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ANNI V ER S AR Y

PGA TOUR veteran Craig Barlow used the Ed Fryatt grew up playing in SNGA Stuart Reid served as SNGA president
SNGA as a stepping stone tournaments before playing at UNLV and worked every US Open but one
and on the PGA TOUR from 1988 to 2005

volved in the SNGA in the late seventies,” says becoming a pro he was a top amateur player, Ernie Haupt was the president and he and
Reid, who was a top SNGA player. “When I winning many local and state tournaments. Clyde Cobb were running things and han-
discussed some of the issues I had about the As a pro, he was very supportive of local dling all of the handicap systems as well,”
organization with him, he urged me to get amateur and junior golf. remembers McGovern.
involved. If he were alive today, he would talk Other names who have made an impact “This was before computers, so every
about the efforts of other people in the SNGA on the history of the SNGA in the early days month Ernie and Clyde would gather up a
and he would downplay his role quite a bit, and over the years include Ernest Haupt, pile of papers from each course and send that
but he was the person who was very active Jerry Belt, Don Welch, C. Pat Walker, Howard information to the USGA and they would set
in motivating people. What I really liked Capps, John DiFloure, Jim Alexander, Lou the handicaps. Pat Walker was involved later
about him is that he had his goals but he let Oliver, Eric Dutt, Larry McGovern, Sue May, on, and then I stepped in to help.”
those around them do their jobs with a lot of Brady Exber, Nicole Dutt-Roberts, Jerry By 1991, things were computerized and
freedom.” Clark, Ann Sunstrum, and Tim Quinn, the McGovern was tasked with going to each golf
Cobb served both the Nevada State Golf current SNGA president. course to put in the software to operate the
Association and regional golf associations. He “Celebrating 50 years means that a lot of GHIN system. He’ll never forget one fateful
is known as the person who led the charge of great people put in a lot of time and effort to evening in 1991. “I was with Clif Vanetti, a
integrating the USGA GHIN handicap system support and promote golf in Southern Neva- pro at Canyon Gate Country Club, and I was
in Southern Nevada. da,” says Quinn. working on the computer when news that we
Reid, an elementary school principal in McGovern, a retired colonel in the Unites had bombed Baghdad and the Gulf War had
the Clark County School District for three States Air Force, returned to Las Vegas in started,” says McGovern. “It is one of those,
decades, was very active and a main leader of 1986 and quickly became involved in the ‘you never forget where you were’ moments
the SNGA in the eighties, nineties and early operations of the SNGA when Jim Kelly, the and Clif and I still talk about that.”
2000s. During his time with the SNGA, he food and beverage manager at the Sahara McGovern, who served as executive
served as a USGA rules official and worked National Golf Club (now Las Vegas National) director from 2001-2005, remembers working
every U.S. Open save one between 1988 and asked him to attend a meeting on his behalf. as a rules official at Spanish Trail Golf and
2005, before giving up his volunteer golf Soon after, McGovern was named to the Country Club when former UNLV All-Amer-
duties and moving to Texas to be closer to his board as a volunteer but in 1991 he was hired ican Warren Schutte was playing in the
grandchildren. by the association to implement the new tournament. Schutte hit his ball into the well
Teel was the head professional at what is computerized Golf Handicap Information of a new palm tree at the new facility. The
now Las Vegas National Golf Club for many Network (GHIN) and fulfill other duties. tree well was very pronounced and Schutte
years in the seventies and eighties. Prior to “When I first got involved in the SNGA, believed he was due relief. Earlier in the year

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