Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2016 - 5

EDITOR'S
LE T T ER
A Steward of the Game
Remembering " Mr. Public Golf, " Bob Ulsaker.
I
Bob's
record as a
public golf
administrator
and
volunteer
is the
epitome of
stewardship.
f you ever wondered how one person
can make a difference, you should
know about the passing of Bob " Mr.
The Impact of Volunteerism
+
3,900 VOLUNTEERS
RYDER CUP
* Volunteers were from 41 states and 16
countries (3,201 were from Minnesota)
* 1,120 volunteers staffed the
merchandise tent alone
www.mngolf.org
Public Golf " Ulsaker on July 2 at age 90. In
brief, Bob was a longtime USGA committee
volunteer (the U.S. Amateur Public Links
Championship) from 1973 to his retirement
in 2008. He is credited with helping Minnesota
lead the nation in APL entries for more
than 30 years, a remarkable measure, given
Minnesota's population relative to states
such as California, Texas and Florida. As
Mike Fermoyle wrote in an obituary (page
25) at the time of his passing, " If you didn't
finish as medalist or runner-up in the local
APL qualifying, yet still earned a spot, you
should have thanked Bob Ulsaker " for the
additional spots, as his organizational skills
and hard work had a direct impact on the
number of public golfers who wanted to enter
and compete, and the additional qualifier
spots the USGA made available.
Bob was an MGA director for nearly as
long as he was a USGA volunteer, while
also serving the Minnesota Public Golf Association
as president in 1967-68. He later
received the MPGA's Ron Self Award for
contributions to Minnesota public golf. In
1997, he was recognized by the MGA with
its highest honor, the Warren J. Rebholz Distinguished
Service Award, which honors individuals
who have exemplified the spirit of
and have made a substantial contribution to
the game.
After the Rebbie award, Bob was featured
in the pages of this magazine in an article
by Gregg Wong aptly headlined, " Mr. Public
Golf. " Also that year, Bob received the USGA
Ike Grainger Award for 25 years of service on
a USGA national committee.
Bob was more than the P. T. Barnum of
public golf. He was a USGA rules official in
all 50 states; he was instrumental in running
the U.S. APL when it visited Minnesota
in 1964, 1976, 1992 and 2002 (and recommended
to the USGA that it start a women's
APL); and he was a successful business executive.
He also raised a family here, and remained
a stalwart public golfer as a member
of Braemar, Hiawatha and Meadowbrook
golf clubs his entire life.
Bob's record as a public golf administrator
and volunteer is the epitome of stewardship:
the careful and responsible management of
something entrusted to one's care. It's unlikely
you'll ever cross paths with another
volunteer with the same legacy as his-and
that's the important impact that Bob made
on the local golf scene.
See you on the tee.
W.P. Ryan, Editor-in-Chief
MGA MEMBERS AT RYDER CUP
3M CHAMPIONSHIP
93%
* 90 marshals from the Chaska Town Course and the
MGA were assigned to hole No. 6
Percent of hole marshals that were MGA
members representing 36 member clubs
* Hole marshals committed to a minimum of four
4-hour shifts, for ~1,440 hours volunteered
1,200 VOLUNTEERS
(working 46 committees)
* 350 hole marshals who commit to a
minimum of three 4-hour shifts, for
~4,200 hours volunteered
Fall 2016 MINNESOTAGOLFER
3
http://www.mngolf.org
Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2016
