[Marty Bonnar]

Howard’s sister has just posted on Facebook advising of his passing. There’s no other details as yet. Anyone have any more info? I never met him - only knew of him from here.
F.

[David_Tepper]

This is terribly sad news, especially as l learned yesterday of the passing of another another fellow I knew thru golf. Both were younger than I am, which is very sobering.

I got to know Howard when he lived in San Francisco for several years  before he moved to Los Angeles 2-3 years ago. We got to play golf a couple of times. A very nice man.


A sad day. 

[Bill Seitz]

Howard passed away earlier this week.  I think it's probably best not to speculate and just remember him for the great friend and person he was.   


I met Howard through GCA and became very good friends with him over the years given that we both lived in Chicago and were for a time both members at the Kingsley Club, where we shared some great times.  He was part of a tight knit group of GCA/Kingsley guys that enjoyed each other's company quite a bit.  He was also pretty involved in a lot the Midwest Mashies, even heading down to Indianapolis for some camaraderie at Crooked Stick, Broadmoor, and Wolf Run despite having a thumb injury that kept him from playing.  He had an absolutely insane memory which constantly amazed me. He remembered details about things I'd mentioned in passing that I'd forgot I'd ever told him, which is something I'll always remember about him.  My wife and I had our first kid a few years ago, and Howard always asked about him, loved seeing pictures of him, and Howard and his wife got us a great baby gift that will always remind me of him.  We obviously didn't see one another as often after he moved to California, but we kept in contact and were always a text message away.


One thing I learned from Howard is that if you ever go to Europe and have limits on your phone data, do not turn your cellular data on when you land until you have wifi.  He landed in Europe once, and a group text chain we were on had apparently racked up a ton of messages completely with pictures, which probably put him over his limit for the trip.  I can't ever remember a time on the golf course with Howard where I wasn't having a good time, and I'm very sad that I won't have the opportunity to tee it up again with him. 

[JC Jones]

Sadly, Howard passed away late last week.  It is a tremendous loss to his family, friends, the GCA community and all who were lucky enough to have known or come in contact with him.


We will miss his spirit, his humor, his vanity handicap and so much more.


Alav ha-shalom good man.

[Jason Thurman]

Shocked and sad.


Howard became one of my first GCA friends at the first Indianapolis Mashie. We did 36 holes Sunday, with a round at The Fort followed by a 6-man skins game at Trophy Club with Sturges, Seitz, Tigerman, and Tarble. I've been fortunate to play more rounds with all those guys over the years, and have always looked forward to the more to come.


I loved the golf we played and the restaurants he introduced me to and the impish warmth he radiated. I don't want to believe that I won't see him again. Howard made days better.

[Terry Lavin]

Oh no!  Howard (King of The Links) Riefs was a great guy, a well versed gca guy and a pleasure to hang out with. He’ll not be forgotten.

[Michael Whitaker]

I am so saddened to hear this. Howard was a great friend and one of the truly GREAT guys that
I have met through GCA.


Once again we are taught the lesson to express our feelings to those you love more often than you think you need to. It hurts to learn of someone's passing and know you missed the opportunity to share your feelings.


Life is fleeting my friends.

[Ross Harmon]

Terribly sad to hear of Howard's passing - a fine man with an unforgettable smile. My thoughts are with his family and friends.


Howard and I only met once, at the 2019 Midwest Mashie - and the last time I saw him was in the parking lot loading up his clubs after the matches. We said goodbyes and looking forward to seeing each other again next year's event - if only we knew.


We corresponded regularly before and after that meeting - he was very interested in keeping in touch and maintaining a friendship. Something for us all to remember to do not just during these interesting times, but at all times.

[Peter Pallotta]

My condolences to his family and friends and all those who loved him.
Loss is even harder when it is so unexpected.
Rest in peace, Howard.


Peter

[Marty Bonnar]

Here's the link to Sheri's FB post. Think she'd appreciate people's nice memories.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10158284996832894&id=750877893
Cheers,
F.

