Representing an era during which Bluffton College golfers reigned in regional competition, the 1974 and 1975 men’s golf teams enter the Bluffton Hall of Fame. Both seasons saw Bluffton claim the NAIA District 22 championship and advance to the national championship tournament, the only two golf teams in the history of Bluffton athletics to accomplish that feat. Four members of the 1974 team were also members of the 1975 squad, which in 2000 celebrated their 25th year anniversary.
The 1974 squad saw senior Jim Roach ’74 fire a 27 hole total of 110, just six strokes over par, to earn district medalist honors. He joined teammate Jeff Deying ’78 on the All-District Team, while Tim Filipovich ’75, Jim Frisk ’78 and Dennis Smith ’76 also fired impressive scores to lead Bluffton to the title.
The Beavers made it back-to-back District 22 championships in 1975 by carding a two-stroke victory over runner-up Walsh College. Smith fired a 105 and was named All-District, while Deying, Flipovich, Frisk and newcomer Bob Carver ’78 made up the rest of the championship team.
Jim Knox coached both teams, which won both of their District 22 titles at Lima’s Hawthorne Hills Golf Club. Bluffton would continue to field impressive golf teams throughout the remainder of the 1970s, taking home the District 22 runner-up trophy in 1977 and taking third place in 1978.
