Buffalo Hill adds Heselwood to HOF

If Jon Heselwood could choose, he would gladly take the green over the clubhouse any day.

“I’d rather have a 3-foot tournament putt to win than go to this,” he said.

“This will be more nerve-racking for me.”

What Heselwood is dreading is his induction into the Buffalo Hill Golf Club Hall of Fame Wednesday night.

A HOF reception will take place from 6-7 p.m. The induction will follow at the clubhouse.

“Really, it’s a win-win situation for me,” he admitted.

Heselwood will be the HOF’s fifth inductee at BHGC. He is the lone member of the second class.

Last year Dave Morberg, Marv Combs, Alice Ritzman and Gene McGlenn were the first four members elected.

The BHGC Hall of Fame honors individuals who have distinguished themselves with their contributions to the club.

Heselwood, the Golf Course Superintendent at BHGC, was nominated by former board member — Craig Drew.

Ric Reed, a current board member, informed Heselwood that he was selected for the 2012 Class.

“I was embarrassed,” he said when notified.

“I’m still embarrassed.

“It seems ... I don’t know how to describe it.

“(I’m) humbled and proud to be appreciated.

“It motivates me and others (in the HOF) to try to do a better job.”

Heselwood, 55, has been at BHGC for 10 years. Prior to that, he spent 10 years at the Missoula Country Club and seven at Eagle Bend Golf Club.

He attended the University of Oregon on a golf scholarship and has a degree in agronomy from Washington State University.

Heselwood tried to qualify for the PGA Tour in 1980.

“Went to tour school and missed by four shots,” he said.

“It was a travesty.”

Heselwood did have success on the links in Montana, winning “four or five” Mid-Amateur state titles. He won State Amateur and Match Play titles once.

He is also a member of the Montana State Golf Association Hall of Fame.

Heselwood said his state golf accomplishments, along with his guidance in the addition of a driving range at BHGC were the two factors for his BHGC HOF selection.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Heselwood said working at BHGC.

“There is so much diversity.

“One minute you might have a hydraulic problem and the next minute an irrigation problem. There might be tree issues to deal with. Mowing the grass seems to be the easy part.”

Heselwood oversees the maintenance of 27 holes on the 170 acre layout at Buffalo Hill. His staff consists of five.

“We have a small crew,” he said.

“We had 15-20.

“Do everything fast,” he said nowadays.

“To say we multi-task is putting it mildly.”

Heselwood works seven days a week for six months. And when he’s not at the course, he has to deal with emails and paperwork.

He said one of his assistants — Polly Webster — worked 2,700 hours in nine months.

“I enjoy it when we’re in good shape, caught up and not behind in some way,” he said.

“The biggest challenge here I would say has been a limited budget. How to take care of this large facility with the money we have.”

Heselwood says BHGC is “unique in there are no two holes alike.

“If you want to learn to hit a lot of different shots, you play here,” he said.

“I’m proud of it when it’s in good shape,” he said of the course.

“Right now, I’m not satisfied at all. It’s early.

“We always get it in good shape, but every winter it gets beat up. Then we get it back in shape and do it all over.”

In typical HOF manner.