Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Dennis Lyon earns another national award from Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, this one for an advice column
By Gary Baines – 11/13/2024
Dennis Lyon’s career led to him being inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame and to earning national awards from the USGA and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.
And now, an article in which he offered some advice based on lessons he learned during his decades as a golf course superintendent has resulted in another national honor for the man who managed golf operations for the City of Aurora for more than 30 years.
This week, the GCSAA announced that Lyon has been selected the winner of the 2024 Leo Feser Award, which goes to the author of the best superintendent-written article published in “Golf Course Management”, the association’s flagship publication, during the previous year.
The article, “Reflections of a veteran golf course superintendent,” ran in the May issue. In the first-person piece, Lyon outlined his career path, then provided “leadership and life” advice to readers — fellow golf course superintendents.
“I did hear from some people who used to work with me,” Lyon, who retired in 2010, said in a release. “Four or five texted and said, ‘Great article.’ I’m just glad some people found it interesting or useful.”
Dennis Lyon (right), the retired manager of golf for the City of Aurora, at Murphy Creek Golf Course. (Photo: Dennis Lyon)
Lyon served as national president of the GCSAA in 1989 and was also president of the CGA board of directors in 2002-03. The Colorado State University graduate began his City of Aurora golf course superintendent career at Aurora Hills GC in 1973. Lyon managed the construction of four new courses in Aurora during his leadership tenure. He’s been a GCSAA member for 51 years.
In 2015, Lyon was named the Colorado “Superintendent of the Century” as part of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the CGA. He received the USGA Green Section Award in 2011 and the GCSAA’s Col. John Morley Award in 2013.
Lyon formally will receive the Leo Feser Award in early February at the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show in San Diego.
“Throughout his more than half a century in the association, Dennis has been a consummate leader,” GCSAA CEO Rhett Evans said. “Even in his retirement, he’s continuing to show his dedication to GCSAA and his fellow superintendents by sharing his wisdom in his article. Congratulations to Dennis on winning the Leo Feser Award. It’s a well-deserved addition to your long list of honors.”
To reach Lyon’s article in GCM, CLICK HERE.
About the Writer: Gary Baines has covered golf in Colorado continuously since 1983. He was a sports writer at the Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder, then the sports editor there, and has written regularly for ColoradoGolf.org since 2009. The University of Colorado Evans Scholar alum was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2022. He owns and operates ColoradoGolfJournal.com