New Royal City golf pro played in Washington State Open at 13

ROYAL CITY - If you have a question about golf – history, rules, equipment – it's a good bet new Royal Golf Course professional Randy Puetz will have your answer.

Puetz, of Moses Lake, will be a part-time professional at Royal City. He will work 20-25 hours per week. He is a retired former Pro, and he has quite an interesting history in golf.

“I literally grew up behind the counter and on the course at Earlington Golf Course (Renton), at which my father (George) was the head professional and superintendent from 1950 to 1966,” Puetz said.

Puetz started doing odd jobs at the age of 10 (burn boxes, coil hoses). He started mowing greens, changing cups and mowing fairways at age 15.

All the while, Puetz played the game. His first tournament was at age 9. In 1963, at age 13, he played in the Washington State Open at Downriver in Spokane.`

Puetz comes from a large golfing family. Two uncles (Al and Pete) who were golf pros. They started the Puetz Driving Range in Seattle after WWII.

“My cousin Dave now runs the range business, which has added three other stores (Bellevue, South Center, Tacoma),” Puetz said.

Puetz's cousins Ted, Dan, and Joe were/are golf professionals. And his Uncle Oscar and many of his cousins were/are accomplished amateurs.

Puetz, who has a Bachelor of Arts from Seattle University (1971) with a major in journalism and minor in political science, started his own professional career in 1976. From 1976-79, he was the head pro at Tyee Valley Golf Course near Sea-Tac International.

In 1980-81, Puetz worked for his father at Enumclaw Golf Course as an assistant. Then he was the head professional at Meadowmeer Golf & CC on Bainbridge Island from 1983 to 1989.

Puetz's next assignment was head professional at Golfland Par 3 and Range in Tacoma from 1990-91. He moved to the Moses Lake G&CC from 1991-94. He retired after working as head professional at Nile Shrine Golf Course in Mountlake Terrace from 1995-2011.

“He's retired, so he's only in the clubhouse 20-25 hours per week through end of September,” Royal Golf Association President Elijah Perkins said. “He's also helping with tournaments, promotion, and consultations. He also has the freedom to teach since he is a golf professional.”

Puetz may be contacted at 425-760-3717 or rhpuetz@hotmail.com.

Puetz has given hundreds of lessons and held various seminars concerning rules, instruction, and tournaments.

Puetz won Central Washington Chapter of the PGA “Horton Smith Award” (for education) in 1993 and 1994 and the Central Washington Chapter “Merchandiser of the Year” award in 1994.

Puetz is a member of the “Quarter Century Club” Professional Golfers Association, PGA member since 1976. He served on the Central Washington Chapter PGA Board of Directors from 1992 to 1994.

Puetz helped create the Washington Junior Golf Association in 1976-77.