team won three of its seven dual meets,” the Iowa City Press-Citizen reported on May 19, 1931. “Absence of George Roddy, No. 1 man, weakened the team in the (University of) Chicago and Northwestern duals of last week. Roddy, a Negro, was barred from playing on the metropolitan club courses because of his color.”

In his final competition as a Hawkeye, Roddy helped Iowa defeat visiting Iowa State, 11-7. Kennett decided not to enter the Big Ten Championship, played in Ann Arbor, Mich.

George Augustus Roddy received his engineering degree from the University of Iowa on July 16, 1931.

Roddy, The Des Moines Register reported, “is rated as the best Iowa golfer of all time and is the present record holder on the university’s Finkbine course.”

Roddy came to Des Moines a week after graduating and won the inaugural Midwestern Negro Golf Tournament at Grandview. He was also the National Minority Amateur champion in 1930 and 1937.

Roddy became an educator and coach. He started out as an instructor and golf coach at Arkansas State College from 1931 to 1933. Then he went to North Carolina A&T, where he was the golf coach and also an auto mechanics and mathematics teacher until 1948. He moved from there to Indianapolis, Ind., where he was an industrial arts teacher and started the golf program at Crispus Attucks High School.

Roddy won the Indianapolis city golf title twice. The first came in 1963. He also won in 1967 when he was 57 years old. Roddy passed away in 1988 at 80 years of age.

Roddy was the first African-American elected to the Indiana Golf Hall of Fame in 1999.

The Iowa Golf Hall of Fame will add three members in 2021, bringing the total number in the Hall of Fame to 89. Those three include Chad Proehl, Jerry Johnson and Jim Carney. These three individuals will be enshrined during a ceremony later this year (Date TBD). Details for the event are still being worked out, but it is the hope of the IGA that a ‘double-ceremony’ can be held honoring the Class of 2020 and 2021. The ceremony for the Class of 2020 was postponed until this year due to concerns about the coronavirus with travel and congregating in large groups. We will post details regarding the induction as soon as they are finalized.

Chad Proehl
Chad Proehl (right), originally from Atlantic, continues to add to his distinguished playing and teaching career. A 1985 Iowa High School champion and 1990 All-American at Grand View University, Proehl, has proven to be one of the top players in not only the Iowa PGA Section but also nationally.

Proehl has competed in 14 National PGA Club Professional Championships, won the Iowa PGA Section Championship three times, two-time Iowa PGA Match Play Champion, three-time Iowa PGA Section Player of the Year, Herman Sani Champion, 12-time Iowa Cup Team Member, 2019 Iowa Section Senior Champion, two-time Iowa PGA Senior Player of the Year, has played in four PGA Tour John Deere Classic Tournaments and competed in four PGA Champions Tour events.

Proehl, who has been the PGA Teaching Professional at Sugar Creek Golf Course (Waukee)for the past 12 years, has also made a positive impact on the game of golf in Iowa through his instruction.

“Chad’s contributions to the game go beyond his playing accomplishments,” Iowa PGA Section Executive Director Greg Mason said. “Chad spent the majority of his early career in golf as a Head Professional or Director of Golf. His time was spent teaching, mentoring and guiding those respective facilities. Chad continually has been a volunteer for wherever the Iowa PGA needed assistance including our Iowa PGA Junior Academy.”

Aaron Krueger, Immediate Past President of the Iowa PGA Section and Director of Golf at Des Moines’ Wakonda Club echoed Mason’s words on what Proehl has meant to the game of golf in Iowa.

“Working as a Head Professional, Director of Golf and Teaching Professional, Chad has touched many lives over his 30-year career,” Krueger said. “A passion to teach and a passion to compete are the trademarks of him professionally. His infectious smile, friendly disposition and outgoing personality are the trademarks of him personally.”

Jerry Johnson
Jerry Johnson (left with wife Deb) stood tall and always put the game of golf first.

Following a brief career in the banking industry, Jerry Johnson changed gears and entered the golf business, becoming a PGA apprentice under Keith Hannan at Mason City Country Club in 1976. From 1980-1985 he was the Head PGA Professional at Lake Bracken Country Club in Galesburg, IL. When Joe August retired as golf professional of Marshalltown’s Elmwood Country Club in the fall of 1985, Jerry was hired to take over the reins. He enjoyed working at Elmwood C.C. for 29 years before retiring on December 31, 2014, achieving “Life Membership” status in the PGA of America.

Following retirement, Jerry stayed active in giving back to the game – serving on the Iowa Golf Hall of Fame Nominating Committee, Iowa PGA Strategic Planning Committees and other activities.

