Richard L. Howell Obituary

MGA

EDINA, Minn. -- Richard L. "Dick" Howell, 83, of Wayzata, passed away March 14. Howell was a long-time board member of the Minnesota Golf Association, having first served as an elected director in 1969, and later as MGA president, from 1991 to 1992.
 
Howell’s contribution to amateur golf did not end with his time as an MGA officer. He served as MGA project manager in the mid-1990s on the Rosemount Golf Course Project. While the project did not ultimately come to fruition, the visionary effort between the MGA, the USGA, and the University of Minnesota’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences included a 36-hole golf course, clubhouse and conference center, classrooms and demonstration areas, dormitories, turf maintenance facility and practice areas.

In 1998, Howell was chairman of the Explore Minnesota Golf Alliance, a public-private cooperative marketing organization including the MGA, golf industry leaders, the Minnesota Department of Tourism, travel agencies, resorts, and the hospitality industry. The EMGA hired its first executive director during Howell’s tenure at a time when, thanks to the marketing efforts of the alliance, Minnesota golf was putting itself on the golf map.

In 2001, Howell served on the MGA’s Centennial Committee, and was responsible for organizing a hugely popular members’ day double shotgun golf tournament at Rush Creek Golf Club as part of the MGA’s centennial celebrations. He also contributed substantially to the success of several centennial events highlighting the MGA's first one hundred years including a custom print, history book, documentary video and special centennial branding.

For all of his contributions to the game of golf outside of the ropes, Howell’s competitive abilities on the golf course were remarkable. In 1960, Howell qualified for the National Amateur Championship at the St. Louis Country Club, and won his first four matches before losing 1-down in the fifth round to John J. Garrett of Texas. In 1991, he qualified for the U.S. Senior Amateur at Crystal Downs Country Club in Michigan, but failed to advance to match play. Closer to home, Howell won the Woodhill Invitational five times, the Woodhill men’s club championship no less than 19 times, and the Woodhill senior club championship six times.

With Howell's passing the MGA lost an officer, volunteer and tournament player who left his mark on golf administration in the state, and amateur golf lost a true friend.