The NCGA mourns the loss of former University of San Francisco Director of Golf and Alister MacKenzie Society historian Dr. Gary Nelson.
A third-generation San Franciscan, Dr. Nelson had been affiliated with USF’s athletic department in various roles since his appointment as men’s head golf coach in June of 2005.
After a five-year stint heading up the Dons’ men’s program, Nelson moved into the role of director of golf for the men’s and women’s programs in the fall of 2009. He relinquished his duties in 2010 when he was appointed USF’s interim athletic director, where he successfully led a smooth administrative transition leading up to the appointment of Scott Sidwell in May of 2011.
Nelson then resumed his administrative duties with both golf programs and added the title of associate athletic director for alumni affairs.
During his tenure as head coach of the men’s program, the Dons rose from 285th to 42nd in the national rankings. In 2009, he was named the West Coast Conference’s Coach of the Year after guiding the Dons to their first WCC title in 19 years.
Dr. Nelson also played a significant role in helping establish and grow the MacKenzie Society, which began with early gatherings of MacKenzie clubs at Meadow Club and evolved into an international organization dedicated to preserving and celebrating the architectural legacy of Dr. Alister MacKenzie. At a time when relatively few people fully appreciated the historical importance of MacKenzie’s work, Dr. Nelson helped lead efforts to bring greater awareness to his designs and philosophy. In 2017, Dr. Nelson received the NCGA Hall of Fame Award on behalf of MacKenzie's induction.
Dr. Nelson graduated magna cum laude with a degree in engineering from California Maritime Academy in 1961. He spent the next seven years as an officer with the Merchant Marines and served as a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy from 1968-70.
An accomplished golfer himself, Dr. Nelson competed in the U.S. and British Senior Amateur Championships and remained active in various golf organizations, including the Honorable Society of San Francisco Golfers. He was also a competitive long-distance runner, logging 15 marathons and numerous ultra-marathons, including the Western States 100, the world’s oldest and most prestigious 100-mile trail race. He qualified for the Boston Marathon in both the under and over 40 divisions.
The NCGA thanks Dr. Nelson for his service to the game of golf. He will be missed.