Jerry, who passed away in July of 2020, will be remembered most for his passion in promoting the game of golf to the Marshalltown community. Be it a listening ear while golfers recounted their rounds to him, spending many hours giving lessons on the practice tee, administering golf events, teaching area high school golf teams and P.E. classes in proper swing execution and golf etiquette, and helping to implement the Swings with Kids program in Marshalltown schools, he wanted to share his love of the game and impart its many life lessons.

“His contributions to the game are unsung and not always seen,” Greg Mason, IPGA Section Executive Director said. “He has been in my ear for 15 years to find a way to grow our game with all of our allied associations. I believe if you truly examine his career you note that Jerry never put himself first. He always put his family first, his members first, his PGA Professionals first, but always put the good of the game at the top of that list!”

Jerry’s love of competition also fostered years of participating in amateur and professional tournaments. Two highlights include playing in the Quad Cities Open twice and the National PGA Club Professional Championship four times.

Jerry was also very instrumental in the success of the Lennox / Quakerdale Pro-Am Invitational, held at Elmwood CC. His contributions behind the scenes have helped the event raise more than $2,000,000 in the 30+ years at Elmwood.

“Golf has always been an incredible passion for Jerry and it showed time and time again as the attendees, including all the many PGA professionals that participate annually, have always experienced a great time,” Lee Eft, General Chairman of the Lennox / Quakerdale Pro-Am Invitational said. “He was always a pleasure to work with and worked tirelessly to make the event a great success.”

The Iowa Golf Association named Jerry the Golf Professional of the Year in 1990. That same year he was named Iowa PGA Merchandiser of the Year by the Iowa PGA. Jerry held the office of President of the Iowa PGA from 1991-1993 and was chosen by his peers in 1992 as the Iowa Section PGA Professional of the Year. In 2016 he received the IPGA Horton Smith Award.

“You will be hard pressed to find someone within the state that doesn’t know who Jerry Johnson is,” Jay Giannetto, PGA Professional at Elmwood CC said. “It would be even more difficult to find someone who doesn’t love and respect who he is as a person. Jerry’s passion for golf and his desire to help people is truly inspirational.”

Jim Carney
Jim Carney (right), originally from Centerville, began his dominance on the golf course in the early 1960s and continued to be a feared, yet well-respected opponent for decades.

Carney captured the 1964 Iowa High School Individual championship and added the Iowa Junior championship a year later in 1965. Carney also added his name to the national stage in 1965, advancing to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship at the Country Club of California. Over a four-year period in high school, Carney was medalist in 18 straight meets.

Three years later, following numerous wins around the state including a 1967 Northwest Amateur victory, Carney, at the age of 19, won the 1968 Iowa Amateur at Dubuque Golf & Country Club. In 1970, as a member of the University of Iowa golf team, Carney qualified for the NCAA Championship and finished runner-up in the NCAA long drive contest (lost to Bobby Valentine – future PGA Tour player).

Carney was selected to play on the Army Golf Team in 1970, being one of six chosen. Those other five selected went on to play professionally on the PGA Tour. Carney served in the U.S. Army from 1970-1972. Following his service, Carney attended and graduated from Drake University Law School in 1975. From 1965-1975 Carney won over 100 one-day 27-hole ‘Minnow’ tournaments across the state.

“Jim’s playing record speaks for itself,” Iowa Golf Hall of Fame member Ken Schall said. “The mere fact that he won a State High School Championship, a State Amateur and a State Junior puts him in rarified air.”

Not only was Carney’s playing resume excellent, his contributions off the course to the game of golf in Iowa continue to be nothing short of tremendous.

As an attorney, Carney has been crucial over the years surrounding legislative efforts and golf, such as tax issues and environmental restrictions. He has also been a main point of contact in development of an “Iowa Golf Day” at the statehouse.

“Jim committed everything he had into building a successful law practice and the time he used to spend golfing was spent in the law library preparing for trials,” Iowa Golf Hall of Fame member Mike McCoy said. “His dedication and professionalism were yet another example of how life should be lived. I have no doubts that had Jim continued to commit his time to golf his impressive list of wins would be much longer.”

In 2020, Jim was an invaluable resource for clarifications on proclamations issued by the Governor surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. It is not a stretch to say that from late March to late May 2020, the IGA, on behalf of the Iowa Golf Council, was on the phone with Carney three to four times a week gaining some clarification on how golf courses were allowed to operate. We know that he played a large part in keeping our sport up and operating when many other businesses were forced to shut down.

It is also worth noting that Jim has performed this work on behalf of the IGA and golf pro-bono, and even makes substantial contributions to many golf-related endeavors, in addition to his volunteer work. He has proven his dedication to the game of golf over and over again, and for that the game of golf in Iowa is much better off and extremely grateful.

