Our Friend Bill McBride

[Jim Franklin]

RIP Mr McBride. I never met him but played with his son at Wolf Point. I can tell you he was a good father. Condolences to the family.

[Mike Sweeney]

Whit, Tiger Bernhardt, and Uncle Bill stepped up long ago for The Creek/Yale charity outings for my Autistic son's old school. Tiger became a fellow member at Mountain Lake, Whit is just a great friend, and Uncle Bill became a loyal fan of my older son's Navy career as he was a retired Naval Officer following his Father's footsteps:






There is a decent chance that my son will do Naval/Marine Flight School in Pensacola, Florida in 2019 and I told Uncle Billy to get the pull out couch ready for many visits/golf outings. He sent out an email recently but I am really surprised at this news as it was a positive tone about his fight with cancer. That was Bill in a nutshell, always positive.


Below is a great exchange from Bill and Whit, and why the people of Golf Club Atlas are really fun to hang with:


____________________________________________

Several years I and several other GCAers (Pat Mucci, John Bernhardt, Mike Sweeney, Bill Steele, Mark Rowlinson, Geoff Childs I think) played at the Creek Club on Long Island in an autism charity event.  It was really good, great McD/Raynor course, followed by steak and lobster dinner at their beach club.  Couldn't have been any better.

Bill - The Creek Club outing was a fantastic event... and what a dinner!!! This is where I met most of you guys for the first time!

That's when Bernhardt and I took our lives into our hands and rented a car, picking you up in New York en route to Yale.  Thank god that was on a Sunday morning!

Exactly!!! I never will forget my wife's comment when I told her about my plans... "Let me see if I've got this straight... you are riding from Manhattan to Connecticut with a guy from Louisiana and a guy from Florida to play golf at Yale on an invitation from a guy in NYC?" "Yes, darling," I said. "Oh," she replied, "this must be one of those Golf Club Atlas things."Little did she know what was in store, huh, Bill?

[Tim Gavrich]

Really sad to hear this; all condolences to his family and the many friends he made through this site and this game. I recall some great times in Bill's company in South Carolina.

[David_Tepper]

Hearing this news is a tough way to start the day. I knew Bill was battling a form of cancer over the past several months, but did not think it was life-threatening. A very, very sad day.

[Mark Pritchett]

Thoughts and prayers to the McBride family.  Was lucky to play with Bill a few times and really enjoyed his company. 


Go Giants!

[MCirba]

Such a sad loss.   Bill was full of wit and wisdom.  So sorry to see him go. 

[Jason Topp]

On a golf trip - I believe that one's primary responsibility is to have fun and to allow others to enjoy the experience.

This seemingly simple responsibility is much more difficult to accomplish than one might think.  There is something about those trips that seems to exaggerate difficult aspects of personalities, heighten disappointment when something inevitably goes awry, and create clashes of expectations.

One of the things I love about GCA outings is that many of the participants are seasoned travelers.  While we all have our quirks, most of the sharp edges have been rounded off through past experience with poor play, travel snafus and poor weather.  We have learned that the time together is the part of the trip that one will remember and that the most screwed up trip can often yield the most treasured memories.

Bill was the epitome of the great GCA travel companion.  He seemed to always have a good time.  He made you feel good about yourself.  I doubt I could name the courses I visited with him but I will always treasure his smile, laugh and my happiness at seeing him again in some new part of the world.

Rest well Bill.  I will miss you.

[Dan Kelly]

On a golf trip - I believe that one's primary responsibility is to have fun and to allow others to enjoy the experience.

This seemingly simple responsibility is much more difficult to accomplish than one might think.  There is something about those trips that seems to exaggerate difficult aspects of personalities, heighten disappointment when something inevitably goes awry, and create clashes of expectations.

One of the things I love about GCA outings is that many of the participants are seasoned travelers.  While we all have our quirks, most of the sharp edges have been rounded off through past experience with poor play, travel snafus and poor weather.  We have learned that the time together is the part of the trip that one will remember and that the most screwed up trip can often yield the most treasured memories.

Bill was the epitome of the great GCA travel companion.  He seemed to always have a good time.  He made you feel good about yourself.  I doubt I could name the courses I visited with him but I will always treasure his smile, laugh and my happiness at seeing him again in some new part of the world.

Rest well Bill.  I will miss you.

Beautifully put, Jason.

[Ed Brzezowski]

Terrible news, we were just joking last week about a mutual love of scotch.

Hopefully he's having one now and discussing golf with those guys from the golden era.

[Craig Van Egmond]

This is vary sad news. Bill was one of the good guys. 

[BHoover]

Very sad news. I never met him personally, but he seemed like a very nice man. He sent me some interesting messages on Facebook about his time in the Navy (including good-natured ribbing about my dad being Air Force).

[Dan Gallaway]

Bill was the guy you always remember after just one meeting.

[Pete Lavallee]

The man's glass was truly always half full! Just a wonderful disposition and a joy to be around. My condolences to his wife and family.

