Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2016

Congratulations to…

Story by Brian Hurlburt

For the fifth-consecutive year, the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame Night of Induction is the first official event of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas and is open to the public. The inductees for 2016 are Las Vegas developer and philanthropist Irwin Molasky, PGA TOUR player Dean Wilson, long drive legend Mike Dunaway (posthumously), and respected golf course superintendent Bill Rohret.

The event is Friday, October 28 at The Hill at TPC Summerlin. Public tickets are available at www.lasvegasgolfhof.com and include dinner and drinks, plus proceeds benefit the Bill Walters Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame Scholarship fund. The Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame is operated by volunteers.

Rohret has been in the golf course business for more than 44 years, 27 those years with superintendent experience in Las Vegas. He got his start with fellow Las Vegas Golf Hall of Famer Jim Colbert as Rohret moved to Vegas from Iowa and spent his first 10 years working with the Colbert brand.

He’s worked at many Vegas courses, including Desert Rose, Stallion Mountain, Angel Park, and The Legacy. In fact, even in retirement he’s still at it as a spray technician at Highland Falls Golf Club. He also practices what he preaches by elected president of the Southern Nevada Golf Course Superintendent’s Association twice. He also was a dedicated volunteer for the Special Olympics as a past Southwest Section PGA of America Southern Nevada Chapter Person of the Year.

Molasky developed Winterwood and Stardust Country Club golf courses, as well as the communities around the courses. He also brought the Las Vegas Country Club to prominence.

He was on the ground floor in bringing the LPGA Championship to Las Vegas from 1961 to 1966, as well as the PGA TOUR’s Tournament of Champions event in 1953. He was also a member of the Las Vegas Founders Club and a supporter of the UNLV golf program.

Dean Wilson lived in Las Vegas for more than 10 years, enjoying most of his success on the PGA TOUR during that time span. Wilson has earned more than $8.9 million on the PGA TOUR and played in 262 Tour events with his lone victory coming at The International in Colorado in 2006. With all of these successes he also has two runner-up finishes.

Wilson also made PGA TOUR history in 2003 when he was paired with the LPGA’s Annika Sorenstam in the Bank of America Colonial. Sorenstam joined Babe Didrikson Zaharias (58 years earlier) as women who have competed on the PGA TOUR.

Dunaway was the epitome of long driving for show and earning dough for it. Passing away in 2014 at the age of 59, he was one of the biggest hitters and a cornerstone for the Long Drivers of America. Dunaway helped put the long drivers on the map and promoted the sport everywhere.

Dunaway got his start in the sport in 1976 when he was playing in the Las Vegas Invitational. Testing his swing on a swing speed machine, the technician said it was the fastest swing he had ever seen.

The rest, as they say, is history. From long drive contests to long-hitting stunts (like hitting golf balls from the roofs of two Las Vegas resorts, the Dunes and Caesars Palace).

Dunaway was the founder of the 350 Club, created for guys who could hit it 350 yards in long drive competitions. Dunaway was also the “swing model” for the original Callaway Golf Big Bertha driver, working directly with Ely Callaway on the creation of the club. Dunaway was introduced to Callaway by fellow Las Vegas Golf Hall of Famer Bill Walters.

SIDEBAR

Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame Inductees with Class Year

Frank Acker, 2014

Tommy Armour III, 2008

Craig Barlow, 2011

Charlie Baron, 2010

Jerry Belt, 1991

Voss Boreta, 2015

Jimmie Bullard, 2009

Helen Cannon, 2004

James Cashman, Jr., 1998

Barbara Christenson, 2015