Five Inducted into Hall of Fame

Colorado Golf Hall of Fame Inducts Five New Members and Honors Leaders in the Game

By Jim Bebbington

The Colorado Golf Hall of Fame recently inducted five new members and honored several players and golf course operation leaders for excellent service to the game.

The five new inductees are:

Rollie Cahalane – A Wyoming native, Cahalane served as an elite golf course superintendent at both Columbine Country Club and the Inverness Golf Club, launching a family tradition of excellence in golf course maintenance. After his work at Columbine, he began 20 years as superintendent of the Inverness Golf Club in 1981. He was elected president of the Rocky Mountain Golf Course Superintendents Association, and three of his sons—Dave, Kevin and Craig—followed him into careers as golf course superintendents. Cahalane retired in 2001 and died in 2012.

Robert Polk – Polk, former CEO and co-owner of Polk Majestic Travel Group, has built a remarkable competitive career as one of the best senior tournament players in Colorado history. He has won 16 Colorado Golf Association titles, including one Mid-Amateur championship, five Senior Amateurs, two Senior Match Plays, two Super-Senior Amateurs, one Super-Senior Match Play and five Senior Four-Balls. This year, at age 70, he captured his latest CGA title in the Super-Senior Match Play. Over 15 seasons (2007–21), Polk earned the CGA Senior Player of the Year Award four times, the most since Colorado Golf Hall of Famer John Olive won the award seven times from 1997–2005.

Lance Johnson – The longtime superintendent of golf for the city of Westminster, Johnson has played a leading role in the development of Westminster’s two acclaimed public courses: Legacy Ridge Golf Course and Walnut Creek Golf Preserve. Walnut Creek is held in such high esteem that it regularly hosts local U.S. Open qualifiers for both men and women, as well as numerous high-level junior tournaments each year. Since becoming the City of Westminster’s Golf, Parks and Open Space Manager in 2015, Johnson oversees the two golf courses, 63 parks, 3,800 acres of open space and Standley Lake Regional Park. Under his leadership, Westminster’s courses have hosted more than 120 CGA, USGA, PGA and AJGA events, as well as qualifiers for the Colorado Open and the Korn Ferry Tour’s Ascendant tournament.

Jon Lindstrom – Lindstrom, a member of Lakewood Country Club, is one of Colorado’s most accomplished mid-amateur and senior amateur golfers. In recent years, his achievements have extended well beyond state borders, as he has been ranked as high as sixth in the world among amateurs aged 55 and older. He won the 2023 Trans-Mississippi Senior Championship and the 2024 Golfweek Senior Division National Championship, and he finished ninth at the 2023 British Senior Amateur. He has competed in 18 USGA championships and has been low amateur four times at the Inspirato Colorado Senior Open, including a second-place playoff finish in 2020.

Tom Apple – A PGA professional, Apple served for 40 years as the PGA director of golf at the Vail Valley’s first private facility, the Country Club of the Rockies, where he continues to serve as an instructor following his retirement last year. Eighteen of his former assistants have gone on to become head professionals. Apple also continues to host the Vail International Pro-Am, a tournament he founded 38 years ago that donates its proceeds to the Vail community.

Also honored at the Hall of Fame’s annual induction dinner were Future Famers Ashleigh Wilson, Miles Kuhl and Tyler Long. Duffy Solich of Castle Pines Golf Club was recognized as Person of the Year. Broadcaster Verne Lundquist, who resides part-time in Steamboat, received a Lifetime Achievement Award, as did former Castle Pines Golf Club General Manager Keith Schneider. Mitch Savage, the longtime superintendent of CommonGround Golf Course, was given a Distinguished Service Award

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