[Jud_T]

Very sad and unexpected news.  Howard was a huge fan of golf architecture and of this site.  We were friends and practically neighbors till we both moved out of the metro Chicago area a couple years ago.  I remember when I first introduced him to Kingsley Club and we were stuck deep in the woods behind the 4th tee during an electrical storm.  Not only were we at one of the farthest points from the clubhouse but he had somehow deeply scratched his leg in the rush to find shelter and had blood and water running down his leg.  It did nothing whatsoever to reduce his enthusiasm for the course which he joined shortly thereafter.  We drove down to the Mashie in Indy together, stopping along the way to check out Harrison Hills.  He enjoyed it so much he happily tagged along when I suggested we go around again since no one was out that day and we had a couple hours to spare. 
We were both Cubs fans and took in several games together, texting each other the ups, downs and minutiae that only a diehard Cubs fan can understand.  Last time I saw him was at the Mashie at Prarie Dunes, when he flew in to once again soak up some great architecture with old friends and new, happy to just enjoy the course, play his game and tell tales around the fire.  He will be missed in these parts, and beyond.

[Ken Fry]

This breaks my heart to hear this.  Howard was one of the guys i looked forward to for Kingsley outings or Midwest Mashies.


I’m so very sorry for his family and to his extended GCA family.  We all lost a friend this week.


Ken

[Tim Gallant]

I'm so sad to hear this. I had the pleasure of meeting Howard a few times when he came across to Scotland, and as others have mentioned, his enthusiasm for golf and life was infectious. It was always a happy time when Howard and crew came into town. We kept in touch since those meetings, and I loved following Howard on Instagram to see what new books he was reading, or new restaurants he was checking out. As I look back on those messages, one thing is evident: Howard was incredibly kind.

[Evan Fleisher]

Shocked and saddened at hearing of Howard's passing.  I've met up with him at several of the GCA events over the years and always enjoyed his company on and off the course.  He will truly be missed.  RIP my friend.

[Lou_Duran]

I am so saddened to hear this. Howard was a great friend and one of the truly GREAT guys that
I have met through GCA.


Once again we are taught the lesson to express our feelings to those you love more often than you think you need to. It hurts to learn of someone's passing and know you missed the opportunity to share your feelings.


Life is fleeting my friends.

Only met Howard briefly by chance at North Berwick a few years back and liked him instantly.


I echo Mike's comments.


My condolences to family and friends.   

[Matt Bosela]

I’ve been blessed to have travelled with Howard, along with other great friends, to Scotland on two different occasions, first in 2017 and most recently in 2019.

Not only did we travel together, we were roommates during those unbelievable trips. Howard’s smile lit up a room - he had such an easy-going nature and was an incredible and generous playing companion on the golf course. In addition, he was well-versed in so many different things, making him the perfect guy to have a conversation with over dinner or drinks.

We lived on opposite ends of the continent and in different countries but I became good friends with Howard on those trips. One of those great memories is shared in this photo, with me, Harris Nepon, Howard and Jeff Shelman (L -R) enjoying a spectacular day at one of the world’s best courses, North Berwick GC. I’m devastated for his wife Megan, his entire family, and all of his great friends. RIP Howard - I’m going to miss you.



Plus one more of my favourites of Howard, this time on the 18th hole at the Balgownie Course at Royal Aberdeen.

[Criss Titschinger]

I'm very saddened to hear this news. The 2016 Midwest Mashie will always be a memorable one for me. One of those main reasons was getting to finally meet Howard in person. The fact that he still came down with that injury and hung out was all I needed to know about him. It also him home for me because I suffered an injury in 2011, but decided not to attend that Mashie at Kingsley. Like, I didn't even think it was an option for me to just show up and meet people and not worry about playing the actual game. I know better now.

I always enjoyed talking with Howard, be it in person or on social media. I know in this GCA circle of company, he will be deeply missed.

[Jeff Shelman]

I was super bummed to hear this news. Howard was a gem of a human.


Both working in similar jobs, we talked/texted a lot - sometimes work, sometimes golf, sometimes talking about the band The National.


I’m going to miss him. And I know many of you are going to as well.

[Jerry Kluger]

Really saddened to hear this as Howard was a gentleman and a fellow gca nut.  He always had a smile and so often was able to point to a very relevant article or data which enhanced the discussion.  May he Rest In Peace.

