R.I.P. Will Nicholson

Gary Baines reports for the Colorado Golf Association on the passing of the former Masters Competition Committee chair, USGA president from 1980-81 and CGA board member for 43 years.

Baines writes:

The son of a former mayor of Denver, Nicholson served as president of the USGA in 1980-81, the culmination of an 11-year run on the association's powerful Executive Committee. The only other Coloradans to have held that post are Frank Woodward of Denver (1915-16) and Judy Bell of Colorado Springs (1996-97).

As chairman of the Competition Committee from 1992 through 2006 -- and a prominent authority on the Rules of Golf -- Nicholson was responsible for setting up the course for the Masters during those years. A member at Augusta National Golf Club for about 35 years, he also was chairman of the Masters Rules Committee from 1989 through 2006.

Nicholson was on the ground floor for establishing and adjusting the Rules of Golf in recent decades, having served on the USGA Rules of Golf Committee since 1974.

Nicholson, a prominent banker and onetime chairman of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, was a fixture on the CGA Board of Governors an amazing 43 years since first accepting that role in 1973. And since the creation of the Colorado Golf Foundation in 2012, Nicholson has been the chairman of that philanthropic organization that was started with a lead gift from George and Carol Solich.

"I'm pleased we were able to recognize (Nicholson) as our Man of the Century last fall. That pretty much says it all," said CGA executive director Ed Mate, who long has worked with Nicholson on golf-related matters. "There's no individual who's done more for the game and for the CGA in the last 100 years than Will Nicholson. He's on the Mount Rushmore of golf in Colorado for sure."