Colorado Golf Hall of Fame 50th Anniversary Gala

Event showcases the best of Colorado golf

By Jim Bebbington

More than 500 gathered Saturday at The Broadmoor resort in Colorado Springs to celebrate one of the most remarkable locales in the nation devoted to local golf.

The Colorado Golf Hall of Fame relocated last spring from Denver to Colorado Springs, and is now housed in the golf and spa building of The Broadmoor. The installation – under the direction of former Colorado AvidGolfer Editor Jon Rizzi, who is now the director of the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame – wowed many of the visitors. It cost $1.7 million in donations to build, and The Broadmoor estimates that the building sees about 1 million people a year walk through.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever been here, amazing place,” said 1982 Masters champion Craig Stadler. Stadler moved his family to Evergreen east of Denver in 1994 and was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2016. “I love it; they’ve just done a phenomenal job with the Hall of Fame. It was great seeing all the stuff. They’ve worked their tails off – Jon and everybody else – it was nice just seeing everybody honored for their accomplishments.”

Saturday’s gather brought together four professionals with Colorado ties. Speaking as part of a fireside chat during the event were Stadler, Boulder-native and three-time U.S. Open champ Hale Irwin, 1996 U.S. Open champ and Yuma, Colo., native Steve Jones; and four-time LPGA major winner Hollis Stacy, who lives in Denver now.

Irwin, who grew up in Boulder and played golf for the University of Colorado, said the hall honors not only great golfers but the family members behind them.

“I guess I’m overwhelmed a little bit by the effort that’s been put in to feature Colorado golf and to be a small part of the history of golf in Colorado I’m quite honored,” he said. “To see some of the exploits and some of the other things some of the other recipients have done. Lets not forget its not just the honorees. Theres a lot of pole out there who are a support system to all of that. I couldn’t have done what I’ve done without the support of my family, some of whom are here tonight. I might be having a picture on the wall but theres a bigger story behind that with all the people up there, that’s the story to me.”

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Colorado AvidGolfer Magazine is the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it, publishing eight issues annually and proudly delivering daily content via coloradoavidgolfer.com.

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Jim Bebbington is Director of Content for Colorado AvidGolfer and can be reached at [email protected]