Once upon a time, long, long ago, there was
a band of rebel golfers that were pioneers for their time even if these rebels
didn’t realize it. They had a passion for the game of golf and wanted more than
just one organized tournament and the fellowship that went along with it a
month.
At that
time there was only one golf club in
This
merry band of rebel golfers were members of the San Francisco Mainliner Golf
Club (The Big Club), they would each put an extra dollar into a “side pot bet”
among themselves and after the round would pay the side pot to whoever won that
days tournament.
From
time to time this same merry band of rebel golfers would schedule an additional
golf tournament just for themselves. After one such event in November of 1966
at a golf course in
The
clubs first president John Rider was the gentleman that usually collected the
dollar and organized these extra golf tournaments. In “1967” John would
establish the club’s first schedule of organized tournaments. The club also
needed a name for this gang of rebels in order to set themselves apart and get
funding from the United Air Lines Employee Mainliner Club, realizing they had
“32” members, which by the way was one hour of start times, they took the name
United Air Lines Mainliner “32” Golf Club.
That would
also be the first year United Air Lines employees had the Good Friday holiday
off and the club added to the schedule the first Good Friday tournament at San
Geronimo, then the next year they moved the tournament to Rancho Canada Golf
Course. The club would go on to host that as a open
tournament for 25 years.
To this
day the club still has the “side pot bet” and “tournaments on the 1st or 2nd
Saturday of each month”. With the passing of time each of the club presidents
would change and add new innovations to the club to become the club that we
know and enjoy today and as they say the rest is history. . .
Changes
and Innovations:
The
Club Presidents by years of service,
1967-1974 JOHN
RIDER,
Named club and received funding from the Mainliner
Club.
Set up bi-laws and schedule of
tournaments.
32 members, one flight and closet to pins on par
3’s.
First Good
Friday tournament.
1975-1981 CARL
BROGGER
1982-1983 JOHN
RIDER
1984-1989 JOSE
MENDOZA,
Ed Glover Treasurer,
Steve Gonzales Hdcps
Increased membership to 65, went to two flights.
Club collected the sidepot dollar with the tournament fees.
Club joined NCGA.
Awarded most
improved golfer.
1990-1992 JOHN
BELL,
Steve Gonzales Hdcps
Increased membership to 90 and went to three
flights.
Started paying
birdies on par 3’s.
Club sent members to NCGA
tournaments.
Awarded best 4
low net rounds, for the year.
Started Hole-in-one fund $100.00.
The
last year the 32 club hosted Good Friday, 1992.
(After
25 years, the first year 1967 it was at San Geronimo, then at Rancho Canada, in
Carmel, in 1993 the Mainliner Golf Club (Big Club) took over hosting the
tournament)
1993-1995 RUDY
BLAZIUS,
Charlie Hyde VP,
Kurt Luke Hdcps
Filed and got club non-profit and tax-exempt
status.
Raised the
hole-in-one fund to $500.00.
First side
games to some of the regular tournament formats.
Started a fund to pay for members fees at NCGA tournaments at a
cost of $1.00 per golfer per tournament.
Vote to have scheduled weekday
(Mon-Fri) tournaments.
1996-1997 JACK
Bob Henning VP,
Jack Oden, Hdcps
Side games with some of the
regular tournaments.
Donated the Bob Henning Memorial
Trophy to club.
(Bob Henning
first officer to pass away while serving club)
1998-2002 BERNIE
AUSPRUNG,
Ken Bader VP,
Jack Bolander
Hdcps 1998-2000
Dan Thorp Co-Tournament Chairman 2002
Member club information blinders. (1998)
Club
championship format with Presidents Trophy and
honored all the past presidents with club medals. (1998)
Renamed
the 4 low net rounds to TOPGUN and presented the donated Bob Henning Memorial
Trophy for it.(1998)
Club Medals for Annual Awards:
Club Champion, Topgun and Most Improved (1998)
Reviewed,
updated the bylaws and got membership approval. (1998/1999)
Rider
Shootout (club’s open format) on 32 anniversary of the club to honor John Rider
the club’s first president and award a Club Medal for it. (1999)
Honored original members of the club on the 32
anniversary of the club, by making their club dues $32.00 from then on.
Created the
first Club Meritorious Award. (Club Medal)
First recipient of the Meritorious Award was Walt Apollo, a 32 club original member, for his 30 years of service to the game of golf as the Big Club’s tournament chairman (1999)
Adjusted the hole-in-one fund to $320.00 max payment but the total fund of $500.00 would be divided if multiple winners.
Annual payout system, all prizes
paid at end of season.
Low gross bonus, payout for low gross if not a flight place winner. (2000)
First woman member of the club,
Brenda Wood (2000)
Club
voted and approved to move golf season from January through December to
November through October for the 2002 season
Club season will be from November
– October.(2001)
Added
to the Club Championship tournament, that previous Club Champion get an
exemption and can defend their title without placing first in a tournament and
the flight winners of the previous Championship tournament are eligible if not
in that years tournament.(2002)
Transitioned Club to new season,
Club
tournament season runs from November – October.
Vote and pass to pay second
officer’s club fees.
Voted
and passed to allow up to 15% non-employee / relative (friend) to the
membership if openings are available.
2003-2004 DAVE
O’NEILL,
Ken Bader VP, Co-Tournament Chairman
Bernie Ausprung Co-Tournament
Chairman 2003
Start a
website for the UAL 32 Golf Club
Set up Club
to use E-Mail System
Set up Club to
go all electronic with the NCGA versus a paper club.
2004-Present DAVE
O’NEILL,
Dennis Acma Vice President, Co-Tournament Chairman
Clyde
Implement Gift Certificates instead of cash for all club awards and prizes
Voted to allow 3 equal flights and change rules about Maximum Handicap of 36.4 Men and 40.4 Women
Introduced the first Match Play Tournament against the Walt Apollo Golf Club
To the past members and officers that
have dedicated their time and energy to the United Air Lines 32 Golf Club,
Thank You! However, the words “Thank You”
alone does not do justice. What we, the current membership, can do to
show our thanks is to continue to be good caretakers of the legacy they have
left us.
