Publisher’s Pitch

BY DICK STEPHENS

The Puetz family and leadership have been teeing it up for Seattle golfers for 80 years!

The year was 1945 and for many people, that year was like no other in the 20th century.

It marked the death of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the spring, ceremoniously followed by then Vice President Harry S. Truman assuming the Presidency in the midst of World War II. The Missourian, a plainspoken patriot, quickly forced it all to a close later that summer.

VJ Day in August 1945 was the signal that better times were ahead.

Golf, despite being overshadowed by the war, endured as it always had and its stars that year were some of the brightest the sport has ever seen — setting the stage for golf to explode post war.

In 1945, Texan Byron Nelson had a legendary season, winning 18 tournaments, including 11 in a row, a record that still stands. Sam Snead and Ben Hogan were also top players that year, though Nelson’s performance was exceptional and never repeated.

Three-time Olympic medalist Babe Didrikson Zaharias also competed against men, making the cut in three PGA Tour events that year, catapulting the LPGA into the future.

Zaharias won the 1945 Women’s Western Open by defeating Dorothy Germain, marking her third victory in that championship. It was also a rematch of the 1944 final, which she also won.

Golf was buzzing 80 years ago ignited by these legends and the public game was on fire. And right here in Seattle, golf history was made in 1945 by a family that has done more for the sport than any other. Puetz Golf was founded then, rolled out its first sales and service and has never stopped rolling since.

“Just thinking of Al and Pete Puetz starting a driving range in North Seattle in April 1945 — the same month the Germans surrendered to the Allies and four months before the total end of WWII — makes me shake my head in bewilderment,” said General Manager Mike Livingston, who is the longtime helmsman of one of the most successful golf retail operations in America. “What a feat!”

The two Puetz brothers at the time had no idea what their vision would become, but it’s stood the test of time and competition like no other.

“The entire evolution of golf equipment has run through Puetz Golf’s operation over the past 80 years, and we’ve enjoyed adapting to those changes and seeing how much more enjoyable the game can be,” said Livingston.

Current owner David Puetz, son of Peter, has courageously navigated this legendary brand through everything a business can endure during the many decades he’s been the top man. And his good fortune to have Livingston take Puetz into the modern era of high-tech components and fittings is nothing short of a great success and execution at its finest.

“With the ever-changing golf retail landscape over the past 80 years, I can’t help but feel truly blessed to have our local operation not only exist but also thrive over those 80 years,” Livingston humbly shared.

The Puetz values in 1945 and today are the same: friendly expert service, the largest selection of equipment and apparel, world-class instruction and a passion for players from beginner to expert. With four locations in Seattle-Tacoma, they are minutes from any player to find a friendly resource to depend on whenever they need it.

For me personally, I can share something that perhaps no one else can. I have launched three golf magazines in my career — Northwest Golf in 1990, Pacific Northwest Golfer in 1994 and Cascade Golfer nearly 18 years ago. Puetz Golf each time was the first to sign on as an advertiser and believer. David Puetz did so on the first two titles and my good friend Mike did on Cascade Golfer, which is a lovely partnership that just gets better and better.

We wish to congratulate the Puetz family and the loyal team there on 80 amazing years — kudos! I can’t imagine Seattle without Puetz Golf. In fact, do me a favor the next time you drop into the Seattle driving range or the superstores in Bellevue, Southcenter or Tacoma. Tell their team “way to go,” bring them donuts or give them a high five. They deserve and demand our thanks and respect.

Enjoy the warmth of August golf AND... AS ALWAYS, TAKE IT EASY!