Services announced for @ASU_Alumni and our former HC and All-American George Boutell https://t.co/GWCBIN2jQQ pic.twitter.com/BvchBRy6Ns
— Sun Devil Men's Golf (@sundevilmgolf) September 28, 2018
Former Sun Devil men's golfer and former head coach George Boutell has passed away. The 1981 inductee of the ASU Hall of Fame was named the No. 1 Amateur golfer in the United States by Golf Digest in 1962 and coached Arizona State to its first Pac-10 Championship in any sport in 1979.
Boutell, born Nov. 13, 1943, was a resident of the Phoenix and Scottsdale areas since the 1950s. He attended Central Phoenix High School where he was the youngest golfer to qualify for the U.S. Amateur Championships at age 14.
He played on the PGA Tour from 1968-1973 and returned to ASU in 1975 as the men's golf head coach. His teams won the Western Athletic Conference Championship on his way to ASU's second consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships in 1978.George Boutell, #ASU first men's golf All-America and coach from 1975-86 died Monday ... his love and support of Arizona theater is legendary and he will be greatly missed by all in the arts community
— jeffmetcalfe (@jeffmetcalfe) September 19, 2018
The Southwest PGA is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of longtime member and former ASU Golf Coach George Boutell. pic.twitter.com/cdTPg3PvbH
— Southwest PGA (@SWSectionPGA) September 18, 2018
Under Boutell's direction, ASU won two Pac-10 championships and finished third in the NCAA Championship in 1977, 1978 and 1982. He was named the Pac-10 Coach of the Year in 1979 and 1981 and is a 2000 Arizona Golf Hall of Fame inductee.
"It is a very sad day for ASU golf. We have lost a dear member of our ASU golf family. Even though I only got to play for George for 2 1/2 years I have known him my entire life. While I was growing up at Papago Park and for 13 years while I played on the PGA tour, George was a very good friend and mentor. However, I want people to remember how good of a golfer George Boutell was. In the mid-60s he was the best amateur golfer in the entire country. He was the one who woke up the USGA that there are good players on the west coast. Even though a lot of people thought George was very laid-back and did not worry about things, there was no one who wanted to win more and was more of a competitor than George. We will all miss him very much." -- Billy Mayfair.
"I was on the five-year plan. Why would anyone want to leave ASU? First met coach through Arch Watkins, father of ASU great Scott Watkins, out at Papago in winter of 1978. Arch was a wonderful teacher and I idolized Scott and his golf ability. Plus I really wanted to play golf for ASU. I wasn't a world beater by any means. Exactly zero colleges were recruiting me. Coach said the main reason he took me was because of Arch and I already had a academic scholarship, plus I had Sun Devils in my blood -- and I am glad he could see that. "Took me" really didn't mean anything. I still had to qualify for the two spots he offered each semester. I missed qualifying five consecutive times, so I wasn't even on the team until midway through my third year. Then I still had to qualify for the traveling team. Not an easy task. Luckily I still had three years of eligibility remaining. I qualified for the first trip of the spring semester of 1982. George always gave me hope! He didn't give me a spot on the team but I felt he believed in me. What more could a student athlete ask. I played every event for George and the Sun Devils from then on, two plus years of proudly carrying that ASU Bag. In 1983 I became George's and ASU's first NCAA golf champion. What an honor considering the great names that came before me. Coach remained a mentor well into my professional career on the PGA Tour because he became a fantastic Tour Rules Official." – 1983 NCAA champion Jim Carter.
"George had a life-long love affair with the game. Whether as the top ranked amateur, tour player, golf coach or rules official he was always around the game. I will always remember his quick wit and cackle of a laugh. I can't wait to share stories about "sweetwater" with his many friends. He will be missed by all." -- Howard Twitty.
The ?@PGATOUR? and the golfing world lost a great man today. The passing of former Arizona State Coach and PGA Tour official George Boutell saddens everyone who knew him. Loved by all, George always had a laugh, a smile and the right answer in the clutch. #none-other #rip pic.twitter.com/QRONJQGmVW
— Steve Rintoul (@SteveRintoul) September 18, 2018
"George was my coach, friend and a critically important person in my life. He had a wicked sense of humor. We shared countless laughs and when I think of George it will forever bring a smile to my face. ASU was a huge part of George's life just as he was a huge part of mine. He will be dearly missed." -- Lee E. Mikles, President & CEO, Pendrell Corporation
"George had such a positive impact on my life and so many others. He believed in me and gave me the opportunity to achieve things in my life that seemed unreachable." -- Jeff Knudson.
"George was a great person and was always great to me while being a team member from 1976-1980. Thoughts and prayers for him and his family, he surely will be missed!!!" -- Frank Corrado.