[PCCraig]

Needless to say, and much like others here, I was shocked to hear the news of Howard’s passing earlier today.


Howard was such a sweet, funny, and good hearted man. Every single conversation I had with him, either in person or online, was full of grace and class. He always seemed to leave you in a better place than when your conversation started.


Some of my fondest memories of Howard were giving Brian Hoover a hard time when it came to Chicago v. Cleveland sports. We were usually goofing on Brian either on the Cubs beating the Indians in the World Series or how much MJ is better than Lebron. Of course it was always in good fun and it usually led to a few laughs (Brian might think differently).


When the Cubs won the World Series, I got a note from Howard. He knew that I grew up as a die hard Cubs fan and he was a long time season ticket holder. Howard somehow thought of me and sent me a note to ask me if I wanted a copy of the next day’s Chicago Tribune as a keepsake. He was nice enough to not only buy me a copy but mail it to me in Minnesota as he knew I wouldn’t be able to get a copy up here. It was such a wonderful and selfless gesture.


I didn’t see him in person after that until the 2019 Mashie in Kansas. I remember vividly giving him a bear hug and telling him how much I appreciated that newspaper that he sent me some 3 years earlier. Of course, it wasn’t about the physical newspaper, but the shared joy of our team’s win and the gratitude of him going out of his way for me.


Of course, that 2019 Mashie feels like it was just yesterday. It was just months after that COVID hit and the “see you next year’s” turned into a few years. Obviously if only I had known that would be the last time I saw him…


I still have that 2016 Chicago Tribune, and I went upstairs to our 3rd floor attic to pull it out earlier today. Except now when I look at it I don’t think about the Cubs, I think about Howard.


Maybe I’m getting old, but when you see your friends (or even a not so much a friend), give them a smile and go out of your way to tell them that you care about them. It doesn’t take that much of an effort and it can mean the world. Or take some time out of your day, much like Howard would do, and try to bring a smile to someone else’s face through an act of selflessness.


RIP, Howard. You’ll be missed.

[Connor Dougherty]

Was heartbroken to hear the news this morning.

I had met Howard after seeing his name on here a bunch. We ended up following each other on Instagram, and whenever I was home, we'd almost inevitably end up playing after he had moved to the Bay Area.

We'd text relatively frequently, whether it was about IU football and basketball, whatever was happening during baseball season, or my personal favorite, a rolling critique of what I was putting on my hot dogs (he was incensed to hear that as a kid, my preferred condiment pairing was ketchup and mayo).

I had been meaning to reach out to him over the past few weeks. After he moved to LA it became a little harder to get out for a round, but we kept talking about playing Rustic Canyon the next time I was going to visit my brother. Seeing the news today made me regret not doing it sooner.

Howard was a great guy, I'm thrilled this site gave me the opportunity to know him. I'll be sure to dress up my next hot dog with mustard and relish. He'll be greatly missed

[Michael Pelliccione]

This is very very sad....  I often spoke to Howard regarding golf in Scotland.


I wish his family all the best during this very difficult time.   The golfing community lost a good one... RIP Howie

[BHoover]

As others have stated, Howard was just an all-around wonderful person. He was always friendly and full of laughs. I had the privilege of going with him on a few golf trips and those memories will always be ones I cherish. I had been looking forward to future golf trips but sadly that is not meant to be.


I will miss his infectious laugh and great sense of humor, love for the game of golf (no matter how many strokes it may take to get out of a bunker), and trading messages about virtually any random topic of interest…including Cleveland sports futility.


Obviously my thoughts are with his wife, his family, and the many friends he made along the way. Anyone who had the privilege of knowing Howard knows he will be very sorely missed.

[Joe Bausch]

RIP, Howard.

I never met him but had several e-mail/PM exchanges.  Those threads he used to start before a big tourney began where he gathered and organized relevant articles/photos/younameit were a tour de force.

[John Mayhugh]

While I didn't spend as much time with Howard as many of you guys did, one hour together and you felt like you had been lifelong friends. He was a great guy to spend time with and one you could trust with any sort of recommendation (golf course, restaurant, non-golf detour). I'll really miss him.

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