[Bob Jenkins]

Since joining this group about 10 years ago, I have been most fortunate to meet and travel with some very fine people from many parts of the world. But for GCA, I would never have been able to experience the relationships which I now cherish. Bill has always been one of the very special people and every meeting with him was so positive!


Bill was your good friend as soon as he met you and he never stopped smiling. I will always recall the days a few years back when he and Kathleen came to Vancouver / Victoria and we were able to share some golf and good times while staying at the Union Club in Victoria where we were joined by Will MacEwan. On February 9, just one week ago, he sent out an email to many on this site which, as usual, was upbeat, he was to have several days of rest and then start rehab before returning home. Needless so say, many of us had to be shocked when we got the news yesterday.


To Kathleen and his family, my thoughts are with you.


Bob J

[Mike Benham]

I am equally shocked and saddened by the news of Bill's passing.


He was a special man, he loved his NorCal roots, his Cal Bears and his SF Giants.

He loved his golf, loved seeing new courses, loved traveling to play the game, most of all he truly enjoyed the company and friendship of us all.

We are all better for knowing Bill ...

[Steve Curry]

The smile, what a great guy.  So sad.


Steve

[PCCraig]

Oh no!! I had no idea as well. I never met Bill personally but had e-mailed with him and only knew him from here. Was always a complete gentleman. I'm very sorry to hear this.

[Brian Finn]

I was fortunate to meet Bill last year in Hilton Head.  He immediately felt like an old pal, warm, welcoming, funny, and happy.  Never have I met anyone that seemed so genuinely interested in getting to know me and exchanging stories.  I'm very sad to hear of his passing.  They don't make 'em like Bill McBride any more.  Thoughts and prayers to his family and close friends.

[Paul Jones]

Thoughts and Prayers go out to Kathleen and the entire McBride family.  I was glad I got to see him last year at Thaw Out (Hilton Head). 


He sounded optimistic about his treatment and getting back to playing golf last week.

[Matt Bosela]

This is an incredibly sad day.

I first met Bill at Ballyneal back in 2010 and have had the distinct pleasure of playing golf with him on almost an annual basis since, most recently at Sand Hills a year and a half ago.  He mentioned then that he didn't think he had much golf travel left in him but I brushed off his comment, thinking I'd definitely see him again soon.

I've been very fortunate to meet a lot of great people through the game of golf - Bill was right at the top of that list.

I'll miss him greatly.

[Rich Goodale]

Sad News.  Bill strongly supported the King's Putter and BUDA in the early days 15+ years ago, and continued on until the end.  I last played with him a year ago at Hilton Head and he was clearly not the man he used to  be, but he still was the life of the party, particularly when displayed his preternatural ability to describe great golf holes from memory, in great detail and with great accuracy.

We miss you Bill..

[RJ_Daley]

I just saw an oblique reference to Bill's passing on Eric's Facebook.  I have posted some photos on my Facebook page of Bill the last time we were together at Sand Hills.  It was there in the cabin at Sand Hills after a nice meal with great friends, that Bill told me as he put it; 'it was his last rodeo' as far as golf trips go.  I understood having seen him a bit more frail and tired after several days of golf, and in fact he willed us to do well and tie our flight at the 5th Major where after loosing a playoff of the flight to the eventual winners of the whole shootin match.  He dearly loved the company of Whitty and Wardo with whom we shared the 'big cabin' at DR.  We went on with Jason, Matt, Dan and Dan, JC, Jeff, Huck the host at Sand Hills.  We were personal friends since the early King's Putters, although we chatted often here on GCA the prior Bravenet site.  We went on to a couple of Dixie Cups. His enthusiasm for Buda Cup inspired me to give it a go.  If you go to my Facebook, you will see some other thoughts and remembrances.  I don't have a photo host at this time but if I can work it out, I have several nice pictures of Bill enjoying what we all love from over these last almost 2 decades of great times with Wild Bill McBride, Uncle Billy, Ace, and just plain "great friend".

[George Pazin]

I thought what Rich posted was worth reading, not sure why sometimes posts get the tiny text treatment.


Rich's words:



"Sad News.  Bill strongly supported the King's Putter and BUDA in the early days 15+ years ago, and continued on until the end.  I last played with him a year ago at Hilton Head and he was clearly not the man he used to  be, but he still was the life of the party, particularly when displayed his preternatural ability to describe great golf holes from memory, in great detail and with great accuracy."

[Lyndell Young]

So sad to hear of Bill's passing, he was one of the good guys.He always went out of his way to greet you and share what was going on. He was so genuine, he made you feel like you had known him decades when it had only been a few years.Praying for his family and all the GCA'ers who I'm sure are going to miss his smile and winsome attitude. I'm All for the McBride Dixie Cup

[RJ_Daley]

Has anyone called Kathleen or David for information on a funeral service and location of a wake and such?  I have his number but hesitate to call at such a difficult time as family must be quite overwhelmed.  I think the postings on the Facebook page are being seen by the family and friends since friends and relatives of his are responding there.  I checked the Obits in Pensacola News Journal and so far, I have found nothing.  We'd appreciate any info you all may have to share...