The NCGA is saddened to hear of the recent passing of former Board of Directors member and longtime friend of the NCGA John Erskine.
Erskine, who died at the age of 88, got his start in golf as a kid who cleaned golf clubs at Rosedale CC in Toronto. He eventually worked his way up to becoming a caddie--and ended up being a member at Rosedale until 2023.
According to his wife, NCGA Hall of Fame member Sheri Erskine, John was a natural lefty but grew up playing golf right-handed due to a lack of left-handed clubs.
Having later relocated to Northern California, Erskine in the 1980's became a volunteer Tournament Official for the NCGA.
He would leave a legacy in the NCGA Rules of Education circle. Among his many contributions was his introduction of the cowbell, which signifies a Rules meeting break has ended. The cowbell is still in use today.
In 2020, he received a special pin commemorating his 40 years of service as an NCGA Tournament Official and Course Rater. Along with being a longtime Rules Certified Tournament Official, Erskine was also renowned for his skills and service as a Course Rater. In 2003, he was honored as the NCGA's Course Rater of the Year.
In between his time as a Tournament Official, Erskine served on the NCGA's Board of Directors in the early 2000's. He would decline an opportunity to become president, noting that he would have been age 80 at the time of his presidency.
The NCGA thanks John for his service to the game. He will be missed.