“These are just some of the examples of Jim’s generosity and commitment to golf and his love of the game.,” Iowa Golf Hall of Fame member Dave Sergeant said. “Jim has done these things quietly and without seeking any accolades or recognition. He’s been a humble giant in doing all this.”

The Iowa Golf Hall of Fame is administered by the Iowa Golf Association on behalf of all golf organizations in and around the state, such as the Iowa Section PGA and the Iowa Golf Course Superintendents Association.

The nomination and induction process consists of two committees, the Nominating Committee and the Voting Committee. The Nominating Committee determines the eligibility of nominees submitted by the general public as well as identifies individuals to nominate. They finalize the ballot. The Voting Committee has the task of researching and studying those on the ballot and casting votes for induction. The Voting Committee consists entirely of individuals who are current members of the Iowa Golf Hall of Fame.

Iowa Golf Hall of Fame member Lonnie Nielsen, originally from Belle Plaine, passed away on Wednesday, January 20, 2020, at the age of 67.

Nielsen is remembered for his enjoyment of music, playing cards, telling jokes, and eating ice cream. To know him was to love him. He was known for his infectious smile, quick wit, and sense of humor.

Nielsen grew up playing on sand greens in Belle Plaine and went on to attend the University of Iowa. He won several amateur events in Iowa, including the 1975 Iowa Amateur, and was named Iowa Player of the Year that year.

He turned pro in 1976 and competed for a brief time on the PGA Tour highlighted by two top ten finishes before pursuing a career as a club pro. Nielsen was a dominant player in the Western New York Section PGA winning its Section Championship nine times and the Match Play Championship 10 times from 1984 through 2002

Nielsen played the PGA Champions Tour beginning in 2006 through 2017, winning two titles and has amassed almost $5 million in winnings. Nielsen’s best year was 2008 when he finished 11th on the money list with over $1.2 million in cash.

He was inducted into the Iowa Golf Hall of Fame in 2010.

Memorial Service:
Nielsen’s family plans to honor him at 9 a.m. (10 a.m. EST) on Monday, January 25th, in New York (you can find details by clicking on the obituary link below).  You can view a live stream of the service by visiting www.kaczorfunerals.com. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to PGA REACH WNY (www.westernnewyork.pga.com/foundation/donate) or the Association of Frontotemporal Degeneration (www.theaftd.org) 

Click here to view an online obituary for Nielsen.

We encourage you to share condolences and your favorite memories of Lonnie in the comments section below. We will share these memories with his wife Mary Jo and the Nielsen family.

Time sure flies – and success continues to grow.

As you may or may not know, in 2018 Iowa became the 21st state to offer Youth on Course. Youth on Course (YOC) started in 2006 by the Northern California Golf Association. At its most basic level, it is a program that subsidizes rounds of golf for juniors at participating courses. It has become very popular and, in 2014, the NCGA began expanding the program to other states and regions, spreading essentially from west to east. Recently it was announced that YOC will soon be available in all 50 states.

Many IGA Member Clubs that offer the program, from across the state, have seen tremendous success since it’s launch in 2018, including Hunters Ridge Golf Course (Marion), Jester Park (Granger) and AH Blank, Waveland Golf Course and Bright-Grandview Golf Course (Des Moines). Any junior boy or girl age 6 to 18 can join Youth on Course for a $15 yearly fee. A YOC membership allows them access to any participating Youth on Course facility (there are over 1,200 nationally) to play a round of golf for $5 or less.

“Youth on course has lowered the cost barrier for families who are interested in getting kids involved in golf,” Rocky Sposato, General Manager / COO of Terrace Hills Golf Course, Waveland Golf Course, AH Blank Golf Course and Bright-Grandview Golf Course said. “It (YOC) has made a huge impact on the future of the golf industry by making golf affordable and accessible for our future golfers.”

Youth on Course in Iowa continued to grow in 2020 as membership grew 73%, while rounds played increased by 60% across all participating facilities.

“We have a good number of kids that utilized the program and have really done the advertising and marketing for us,” Nate Severin, Club Manager and PGA Professional at Hunters Ridge said in regards to the spike of YOC rounds at his course. “I think the best way to have success with this program is making sure the kids and parents have a firm grasp of the rules of when they can/can’t play. Every professional/club manager likes to see kids getting into the game of golf. It’s nice to see parents getting behind them and introducing the sport of golf. It also gives the parents a nice discount on letting the kids tag along for a quick nine, or make it a full 18 on a nice evening.”

Jeff Chiodo, PGA Professional at Jester Park GC, also commented that developing relationships with members of YOC is important in the success of the program.

