Growing up a block-and-a-half from Lowes Creek Golf Course amongst the “golf” streets on the south side of Eau Claire, you would think I would have developed into a lifetime lover of golf. Not so. Golf always proved a frustrating sport to play. I’d be the one taking six putts on the green to get the ball in the cup.

I have not played a round since 2000, and never missed it since. However, if there is one person who could get me back into the sport, it is the man responsible for making Eau Claire a regional hub of notable golf: Bill Rolland.

The reason western Wisconsin is known for its golf is Rolland, who formed the Chippewa Valley Golf Association in 1958. I recently had the chance to sit down with him to get a history lesson in area golf, and find out what makes the game so integral to the area.

Golf was more of a summer sport prior to the 1950s, during a time dominated by the likes of Toby Tyler and Einer Pedersen. What allowed golf to spike in popularity – nationwide and in the Valley – was the presidency of Dwight Eisenhower and the success of Arnold Palmer, two figures who brought the sport to mainstream culture.

Rolland himself turned professional in 1952, and formed the CVGA six years later to help avoid local tournament conflicts and to promote championship play. Expansion to more area clubs followed, and the beginning of the golf cart era in the 1960s – including early models from Northwestern Motors in Eau Claire – helped bring more seniors to the sport (though maybe not speeding up the game as much as Rolland expected).

Being open to both professionals and amateurs makes the CVGA unique in America, and has contributed to golf’s thriving in the area. By the 1960s and 70s, the region was a veritable hotspot of golf in the Upper Midwest. This era saw golfers such as Tom Puls, Joe Springer, and Jeff Michaelson rule the local scene, as more state attention came to the Valley.

Rolland helped convince local operators to allow competitions on the weekends, drawing players from the Twin Cities, and as far away as the Dakotas and Iowa. Eventually, Minneapolis players like Leif Carlson and Greg Murphy made their presence felt here. Famous names like Andy North, Don Iverson, and Tom Lehman – even the occasional country singer – have graced the fairways of the CVGA.

Why this growth? Rolland’s time and effort has made golf an omnipresent sport in our part of Wisconsin. He says it is a matter of personal time and dedication that made the CVGA so successful, why Eau Claire has risen above other similar population areas in the state in golfing significance.

Does this mean a PGA event is on the horizon? Rolland is skeptical. Though the area did host a Ben Hogan tour in the 1970s, national tournaments go where the money, the parking, and the housing are for the 45,000 or so who come to such an event. We are simply not big enough.

Rolland sees challenges to keeping area golf vibrant. The boom of interest in the wake of Tiger Woods’ rise to stardom faded once many realized the time, effort, and money required to commit to the game. Today’s economy is a new challenge, and Mother Nature is, well, Mother Nature. While one can play about 210 days in a year, only 90 are solid for business, and more courses mean smaller crowds in the autumn. Even matters such as the price of a barrel of oil, which affects the cost of fertilizer for grass, can have a significant impact on the viability of a golf course.

Yet, Rolland sees hope for a positive future for Valley golf. Junior players like David Walters, Nate Webb, and a host of high school female athletes all bode well for the coming years of local golf. Let’s be clear: area golf will not go away anytime soon. You can thank the stewardship of Bill Rolland and the directors of the CVGA for assuring that golf will remain a top regional sport for the foreseeable future. Perhaps even long enough to get me playing again.