The golf community in Kansas City lost a giant this week, as Bob Reid passed away on December 15th. Bob dedicated a huge portion of his life to promoting and administering amateur golf both locally and nationally. He is a member of the Kansas, Missouri and Kansas City Golf Halls of Fame. Below is what is inscribed on his plaque for the Kansas City Golf Hall of Fame:
Bob Reid ( 1920 – 2015 )
Born in Webster Groves, Missouri Bob Reid served in the Army Air Corps during WW II (1941-1945). From 1945 until his retirement in 1980, he was a pilot for TWA.
Mr. Reid served as Executive Director of the Kansas City Golf Association from 1982-1997. During the years 1982-1995 the KCGA offices were located in Mr. Reid’s home in Prairie Village. In 1995 the association opened its first “real” office in the Ranch Mart shopping center.
He was also Executive Director of the Missouri Golf Association from 1984-87 and President of the Kansas Golf Association from 1978-80. Asserting the respect he had earned in service to the game, Mr. Reid was the primary moving force in the effort to bring KGA events to the Kansas City area on a regular basis.
Mr. Reid was a USGA committeeman and rules official from 1970-1999, working more than twenty major tournaments, including the U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur, U.S. Senior Open and the Walker Cup. He had the responsibility of being the referee in the final match of the Missouri Amateur Championship thirteen times.
In recognition of his tireless work to advance the amateur game in the Kansas City region, the Board of Directors of the Kansas City Golf Association is proud to include Bob Reid in the inaugural (2013) class of the Kansas City Golf Hall of Fame.
Below are some thoughts and comments from the Kansas City Golf Community regarding Bob.
(Please email doug@kcgolf.org if you’d like to be included.)
“Bob was the ED when I first started playing competitive golf in KC. Everyone knew he was responsible for growing the KCGA from a “seat-of-the-pants” operation to a real association capable of staging championship caliber events for local players. He housed the association office in his basement for many years and (along with his assistant Nancy Sedorcek) he ushered in a new era of amateur golf for Kansas City players. What we are as an association today, we owe in large measure to the time, dedication and effort Bob gave to the KCGA.” — Don Kuehn
“I knew Bob, “Killer” as he was often called, for 46 years. I flew with him, worked with him in the Kansas City Golf Association when he was Executive Director, played golf with him and shared memories with him over martinis. Should be the poster child for Gentleman. RIP Killer.” — Tom Hoskins
“Bob Reid was devoted to the game of golf and the people who make up the game. From the 1970’s after succeeding Loren Lamberth to 1997 he was the KCGA. Before computers Bob made all the scorecards and scoresheets for all the USGA and KCGA events by hand. Many times I heard that he had been up until 1 a.m. or so, carefully spelling every name correctly and all in his very artistic handwriting. A tireless worker he.
Bob was a TWA pilot after learning to fly in the US Army Air Corp in WW II. B24s I believe. After retiring from TWA he became deeply involved in Kansas City golf. Besides the KCGA, he was also executive director for the KGA and the MGA at different times. Very knowledgeable about the Rules of Golf, over the years he refereed 15 final matches for the Missouri Amateur.
Some of his most memorable feats of memory were his speeches at the Heart of America dinners. With 30 plus directors and their wives or significant others in attendance Bob introduced all 60 or 70 people by name and said something about each one. Never missed a name.
From Bob Reid’s basement to the various offices the KCGA has rented since 1996, the KCGA has continued to grow and serve the golfing community of Kansas City. Bob was inducted into the KGA Hall of Fame in 2000, the MGA Hall of Fame in 2007 and the KCGA Hall of Fame in 2013. Many thanks, Bob.” — Jack Garvin
“I remember when Bob was running the KCGA out of his house. His only concern was to make sure the organization was running smoothly and the tournaments went off without a hitch. He left the KCGA in much better condition then when he started working with it. He was a great rules official and a true gentleman. He will be greatly missed. RIP ‘Killer’.” — Ron Brewer
“He was a great man…so true that he was always smiling!!” — Karen Hass
“Gosh, I’m really sorry to hear that. I’ll always remember having my mom run me over to the KCGA offices at Ranchmart shopping center to drop off my team’s check and application for the Heart of America. We were always getting this done the last day – because that’s how long it took me to convince my parents to split the entry fee with me. And I could never figure out why the golf association was in the back half of the strip mall. I always thought it should be at some golf course somewhere…Anyway, I’ll always remember Bob because he always had a smile on his face and thanked the players for playing at every event – no matter the circumstance. We always felt appreciated and welcomed. He was truly one of the good guys in the business.” — Doug Albers
“Bob was a fine man he always had a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face. His dedication to The KCGA was truly amazing and any golfer in KC past or present owes a debt of gratitude to him for his tireless efforts. His smile was infectious. I clearly recall a day when I needed a ruling. I was insistent that I deserved free relief. “Killer” came rolling up with a big smile on his face and I pleaded my case…he was still smiling of course…the smile left his face when he asked me “did you hit the shot that ended up there?” I confirmed that I had. Smiling again he said, “well you’re going to hit the next one from that mess you hit it in”…all I could do was smile and say thanks! That was Bob though he just had a way of making you feel better. RIP Killer that bright star in the Sky is you smiling down on us!” — Tom Leonard
“I met Bob somewhere in the 70’s. Bob was such kind person, I don’t know how he could call a rule on someone. Ned Rychel and I were running the junior and Bob would call see how things went. We would talk for 30 minutes and my wife asked what Bob said. I would tell her, I don’t know his mind was faster than mouth. The number of hours that he spent as a volunteer were unbelievable. — Jerry Krause
“Bob was one of the most generous people I have ever met. Every time I went to his house, he tried to give me one of his priceless paintings from the US Open. In the early years of the Heart of America Four Ball, the KCGA gave the winners a ring. Bob had one of the rings in his stash, and several years ago before my Dad’s death, Bob gave it to him because (according to Bob) my Dad and I were the first Father/Son team to play in the tournament. My Dad wore it proudly until he died.” — Skip Talley
“Bob Reid was the last of a unique breed of golf volunteers and administrators. He did everything at the KCGA along with the help of a one staffer and a small group of dedicated volunteers. Bob developed, promoted and administered a series of historic championships and USGA qualifiers in Kansas City through which many great names of our time competed alongside legions of amateur golfers who loved to compete. He would do the scoreboard, the scoring, on-course rules and the awards. Everyone knew and loved Bob. You never tired of his stories. In 1993 when I become the Executive Director of the Kansas Golf Association, Bob was one of the first people to reach out to me and offer his help and friendship. In a time when the dealings between our two golf associations had become too competitive, Bob took the opportunity to forge a fresh relationship between the two golf associations in Kansas. That seed has grown over the last 20 years to a point where the two Associations routinely help each other and they will now jointly present the Heart of America Four-Ball Championship. Thousands of Kansas City area golfers benefited from the work, dedication and vision of this wonderful man!” — Kim Richey
“In the many decades of his leadership and work with local golfers and clubs, and the hundreds or thousands of lives that he touched, i don’t think there is a person who has a harsh word to say about him. A gentleman of the highest order.” — Bob Bezek