“It’s been important to us (at Jester Park) to develop those relationships and make sure they feel wanted at the course,” Chiodo said. “We like to ask them how they played after the round and about their experience. We have the Par 3 course here as well, which helps. We are able to direct kids as best we can either to the Par 3 course or the main course based on playing ability, pace of play, but also making sure they feel comfortable when they are here.”

Chiodo also mentioned he uses a variety of avenues to promote the program including through social media, email marketing, junior camps held at Jester Park GC and through his involvement with PGA Junior League.

Currently, Iowa has 30 courses throughout the state that participate in Youth on Course but would like to add more.

“We are hopeful that more courses will sign up as a participating facility,” said IGA CEO/Executive Director Chad Pitts. “The program is great because you can set certain times when YOC rounds can be played so you can drive traffic to your non-peak hours. Plus, it has been shown that roughly 50% of all YOC rounds are played with an adult who pays a full fee, so it truly does become a win-win for the course”.

If you are interested in signing up as a participating facility, please fill out this link or contact the IGA office and we can get you all the details.

For more information about Youth on Course in Iowa visit https://iowagolf.org/youth-on-course/.

Britta Snyder (pictured right), of Ames, recently competed and finished T10th place at the Women’s Orlando International Amateur (Jan 3-5). Snyder posted rounds of 72-74-71 – 217 (+1) at Orange County National Golf Center & Lodge – Panther Lake.

The Women’s Orlando International Amateur championship is an annual golf tournament gathering high-level amateur golfers – most of whom are current collegiate players – from the United States of America and abroad. The tournament was played in Orlando, Florida, and included a large field of female golfers who competed over a 54-hole stroke play championship, playing 18 holes per day.

Snyder is currently a freshman on the Baylor University women’s golf team.

Click here to view results

The Iowa Golf Association is excited to announce Ben Larson (right) as the IGA’s Director of Competitions. Beginning on Jan. 1, 2021, Larson will take the lead on the administration of IGA Championships, USGA Qualifiers, and taking the lead on support for the rules of golf and the USGA Tournament Management software (Golf Genius).

He has spent the past 7 years as the Director of Competitions for the South Dakota Golf Association, where he administered their men’s and women’s state championships, as well as USGA qualifiers. He was the main support person for USGA TM-Golf Genius for the SDGA member clubs and he has attained an expert rating from the USGA based on his rules of golf exam scores. He has been invited to serve as a rules official at USGA championships in the past.

Ben grew up in Webster City, Iowa, and commented that he looks forward to getting closer to his family.

“I am really excited, being from Iowa, to come back and work with a great team that is in place already at the IGA,” Larson said. “I look forward to helping continue the progress the IGA is making in the game of golf. It will be good to get back home near family and friends.”

Prior to joining the SDGA, Ben spent 6 1/2 years as a rules official/tournament director for the NGA Professional Golf Tour (formerly known as The Hooters Tour). He is a member of the PGA of America, gaining his Class A status in 2005.

“My major emphasis (in South Dakota) was on tournament golf, which I enjoy and look forward to continuing to do in Iowa,” Larson said. “I also enjoy the rules side of golf, which may not be exciting to everyone, but it is something I like.”

The addition of Larson was brought about with the retirement of IGA stalwart Bill Dickens. Dickens was the Executive Director of the IGA from 2001 -2015 and Senior Director of Administration from 2016-2020.

As part of this transition process with Bill’s retirement and the hiring of Larson as the Director of Competitions, we are shifting roles around amongst the current staff. Chad Pitts, Katelynn Hogenson, and Nate McCoy will all have title changes, along with new or additional responsibilities. Clint Brown’s title will remain the same, but he will take on a slightly different role as well.

Pitts’ title changes slightly to CEO/Executive Director of the IGA and the IGA Foundation. He will continue to oversee the entire staff and will take over many of the Foundation duties handled by Dickens the past few years.

Hogenson is being promoted to Chief Operating Officer of the IGA. As COO, Katelynn will be taking over much of the day-to-day bookkeeping, as well as providing additional oversight and guidance to other staff. Hogenson will shift her responsibilities for oversight of GHIN to McCoy.

McCoy is the new Director of Handicapping and Course Rating. He remains in charge of the course rating program for the IGA but will add responsibility for GHIN support to our member clubs and courses. He will have less focus on events, although you will still see him at plenty of tournaments.

Brown remains the Director of Communications and Marketing and he will still be in charge of all IGA communications, including the website, social media, and advertising & sponsorship sales. However, he will assist Pitts with IGA Foundation related activities when needed.

In general, it is a big carousel of duties being shifted around. However, even though we have specific job descriptions we are a small team, so everyone will still have a hand in nearly all we do. Most notably, you will continue to see most of the staff at all major IGA championships.

We are excited about the addition of Ben to the staff. You will see he brings loads of positive energy and experience.