Jim Curell depended on a homemade swing and a passion for golf to play the game he loved so well. And that landed him in the Iowa Golf Hall of Fame.

Golf is a gentleman’s game. And Curell, nicknamed “The Legend,” was the ultimate gentleman golfer.

“For over four decades he set the standard on how to play the game, both as a competitor and a gentleman,” Iowa Golf Hall of Famer Dave Sergeant said.

Curell was the IGA’s Player of the Year in 1979, and the IGA’s Senior Player of the Year in 2010 and 2011.

He won the Lake Creek Amateur three times and the Northwest Amateur twice. His 1982 title in Spencer came on four consecutive rounds of 70. He was also a low amateur in an Iowa Open and won a Tournament of Champions and Iowa Mid-Amateur during his stellar career.

Curell also had great success as a senior. He joined Bruce Gervais to win the 2005 IGA Four-Ball Senior Division title. In addition, Curell captured the 2011 Senior Match Play and the 2014 Iowa Masters Senior Division. He qualified for the U.S. Senior Amateur in 2010 and 2011, and had 18 holes-in-one. That included two in the same round, and another to close out a match against Iowa Golf Hall of Famer Jon Brown at the 2008 IGA Match Play Championship at Lake Panorama.

After retiring from Redeker’s Furniture in Boone, Curell helped maintain the Honey Creek course and volunteered his time on the committee that administers the Iowa Masters each year. Curell was 67 when he passed away on April 19, 2020.

Career Highlights

• Won the Lake Creek Amateur in 1979; 1981; 1999
• Won the Northwest Amateur in 1982; 1988
• Low amateur in the Iowa Open, 1992
• Won Tournament of Champions, 1980
• Won Iowa Mid-Amateur, 1987
• IGA Player of the Year, 1979
• IGA Senior Player of the Year, 2010, 2011
• Won IGA Four-Ball, 2005
• Won IGA Senior Match Play, 2011
• Won Iowa Masters Senior title, 2014
• Qualified for U.S. Senior Amateur in 2010, 2011