If you follow us on Twitter (@GCM_Magazine) you saw mention of this last week, but we've been remiss in noting on the blog last week's passing of former GCSAA president Ted Woehrle, an influential figure in Michigan golf who led the national association in 1977.
A member of GCSAA for more than a half century, Woehrle was best known for a 23-year run as the superintendent at Oakland Hills CC in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., a run that included the hosting of several major championships — the 1985 U.S. Open, the 1972 and 1979 PGA Championships and U.S. Senior Opens in 1981 and 1991. He also worked as superintendent at Point O'Woods CC in Benton Harbor, Mich., Beverly CC in Chicago and Orchards GC in Washington Township, Mich.
As evidenced by his stint as GCSAA president, Woehrle consistently gave back to the industry throughout his career. He served as president of two local superintendent chapters (the Midwest Association of GCS in 1961 and the Michigan and Border Cities GCSA in 1972) and helped form the Illinois Turfgrass Foundation, serving as its president from 1964-65. He was a frequent contributor to GCM and its predecessor magazines and won GCSAA's Leo Feser Award in 1985.
You'll be able to read more about Woehrle's life and career in golf course management in this week's issue of GCSAA This Week and the October issue of the magazine. The Detroit Free Press also noted his death in this story that appeared on the newspaper's website.
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