Terry Bonar - USGA

Terry Bonar2009 Green Section Award Recipient“His golf course is always one of the best conditioned facilitiesthat I visit. Terry is current, creative, and caring — he alwayshas time to assist those who seek his counsel.” — Bob BramePHOTOS: © USGA/GARY YASKITerry Bonar is a superintendent’ssuperintendent. Having worked at theCanterbury Golf Club in Shaker Heights,Ohio, since 1961 (with a stint in the U.S. AirForce from 1963 to 1967), he is still going strongwith his border collie Molly at his side. Heworks, inspires, maintains, teaches, manages,and cares!Terry was born on December 30, 1940, thesame date as Tiger Woods but just a generationolder. He grew up in Steubenville, Ohio, andgraduated from Steubenville High School in1957. A year or two later he attended the twoyearturf program at Penn State University,interned at Oglebay Park Golf Course, andgraduated from Penn State in 1961. Afterward,he worked on the crew at Canterbury Golf Cluband became the assistant superintendent therein 1963. After serving for four years as anintelligence analyst in the U.S. Air Force, hereturned in 1967 to Canterbury as an assistantsuperintendent, and in 1984 he was appointed itsgolf course superintendent.Terry truly embodies what is good about thegame of golf. He has worked hard throughouthis career, gaining the trust, respect, and loyaltyof so many people in the industry. A man ofgreat integrity, Terry continues to improve uponthe past year and consistently generates a toplevelproduct. His quiet demeanor neither seeksattention nor requires publicity, but fittingly hehas been recognized by his peers. The OhioTurfgrass Foundation honored Terry with itsannual Professional Excellence Award in 1996,presented to highly deserving individuals whohave made significant contributions to the turfgrassindustry. In 2003, Terry received theprestigious Mal McLaren Award, the highesthonor bestowed by the Northern Ohio GolfCourse Superintendents Association, and givenonly sparingly when a truly outstanding candidateis identified. Terry was nominated for GolfMagazine’s “Superintendent of the Year Award”and came in a close second. He also has served asa volunteer on the USGA’s Green SectionCommittee for 12 years.In his long tenure, Terry has helpedCanterbury host numerous championships,including the 1979 U.S. Amateur Championshipand the 1996 U.S. Senior Open, the 1973 PGAChampionship, the Senior TPC in 1983, ’84,and ’85, and currently is directing the club’spreparations to host the 2009 Senior PGA2 GREEN SECTION RECORD