It’s always a bit sad and sweet when figures important to golf in Minnesota pass from the world of the living. The sadness, beyond the obvious loss for the families and friends involved, comes with the realization that the ranks of an important generation are being culled on an almost daily basis. The sweetness comes with recognizing the significance of the lives they lived, celebrating their noteworthy successes, and acknowledging the indelible mark they leave on the game and the people who play golf. February 9 and 15 marked the passing of Don Waryan and Louis Lick, 86 and 89 years old, respectively. Waryan was Hazeltine National’s first golf professional, and his career included stints as the head pro at Woodhill and Oak Ridge country clubs. As an apprentice assistant professional in 1986, I will always remember his consideration given to a young man new to Minnesota and looking for work. Read Mike Fermoyle’s obituary on Don Waryan.
Louis Lick once won consecutive state high school golf championships (1940-41) as a golfer from St. Paul Central High School. Even more rare, Lick won the individual NCAA golf title in 1944 as a U of M golfer and held this distinction for more than fifty years until fellow Golden Gopher James Mclean won the NCAA in 1998. See Lick’s obituary at mngolf.org.