Dennis Lyon spent the better part of four decades working full-time in the golf business, but in the two-plus years since he’s retired, it’s become very apparent what he meant to the golf community in Colorado.
The former manager of golf for the city of Aurora was certainly well-respected during his career, but that fact has been reinforced considerably since his retirement at the end of 2010.
For the third time in the last couple of years, Lyon is receiving a national golf-related award. On Wednesday (Feb. 6) in San Diego, Lyon was one of four people presented the Col. John Morley Distinguished Service Award, given by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, which Morley founded.
The Morley award is given annually to individuals “who have made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of the golf course superintendent’s profession.” The honor was first presented in 1932, and it’s been awarded yearly since 1975.
“This means a lot,” Lyon said recently before heading to San Diego, where the GCSAA is holding its annual education conference. “It’s from my professional association, and it recognizes career involvement in the superintendent industry. I have a lot of respect for them.”
This honor comes less than two years after Lyon received the national USGA Green Section Award (contributing to golf through work with turfgrass) and the Ike Grainger Award (for 25 years of volunteer work on USGA committees). And, locally, he garnered a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2011.
“I just think I’ve been driven by a desire to contribute to my profession and the golf industry,” Lyon said. “You do the best you can, and it’s nice to be recognized.”
Even before he retired, Lyon received plenty of golf accolades both locally and nationally. The former superintendent at Aurora Hills Golf Course served as national president of the GCSAA (1989-90), president of the CGA (2002-03) and the general chairman for the 2008 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship held at Murphy Creek Golf Course.
Lyon also was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame, in 2005.
It’s little wonder why CGA executive director Ed Mate once said, “If we had a Mount Rushmore for golf administrators in the state of Colorado, he’d be on it.”
As for the Col. Morley award, Lyon follows in the footsteps of one of the biggest names ever in the golf superintendent business in Colorado: Stan Metsker, who received the honor six years ago. Like Lyon, Metsker is a member of the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame.
In addition, Dr. Peter Dernoeden, the winner of last year’s Morley award, received undergraduate and master’s degrees from Colorado State University, where Lyon likewise studied.
Nowadays, 14 months after suffering life-threatening injuries when he was struck by a truck while walking his dog, Lyon has largely recovered and he still keeps his hand in the superintendents business.
He’s kept up enough to have his certification current, and he still does some consulting work, mainly related to golf course management. He also writes periodically for the national Golf Course Industry magazine and for the Rocky Mountain Golf Course Superintendents electronic newsletter.
“I’m doing fine,” said Lyon, who spent seven weeks in the hospital after suffering a broken back, pelvis and two shoulders, along with some significant internal injuries. “It’s not like (the accident) never happened, but I’m trying to work my way back. And I’ve stayed active.”
And not just in golf-related ventures. Lyon was recently appointed a volunteer citizen representative to the Arapahoe County Retirement Board.
“That’s exciting for me,” he said.
