The Fox Cities Golf Hall of Fame inducted eight charter members during a ceremony July 16 in The Waterfront Banquet Room at Pullmans Trolley Square in Appleton.
The eight inaugural members of the Fox Cities Golf Hall of Fame are Carolyn Barnett-Howe, Chuck Bayer, Pete Benson, Bill Brodell, John M. Hayes, J.P. Hayes, Mary Beth Nienhaus and Don Strutz.
A committee was formed in 2025 to begin deliberating who would make up the first hall of fame class with the goal to “recognize not only the best golfers but to preserve the legacy of any amateur or professional golfer who played an important role in influencing the game of golf in Appleton and the greater Fox Cities area.”
Here’s a look at each of the eight inductees to the first hall of fame class.
Carolyn Barnett-Howe
Barnett-Howe twice placed second individually at the WIAA state girls golf championship, played on the University of New Mexico golf team and twice qualified for the NCAA Championships. After turning pro, she won four Women’s State Open titles (1998, 2005, 2006, 2007), two National PGA Women’s Stroke Play Championships (2006, 2008), served as a club professional and became a highly regarded junior golf instructor in the area.
Chuck Bayer
Bayer captured two Post-Crescent/Fox Cities Amateur titles (1973, 1976), five Appleton city titles (1966, 1974, 1976, 1979, 1980) along with multiple private club championships, including five at Fox Valley Golf Club during the 1970s. He had six holes-in-one and was also an accomplished bowler, gaining induction into the Fox Cities Bowling Hall of Fame in 1991.
Pete Benson
Benson is a five-time Post-Crescent/Fox Cities Amateur champion who won many other tournaments, including the Wisconsin Public Links, NEWGA Amateur, WSGA Mid-Amateur, Oconto city tournament (1964 to 1967) and the Oshkosh city tournament. He has 10 career aces, owned five course records at one time and coached the Kaukauna High School boys and girls golf teams for decades while teaching thousands of junior golfers during summer clinics.
Bill Brodell
Brodell was the longtime club professional at Butte des Morts Country Club (1980 to 2011), an outstanding teacher and an exceptional golfer. He won multiple state PGA tournaments and honors, including the 1986 State Open and the 1986 and 1989 Wisconsin PGA Championships. He qualified for and played in the 1982 U.S. Open (recording a hole-in-one during the second round) and the 1988 PGA Championship.
John M. Hayes
Hayes was considered one of Wisconsin’s best golfers for many years. He captured two Appleton City golf championships (1948, 1954) and the 1953 Wisconsin Amateur championship. He won several club championships at Butte des Morts Country Club and North Shore Golf Club while raising a family of golfers, including his namesake, John P. Hayes, who became a two-time PGA Tour winner.
J.P. Hayes
Hayes won three Appleton city titles, the 1984 Post-Crescent/Fox Cities Amateur and two Wisconsin state amateur championships (1986, 1988). He played golf at the University of Texas-El Paso before turning pro. His 19-year PGA Tour career was highlighted by winning the 1998 Buick Westchester Classic, playing in the 1999 Masters and winning the 2002 John Deere Classic in record-setting fashion.
Mary Beth Nienhaus
Nienhaus was a trailblazer in golf, finishing first, second and first (1958-60) when the Appleton City Women’s Championship started. She’s a two-time Wisconsin Women’s State Amateur champion, an LPGA golf professional, an acclaimed high school teacher and golf coach and longtime owner/operator of Winagamie Golf Course. She was the first female student-athlete at Marquette University, competing on the men’s golf team in 1965.
Don Strutz
Strutz won four Post-Crescent/Fox Cities Amateur titles over two decades, six Appleton city golf championships and several Northeast Wisconsin Golf Association titles and Butte des Morts Country Club championships. After serving as a World War II pilot, he played football, basketball and golf at Lawrence University.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Fox Cities Golf Hall of Fame inducts eight area legends
Reporting by Mike Sherry, Appleton Post-Crescent / Appleton Post-Crescent
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Mike Sherry, Appleton Post-Crescent | USA TODAY Network
