The Garden City Telegram
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Hunt savors memories of Garden City and Pro-Am
Published 7/28/2009 in Pro-Am
By MIKE KESSINGER
When Randy Hunt envisioned what the Southwest Kansas Pro-Am would one day be, he used the Colorado Open as an example. That was 30 years ago.
Now, as he remembers back to those days, Hunt has fond memories of the Southwest Kansas Pro-Am when he was the first golf professional at Buffalo Dunes, which opened in 1976.
"I always believed in the cause for what the (Pro-Am) is based on," said Hunt, who has been the general manager of Milburn Country Club in Overland Park for three years.
The head pro at Buffalo Dunes for nine years before moving on to Alvamar Country Club in Lawrence, Hunt helped lay the foundation for the Southwest Kansas Pro-Am. Before he and his wife Mary moved to Garden City, Hunt had worked an apprenticeship in the early 1970s at the Colorado Open in Denver. An event Hunt calls one of the premiere tournaments for its field, the proceeds go to the Craig Hospital and its spinal cord rehabilitation unit.
He hoped that as the southwest Kansas golf event was set into motion it too would be able to find a worthy cause to give its proceeds for. As it happened the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at St. Catherine's hospital in Garden City seemed to be the right way to go. Thirty years after the foundation was laid the NBICU is still the recipient for which the Pro-Am helps.
"I can't say enough about the people in Garden City and how much they have helped make the Pro-Am special," Hunt said. "I have spoken to several pros who have played in it and they all have fond memories of Garden City. If you ask guys like (PGA pros) Lee Janzen, Jim Furyk and Tom Lehman about remembering playing in the Southwest Kansas Pro-Am, I bet they do and have great memories of it. It really warms my heart to know that the people in southwest Kansas really made it special for all of those guys."
When the Pro-Am first started the event it was moved between Garden City, Dodge City and Liberal after the first rotation in three years, Buffalo Dunes and Southwind became the permanent home.
"After the first rotation the momentum had centered in Garden City," Hunt said. "All three places had great support, but the fact that Garden City has two golf courses just kind of made it the ideal place."
Looking back on the Pro-Am and the success it's had over the years, Hunt says he can't believe it's been 30 years since its inception, but knowing that it is still going strong makes him happy. Hunt points to people who were main contributors to starting the Pro-Am for much of the success. In particular Kent Colvin, the president of High Plains Pizza in Liberal, who was one of the lead founders of the tournament.
"My wife and I have the greatest memories of our nine years (in Garden City)," Hunt said. "We have many, many great friends who still live out there."
It's been six years since Hunt has last been to the Southwest Kansas Pro-Am, and as the event celebrates its 30th anniversary, he won't be able to attend this year as he will be in Iowa for work. Still, when he thinks back on the days when the Pro-Am first started he can't help but be impressed and happy for the way the event has gone since it opened.
"I can't think of one specific thing that stands out, but just the pride of seeing it get off the ground is a great memory," Hunt said. "It's a success story for what it does to help the NBICU."
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