Received award in 1998

For the past quarter of a century Gordon Sperry has been 'golf's volunteer', not only for the Utah Golf Association, but for the Utah Section of the PGA, the Utah Open, and numerous individual tournaments around the state.

He is most often seen on the number one tee introducing players to each other and giving tournament instructions, but he is also seen in the scoring tent at the end of the day checking the scores and helping with scoreboard chores. He has spent hundreds of days helping tournaments run smoothly, and in the process he has met thousands of golfers. He has given them calming words for tense nerves on the first tee, and offered a listening ear to frustrated golfers as they've turned their scorecards in for review at the end of the day. He has patiently listened as players have endlessly recounted their rounds stroke-by-stroke, the good, the bad, and the ugly, thinking that he really cared.

He started his volunteer service in golf at the Utah Open in 1976 and he has worked every Utah Open since then. For the past 20 years he has volunteered his services to the Utah Golf Association for dozens of tournaments each year, including the Utah State Amateur and all the qualifying events. He has also served on the Course Rating Committee and has been a rating team leader for the past few years.

All this volunteering hasn't been easy. There have been rough roads when differences of opinion have surfaced, but whenever his opinion didn't carry the day he was back the next day in his work shoes and with a smile. He has always been a team player.

He has had key volunteer assignments at the Tri City Open, the Wendy's Open, the Hogan and Nike events. He has worked at the PGA Senior Tour from its first year as the Shootout at Jeremy Ranch to the present time at Park Meadows. He has also worked numerous charity events, particularly for the heart and cancer associations. Administrators of golf tournaments in Utah know that they can count on Gordon.

He was born on May 26, 1932 in Nephi, Utah and graduated from Juab High School where he played baseball and basketball. In 1952 he married his high school sweetheart Diane McKay, and they have been a wonderful support system for each other. They raised three children, David, Nancy, and Suzanne.

He served in the United States Air Force for four years during the Korean War, and graduated from the University of Utah in 1959 with a degree in accounting. He has been a rabid Utah fan ever since.

He has been an accountant, a building contractor, and most recently an independent specialty sales rep.

He has suffered for many years with diabetes and must take insulin shots daily, but through the inconvenience and discomfort of this debilitating disease, he has always smiled and encouraged others and never focused attention on his own troubles and tribulations.

He is a generous guy with a big, sensitive heart and is fully deserving of the UGA Gold Club Award for the example of unselfish caring and sharing he has set for all of us.