Sadly, to report here that longtime GCA participant, Patrick Burke (aka Fat Goalie) has passed away. For those of you who weren’t fortunate to know him, he was one of the most generous, kind and loyal person’s I’ve ever known. As a devoted husband and father, triple that!
I first met Pat in 1987 while hitting practice putts at Friendly Hills Country Club in Whittier, California. FHCC is probably the least interesting golf course in Southern California, but a bond was formed that day of mutual interests of Golf Course Architecture and his personal challenge to me to go see the great golf courses of Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York. I did, and it in fact did change my life and my outlook on this great game! Pat was great at getting people to go outside of themselves to do great things!
Pat would eventually qualify for the PGA Tour and even success down in Australia where he won twice down under while firmly developing a love of golf down there. While his career in the US was marred by injuries, he still fought his way back and eventually, out of love being around to raise his daughter and provide for his wife, became a much sought after teacher here in Southern California.
Pat as a player was always underestimated. Pat was an incredible athlete and looking at him, you wouldn’t know it. People just looked at the 5’ 5” tall package and would simply write him off. In reality, he was a Giant in terms of ability, but it wasn’t really even his true talent, and that was his way of connecting with people.
We’ve not just lost a fellow golfer, but an incredible human being!