"One of the truly GOOD people in the game of golf. He was one of the funniest men I have ever known, and arguably the best putter ever." -- Dub Huckabee.
"When George was heading the PGA TOUR Rules officials I had an opportunity to work with him during the Accenture World Match Play the last year it was held at Grayhawk. I was fortunate enough to work the match between Colin Montgomery and Ernie Els in the semi finals and then Colin versus Davis Love in the finals. I have nothing but very positive memories about George. This opportunity gave me a chance to spend one-on-one time with Colin Montgomery. It was fantastic to me, and my son Michael, who was a senior at Brophy. When Michael qualified for The 2006 US Open at Winged Foot I reconnected he and Collin. Colin spent a good half hour talking to him about how to play the U.S. Open course." -- Dave Derminio.
"George was one of the funniest guys i ever met, we shared a lot of laughs with him on the golf course. I will miss him." -- Joe Bendetti.
"George was a great coach, mentor and friend. A very talented player and was great at teaching. He had been there and done that and we respected him. He was so fair, everyone had a chance. He gave me a chance that today I may have never had. I walked on in the qualifier to make the team my sophomore year of eligibility. After I missed qualifying (about 100 guys for two spots) as a freshman, he pulled me aside and said "what are your plans?" I told him I was going to work hard on my game and try to make the team. He handed me a phone number and said "call this number in a couple days and ask for Arch." I had no idea who or where I was calling, but it was Arch Watkins (Scott's dad) at Papago. Arch took me under his wing and allowed me to play and practice and I helped him by picking the range a couple days a week. I was able to hang out with great players and as the saying goes you become part of what you are around. George didn't have to do that for me, but he saw the passion I had to make the team. I was lucky enough to play on his team for three years, and to his word he gave me a full ride my senior year, he told me he would if I traveled. He would joke about his recruiting prowess with Jim Carter and I being walk ons, I didn't have Jim's talent, but George kept his word to me. George didn't have an ego, he just wanted the best players. I am so proud that I was a member and played for the ASU Golf Team and it would have never happened if it wasn't for George. My senior year I didn't make nationals, I had a bad spring and he left me home. He ask me to come to the office to tell me and I was devastated. He told me it was a tough decision, but he told me "Hank you'll always be a Sun Devil don't ever forget that" and with a tear in his eye and a big ones in mine he told me how much he appreciated my contributions. I will never forget that day. He made me a better person. I have called him a few times over the years for rulings I struggles with, he always was there to help and he was amazing with the rules. I called him last year on his birthday and we had a great chat. I told him how much I appreciated his help over the years, but in typical George fashion he changed the subject and ask how I was. God rest his soul and God bless our program." -- Hank Gardner.
"George was always the subject matter whenever old teammates reconnected. His name brought a smile and laughter to so many of us, for all the right reasons. He was an original character that we all respected and loved. We all have George stories that seem to get better with age. He will be missed by us all." -- Jim Bertoncino, ASU Class of 1980.
"Gosh that's a tough one to hear. Just had lunch with Hank Gardner and have been in touch with a few other players of my era already today. George was a one-of-a-kind guy. I thoroughly enjoyed playing for him. I learned so much about the game under his tutelage. He would do anything for the program and to make guys better in his own way. He had a dry, infectious sense of humor that's stuck with all of us throughout the years. Sad day for our ASU golf family." -- Barry Conser
George was a fair golf coach and allowed guys "natural" talent to come out. He taught you about perspective and and life. He was someone that you could go and have a beer with…he was one of the guys! George gave back to the program and the game. He never got the respect for moving the program forward and setting up the foundation for the golf course to be built. He left ASU my senior year and pursued a career on the PGA Tour as a rules official. It was refreshing for him….he was able to give back to the game that he loved. Although I have not seen George since his retirement from the PGA Tour, I always looked forward to his Christmas card. He was a friend, a mentor and a very important part of my life / and playing career. When I got my PGA tour card, he was the second person I called. God bless him and my thoughts/prayers go out to all those close with George. He changed my life when I received my offer to play college golf for him!" -- Greg Cesario, Regional PGA Staff Manager
"George was one of a kind and a great friend." -- John Jackson, General Manager, Corte Bella Golf Club in Sun City West.
"Very sorry to hear about George. When I came to ASU my sophomore season, George was a fifth-year senior and the No. 1 Amateur in the U.S. I was very intimidated by him, but soon he became my hero and good friend. George always called me "green" because I came from North Dakota, and I guess I had some hayseed tendencies in those days. I remember in Provo, Utah, that year we won the tournament at BYU on their home course! Three of us shot even par and George shot about 12 under. I have lots of fun stories and great memories about my dear friend, George. I will miss my Phoenix City Best Ball partner." -- Michael Morley.