Pro golfer Bill Loeffler, a resident of The Village at Castle Pines, is humble about his storied career.

Growing up in Denver in the Cheesman Park neighborhood, Bill began golfing when he was 10. When his father joined Cherry Hills Country Club in 1964, the die was cast.

“My father would drop me off at 6 a.m. daily during the summer and pick me up about 6 p.m. pretty much every evening for three months,” stated Bill on how he learned the sport.

The winter months landed Bill in the mountains at the Winter Park Resort for ski racing. He took the train.

“All in all, a pretty perfect way to grow up,” added Bill, who attended Cherry Creek High School (CCHS). But Bill’s dad said for budgetary reasons, he had to pick either skiing or golfing.

“Needless to say, my choice was golf and thankfully that turned into a scholarship offer to Arizona State University (ASU),” said Bill.

Before high school graduation, Bill won the Colorado Golf Association’s (CGA) Junior Match Play title in 1972 as well as the state high school championship while at CCHS in 1973.

After college, Bill won the Broadmoor Men’s Golf Invitation titles in 1976, 1978 and 1986 and turned pro twice: 1979 and 1989. He achieved national victories as part of the PGA Tour from 1980 to 1982.

“My favorite moments about my golf career are winning the U.S. Mid-Amateur championship, which got me on the U.S. Walker Cup team in 1987,” stated Bill. “This got me an invitation to the Masters at Augusta National in 1988.” (The Walker Cup Match is an amateur team competition between the U.S. and a team of players chosen from Great Britain and Ireland.)

Here at home, Loeffler won three Colorado Open championships (1991, 1993 and 2004), the Colorado Senior Open (2009), three Colorado PGA Section Championships (2000, 2002, 2004) and the CGA Stroke Play championship (1976). Because of these accolades, the trophies made by the Colorado Open are modeled after Bill’s likeness.

The Colorado Golf Hall of Fame (CGHF) named Bill as Golf Person of the Year in 1987 and he was inducted officially into the organization in 1995.

Bill met his wife Sandy of 41 years at Cherry Hills Country Club when they were teenagers and they began dating in college at ASU. Sandy’s father, Ron Moore, also in the CGHF, was a mentor to Bill from an early age. “Ron taught me about golf and the business,” added Bill. After Bill left the PGA tour, the two bought the Links Golf Course and built Highlands Ranch Golf Club.

Over the course of the past few decades, Bill has continued to play the sport he loves. “Although at 67, I complain about losing distance and aches and pains,” he joked.

“Thanks to Jack Vickers, I was invited to play in four international tournaments at Castle Pines Golf Club (CPGC),” added Bill. Vickers founded CPGC and the International PGA, which took place in Castle Pines for 21 years. Bill is planning to attend the BMW Golf Championship next month.

Sandy and Bill have lived in Douglas County for 31 years – the past 15 in The Village at Castle Pines. They have two Australian shepherds, Barley and Summer.

When he is not golfing, Bill enjoys hiking and fishing. “We love Douglas County and are very grateful to live here,” concluded Bill.

 

By Hollen Wheeler; photos courtesy of Bill Loeffler