David S. Gourlay, one of the founding members of Canadian Golf Superinendents Association, died Wednesday at the age of 95.
David Gourlay was born in Johnstone, Scotland in 1923 and was a member of the RAF during WW II before coming to Canada.
He entered the turf management course at the University of Massachusetts in 1951 and worked as a golf course superintendent at the Chedoke, Kapuskasing, Pine Valley, Summit, Summerlea and Thornhill, where he remained for 30 years.
Mr. Gourlay inspired numerous individuals in the industry, including his family. His son David has worked at several locations in Canada and the U.S., where he is general manager of Boca Woods Country Club in Florida, and his grandson Matthew is currently the CGCS at Colbert Hills Golf Club in Kansas.
“He was a true gentleman and extremely dedicated to the association and the profession of superintendent,” said CGSA past president Jim Flett, who worked for Gourlay in 1984.
He was a founding ember of the CGSA and a member and president of the Ontario Golf Superintendents Association (OGSA) in 1968.
He went on to become CGSA president in 1973 and editor of CGSA’s GreenMaster magazine from 1974-1981.
Awards include CGSA Superintendent of the Year in 1982, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) Distinguished Service Award in 1987 and CGSA’s John B. Steel Distinguished Service Award in 1996.
A donation will be made in Gourlay’s memory to the CGSA Scholar’s Fund, which is used to support future turf professionals in completing their studies.
A celebration of life will be held on Tuesday, May 22 from 4 – 8 p.m. at the Thornhill Club, 7994 Yonge Street in Thornhill, Ont.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in David’s memory may be made to Canadian Cancer Society, or Autism Ontario.