Pod for the Course

Mike Riste serves as the historian for the BC Golf Museum, and is the official historian for the PNGA. He assembled the initial research for “Washington Golf: 100 Years of Growing the Game,” the centennial history book of Washington Golf, published in 2022.

Mike may claim he is not a writer, but his body of work is substantial. He co-authored the monumental “Championships & Friendships,” the centennial history book of the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA); and wrote “Just Call Me Mac,” the biography of noted Northwest course architect, A. Vernon Macan. 

He first became involved in golf in the spring of 1960 when Capilano Golf and Country Club (in West Vancouver, B.C.) advertised for caddies for their opening day tournament. Mike would later become the very first Evans Caddie Scholarship recipient from the Northwest. 

In 1986, when the University Golf Course clubhouse (in Vancouver, B.C.) came vacant, MIke assembled a group of volunteers to renovate the structure into a golf museum. Today, BC Golf House is in a building that is the oldest structure still used for golf in B.C., and the BC Golf Museum is the only provincial or state standalone golf museum in North America. 

In 2013, Mike received the Distinguished Service Award from the Northwest Golf Media Association.

Mike Riste serves as the historian for the BC Golf Museum, and is the official historian for the PNGA. He assembled the initial research for “Washington Golf: 100 Years of Growing the Game,” the centennial history book of Washington Golf, published in 2022.

Mike may claim he is not a writer, but his body of work is substantial. He co-authored the monumental “Championships & Friendships,” the centennial history book of the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA); and wrote “Just Call Me Mac,” the biography of noted Northwest course architect, A. Vernon Macan. 

He first became involved in golf in the spring of 1960 when Capilano Golf and Country Club (in West Vancouver, B.C.) advertised for caddies for their opening day tournament. Mike would later become the very first Evans Caddie Scholarship recipient from the Northwest. 

In 1986, when the University Golf Course clubhouse (in Vancouver, B.C.) came vacant, MIke assembled a group of volunteers to renovate the structure into a golf museum. Today, BC Golf House is in a building that is the oldest structure still used for golf in B.C., and the BC Golf Museum is the only provincial or state standalone golf museum in North America. 

In 2013, Mike received the Distinguished Service Award from the Northwest Golf Media Association. 

Not picking up a golf club until the age of 30, Durel Billy found himself going all in on the game, determined to get better. And then he discovered hickory golf, causing him to delve deeper into the history of the game, inspired by his discovery of John Shippen being the first U.S.-born professional and also an African American. In 2013, Durel founded the Atlantic Pacific National Golf Club, providing an outlet for friends, old and new, to play regular events together. Durel then revived the Washington State Hickory Open, held in 2014 at The Home Course. Now serving on the Board of Directors of Washington Golf, he is also on the Centennial Committee as the association prepares for its 100th year since its founding. Very active on social media under the handle Billy Bogey, Durel has become one of the conduits into the game for others. 

Austin Hurt shot 81 (this is not a misprint) in the first round of the 2009 Washington Men’s Amateur while suffering an eye allergy that sent him to the hospital after the round. The championship that year was held at his home course of Palouse Ridge Golf Club in Pullman, Wash. But he then shot 69 in the second round to make the cut. And although he shot another 69 in the third round, he still began the final round a mountainous nine strokes behind the leader. In that final round, Hurt shot a course record 7-under 65 to win the title by a shot.

Now the PGA head professional at Wing Point Golf and Country Club on Bainbridge Island, Wash., this summer Hurt qualified to play in the PGA Championship, his first major on the PGA Tour. In this podcast, Hurt reminisces about his 2009 victory and his experience of playing a practice round this summer with Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson.

When Sharon Johnston started playing golf in 1975, she went all in, both on and off the course. A natural athlete, she began competing almost immediately. As a member of Fircrest Golf Club, she became involved with the Washington State Women’s Golf Association (WSWGA), and in 1984 served as its president. In 1998, she would win the WSWGA Championship, adding her name to a list of prominent champions. She competed in the inaugural Washington Women’s Amateur in 1994. She soon became involved with the WSGA (now WA Golf), first as a Club Representative, then as a member of the Board of Directors, and then as a member of the WSGA Executive Committee. She served as the chair of the WSGA Championship Committee from 1997-2007, and was instrumental in the expansion of WA Golf’s statewide championships. She had to step down from that role only because she became the first woman president of the WSGA in the fall of 2007, and would carry out those duties for two years. Her other volunteer roles include serving on the WA Golf Course Rating team, as well as the Rules committee. 

