UAL “32” Golf Club History

 

 

            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 San Francisco called the San Francisco Mainliner Golf Club (The Big Club) with 150 to 200 members. They scheduled one golf tournament each month on the 3rd or 4th Saturday.         

            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 Newark called Silver Pines, in addition to their regular post tournament festivities, this band of golfers conducted a meeting at which they decided to start another club and play a tournament on the 1st or 2nd Saturday of each month.

            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.

                                    First Discovery Bay tournament. (1993)

 

 

1996-1997            JACK MARTINEZ,

                             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

                                    Clyde Minter Hdcps 2001-Present

                             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

                                    Clyde Minter Handicap Chairman 2001-Present

                             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 Minter Handicap Chairman 2001-Present

 

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.