Gordon Witteveen, iconic golf course superintendent, mentor, author, family man
Passed away December 16 in Southlake Hospital in Newmarket, Ontario of complications arising from chronic leukemia. He was 76.
Born in the Netherlands, Gordon emigrated to Canada at age 20 and, notwithstanding the fact that his English was rudimentary, he enrolled in the Ontario Agricultural College (now the University of Guelph), and with encouragement from his brother and sister, and by working during summers he graduated from a program in horticulture in 1958.
He became superintendent at London Highlands Country Club. Three years later he moved to Toronto to embark on a 12-year tenure as superintendent at the now defunct Northwood Golf Course. In 1973 he became superintendent at the 36-hole Toronto Board of Trade Country Club, which he expanded to 45 holes a few years later.
He was active with the Ontario Suprintendents Association and helped found the Canadian Golf Course Superintendents Association. He also served as a director of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and on its historical preservation committee.
A frequent contributor to industry publications, he received awards and accolades for his writings, initiated The Greenmaster magazine and served as its editor for five years. Gordon co-authored a book titled Practical Golf Course Maintenance which is in its second printing, has been translated into Spanish, and serves as a textbook for several college golf course maintenance programs. A seminar based on the book, The Magic of Greenkeeping, has been presented all over North and South America and beyond He also wrote two books on golf course management history, as well as family history books.
He tried his hand at golf course architecture and designed several successful courses still in operation today. Upon retiring from the Board of Trade in 199, Gordon, with his brother Harry, re-opened a dormant 9-hole golf course (Pleasant View Golf Course)which he had laid out years before near Brantford and owned/operated it until its sale in 2008.
A world traveler who visited and played golf courses all over the globe, Gordon often spoke to superintendent groups with presentations together with his friend and colleague, Michael Bavier of Chicago. He was a lecturer of golf course maintenance courses at local colleges for several years.
In 1995 Gordon and his then-assistant Corey Jansen became involved in a website, Turfnet, actively participating in a forum dialog, dispensing advice, opinions and experiences. He wrote a column, The Last Word for six years and most recently contributed a blog, The Way I See It.
As an accomplished career superintendent, author, teacher and lecturer, Gordon felt his most lasting and greatest achievement in the golf industry was the many young men and women he mentored as assistants or employees who have followed in his footsteps and call him guru. Over thirty of Canada’s finest superintendents worked for Gordon and currently look after some of the best courses in Canada.
He is mourned by his family: his spouse of twenty years,Marilyn; his brothers Harry of Brantford, John of Orangeville, and sister Katherine of Cambridge; his children Ann of South Africa, Sidney of Alma, and Margaret of Guelph; stepsons Andrew of Seattle and Geoffrey of Sydney, N.S., and stepdaughter, Janna of Australia; grandchildren Riley and Katie of Guelph; step-grandchildren Aidan, Sophie and Morgan of Nova Scotia, Callum and Taten of Seattle, and Josie of Australia. He will be missed by many friends and colleagues as an unforgettable influence in their lives.
A private funeral will be held on Wednesday, December 22 at Thompson Funeral Home, 530 Industrial Parkway South, Aurora (905 727-5421), visitation at 10 a.m., funeral at 11 a.m., with reception to follow. A memorial service is planned for after the holidays. Donations to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society would be appreciated by the family.
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