The Long Beach Golf Hall of Fame will be welcoming three news members in 2011. Joining the group of past honorees, which sits at 59, is Steve Cook, Kathy Eaton and John Tate.
“The City of Long Beach has a rich tradition of good golf, good golfers, and great tournaments, and these individuals have been a part of that tradition”, said Hall of Fame Chairman Len Kennett.
A Long Beach native, Cook graduated from Wilson HS (’66), Long Beach City College (’68) and Long Beach State (’73) and was a top golfer at each school. After winning a variety of tournaments both as a junior and amateur, Cook turned professional in 1972. Since retiring from competitive golf, he has been an administrator with the Asian PGA tour and the South American PGA Tour, which he helped found.
Eaton is a Long Beach native and graduate of Long Beach Poly High School, and has been an integral part of the Long Beach golf community through her involvement with the nationally recognized Long Beach Golf Festival for 20 of its 23 seasons. Kathy is known for her outstanding organizational skills and was promoted to Assistant Director of the Long Beach Golf Festival in 2003. She assists the current director, fellow Long Beach Golf Hall of Fame member Bob Chaffee, in every aspect of operating each of the championship events that comprise the Golf Festival.
Tate, also a Long Beach native, won numerous golf tournaments as
a junior, and helped lead the Long Beach Wilson High School golf team to three CIF Championships in the early `50s. After serving in the Navy during the Korean Conflict, Tate turned professional and later worked as a sales rep for Titleist. Tate also founded both Power Track Golf and Golf Design, where he patented the extremely popular headwear ballmarker, used by literally millions of golfers. John owns over fifty US patents for golf related equipment.
Former Inductees:
1996: Marlene Bauer-Hagge, Bev Brines, Jane Burnsed, Tom Crosby, Paul Goydos, Betty Hicks, Adeline Jones, George Lake, Frank Newell, Jr., Millie Stanley, Del Walker, Marty Walker
1997: Laura Baugh, Sue Ewart, Marge Ferrie, Mark O’Meara
1998: Ralph Cryder, Doug Ives, Len Kennett, Chris Neal
1999: Alice Bauer, John Clock, Harlan “Pinky” Stevenson
2000: Harriet Glanville, Ruth Miller, Joe Robinson
2001: Tom Frost, Dan Gooch, Bob Livingstone, Jamie Mulligan
2002: Roland Davis, B. K. Jones, Les Padfield, Eldrick “Tiger” Woods
2003: Roger Cleveland, Monty Blodgett, Shirley Johnston, Wilbur W. “Bud” Lorbeer
2004: Mike Krantz, Mike Miles, Kemp Richardson
2005: Gordon Olson, Pearl Sinn-Bonanni
2006: Lisa Georgeson, Don Knabe, John Richardson, Bob San Jose
2007: Rudy Duran, Gwenn Hibbs, John Mansell
2008: Craig Kessler, Jeff Manson, Terry Small
2009: John Mallinger, John Merrick, Peter Tomasulo
2010: Bob Chaffee, James Oh, Ted Richards
2011: Steve Cook, Kathy Eaton, John Tate