Mike Riste serves as the historian for the BC Golf Museum, and is the official historian for the PNGA. He assembled the initial research for “Washington Golf: 100 Years of Growing the Game,” the centennial history book of Washington Golf, published in 2022.

Mike may claim he is not a writer, but his body of work is substantial. He co-authored the monumental “Championships & Friendships,” the centennial history book of the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA); and wrote “Just Call Me Mac,” the biography of noted Northwest course architect, A. Vernon Macan.

He first became involved in golf in the spring of 1960 when Capilano Golf and Country Club (in West Vancouver, B.C.) advertised for caddies for their opening day tournament. Mike would later become the very first Evans Caddie Scholarship recipient from the Northwest.

In 1986, when the University Golf Course clubhouse (in Vancouver, B.C.) came vacant, MIke assembled a group of volunteers to renovate the structure into a golf museum. Today, BC Golf House is in a building that is the oldest structure still used for golf in B.C., and the BC Golf Museum is the only provincial or state standalone golf museum in North America.

In 2013, Mike received the Distinguished Service Award from the Northwest Golf Media Association.

In 2010, Ann Swanson knew she was in line to become president of the Washington State Women’s Golf Association (WSWGA) in 2012. So in preparation, she went all-in by writing and publishing a book about the 90-year history of the WSWGA. Founded in 1922, the WSWGA is celebrating its centennial in 2022, along with WA Golf’s centennial in 2022.

Ann twice won the Washington Senior Women’s Amateur (2000-2001), won the WSWGA Championship nine times (and was runner-up nine times), and won the Seattle Women’s Golf Association (SWGA) title seven times. Ann also wrote and published a history book about the SWGA. She has several other titles to her credit, all of which led to her being inducted into the Pacific Northwest Golf Hall of Fame in 2007. In this podcast, Ann talks about the beginnings of golf in the state, which led to the founding of the WSWGA (and WSGA, now WA Golf). 

Jeff Wallach has published his new novel, Everyone Here is From Somewhere Else, the follow-up to his novel Mr. Wizard, and continues to chronicle the journey of two brothers who discover they have Irish heritage and set off in search of links golf, Guinness, and themselves. 

 Wallach, who lives in Portland, Ore., is the author of five non-fiction books and two novels, as well as nearly 1,000 articles, essays, reviews, and columns in The New York Times, The Oregonian, Sports Illustrated, and many other national publications. He wrote the history book of Eugene (Ore.) Country Club. 

 His new novel will launch on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2022. The book can be purchased at Open Books or at JeffWallach.com, and on Amazon. 

WA Golf is celebrating its centennial history in 2022, and among the year’s festivities is the publication of a history book, which is authored by Dan Raley.

In this podcast, Raley talks about the people he interviewed, the unknown facts he discovered, and the final thoughts he came to, during his 18 months in writing the book.

Sean Kato went wire-to-wire in winning last year’s Washington Men’s Amateur and returns this year to defend his title in the 100th Washington Men’s Amateur, to be held July 6-8 on the Olympic Course at Gold Mountain GC in Bremerton, Wash. 

Sean is entering his fourth year on the men’s golf team at Oregon State University, but because of a shoulder injury and the 2020 season canceled due to COVID-19, he still has two years of eligibility remaining. Prior to enrolling at Oregon State, Sean won the 2017 Washington State Junior Championship, and led his Redmond High School squad to the 2017 4A State Championship. He was selected for Team Washington in the Junior America’s Cup for three years, leading the team to the title in 2016. 

He qualified for and played in the 2021 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball, held in May at Chambers Bay and The Home Course. Because his partner, Oregon State teammate Jackson Lake, withdrew to compete with the OSU team in the NCAA Championship (Kato was not eligible because of lost time due to a shoulder injury), Sean had the unusual experience of having to play solo in the Four-Ball.