PNGA Legend Carl Jonson Passes

Northwest golf icon Carl Jonson passed away on April 14. Carl was 92 years of age. Carl was a golf champion and volunteer, respected Seattle area attorney, family man, and community leader.

It's safe to say that without Carl and his brother Ernie (Jonson) carrying the Pacific Northwest Golf Association through the 1960's and '70's, the association would have likely disbanded and would not exist as it is today. Carl provided the leadership and legal expertise as a PNGA director and officer over four decades, serving as PNGA President from 1965-67. He annually made the arrangements for Northwest golf clubs to host PNGA championships and then would travel to each of them, sporting his navy blue blazer and PNGA pocket logo, and assist in running them. Ernie provided office space and administrative staff for the association, at no cost, from his downtown Seattle accounting office for over a decade.

Carl was an integral part of the creation of many PNGA services and activities, including organized electronic handicapping service (among the first in the nation), creating the PNGA Senior Men's Amateur Championship (1965), and the PNGA Hall of Fame (1978). He was also a long-time supporter of the Evans Caddie Scholarship program in the Northwest.

In 1966, Carl was the driving force in bringing together the leading golf associations in the western U.S. to initiate the Pacific Coast Amateur Championship. The inaugural event was played at Seattle Golf Club in 1967 and drew the attention of USGA Executive Director, Joe Dey, who attended. Today, the Pacific Coast Amateur Championship is regarded as one of the premier amateur golf competitions.

Carl was also one of the founding members of Sahalee Country Club in the late 1960's. He served as club president from 1967-70. When Sahalee hosted the 1998 PGA Championship, it was the realization of a dream of Carl's. In honor of his efforts to bring the major championship to the Seattle area Carl served as event's General Chairman. Sahalee will host the 2010 U.S. Senior Open, a legacy that Carl helped establish at the club.

Carl was inducted into the PNGA Hall of Fame in 1987. He served on the USGA Sectional Affairs Committee (now Regional Affairs Committee) for 20 years, and was a participant and served as captain of the Hudson Cup's Amateur Team. (See below for more of Jonson's accomplishments as an amateur player.)

In 1997 the PNGA awarded Carl and Ernie the inaugural Distinguished Service Award, the association's highest honor, in an emotional ceremony before 150 PNGA club representatives at the Annual Meeting at Fircrest Golf Club. Upon accepting his award, Carl said: "I could not be more proud of the organization the PNGA has become . . . it was a labor of love for Ernie and I to be a part of the PNGA and we know its future is bright."

Carl was predeceased by his wife Leanna, Ernie and sisters Bernice and Corinne. Carl is survived by his sons Jerry (spouse Kathleen), Mike (Candace) and Dick (Noelle); and six grandchildren, Cord, Mac, Kevin, Lindsey, Quinn and Dane.

A celebration of Carl Jonson's life will be held at Sahalee in Sammamish, Wash., on Friday, May 2, at 4:00 p.m. Remembrances should be made to the Pacific Northwest Golf Association Patrons of Golf Program at: 355 -118th Avenue SE, Suite 100, Bellevue, WA 98005 - 1-800-643-64100 For more details, visit www.thepnga.org.

Accomplishments
U.S. Amateur Public Links Team Championship 1936
PNGA Senior Men's Amateur Champion 1975 & 1977; Finalist 1971, 1972, 1973 & 1979
Hudson Cup Team Member 1957
Senior Hudson Cup Team Captain 1993
USGA Sectional Affairs Committeeman 1964-84
Pacific Coast Golf Association President (Founder) 1967
PNGA President 1965-67
Seattle Golf Association President 1939
Sahalee Country Club President (Founder) 1967-70
Inducted into the Pacific Northwest Golf Hall of Fame in 1987