R.I.P. Former USGA President Grant Spaeth

One of the most respected former USGA Presidents has passed.

Grant Spaeth, collegiate golfing great and advocate for the game, followed in the mold of fellow Northern Californian Sandy Tatum and could safely be characterized as the last of an era attracted to serve the game for unselfish reasons.

David Shefter is thankfully still around at USGA.org to memorialize the life and interesting times of Spaeth.

This I didn’t know:

Spaeth graduated from Stanford and Harvard Law School before a brief stint in the U.S. Army, later establishing a law practice in Palo Alto. He also devoted a good deal of time to public service. He served as the deputy secretary for the Department of Health, Education and Welfare from 1978-80, and was a Palo Alto city councilman.

As a member of the USGA Executive Committee and then the Association’s president in 1990 and 1991, Spaeth was instrumental in creating the U.S. Mid-Amateur and U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur championships and the USGA’s Regional Affairs department, while also guiding the Association through some turbulent times.

David Eger, Senior Director of Rules and Competition for the USGA just after Spaeth’s presidency, shared this with GeoffShackelford.com:

Biggie, as he was known to his friends, was a scholarly, soft spoken, caring big man. Starting as general counsel on the Executive Committee, he rose up thru its chairs ultimately serving as USGA president in the early 1990’s. 

He loved golf and its traditions and rules. He was a very good player before contracting the putting yips. Everyone who played golf with Grant, or for that matter even knew him, became instant and lifelong friends. He genuinely liked you.

From Ron Kroichick’s San Francisco Chronicle remembrance:

Spaeth, a longtime lawyer in Palo Alto, was born in England and spent part of his childhood in Uruguay, where his dad was stationed. The family lived across the street from a golf course, and that’s where young Grant learned to play the game at age 11 or 12.

GolfClubAtlas.com interviewed Spaeth eleven years ago and it’s still a good read.

Bob Stevens recorded several discussions with Spaeth and posted them to YouTube. This clip on Tiger Woods is great.

This from Stanford coach Conrad Ray:

We lost a titan of the game today. Sad news on the passing of Grant Spaeth, fmr USGA pres, Stanford class of ‘54, and NCAA tm Champ in ‘53. Thanks from all of us who have benefited in some way from being part of the @usga, @SUGolfCourse, and @StanfordMGolf #youwillbemissed

— Conrad Ray (@cardcoachray) July 29, 2020