Longtime Golf Association of Michigan volunteer and honorary Governor Gus Cosmos passed away May 9. Cosmos was an avid golfer and member at Red Run Golf Club in Royal Oak for many years. He supported the game at all levels and was especially involved with the Evans Scholars program which provides college scholarships to caddies.
Cosmos was a fixture at GAM tournaments and events for 60 years and for many of those seasons provided the fine scoreboard calligraphy. In 1995, he won the GAM’s Distinguished Service Award.
“He was very dependable,” said GAM Tournament Director Ken Hartmann. “No matter where or when he had to be there, Gus would show up and he was always the first one there and the last one to leave.”
Nicknamed the Golden Greek, Cosmos worked every GAM tournament at some point and never missed a State Amateur — even though the tournament fell during his wedding anniversary.
“People would always say no matter what changes there were in the GAM staff, Gus was still there doing the boards,” said Hartmann.
GAM Executive Director David Graham remembers Cosmos’ dedication to golf and the enthusiasm he brought to his job as a volunteer.
“Gus Cosmos was very passionate about the game of golf and the people involved in the game,” said Graham. “He devoted an extraordinary amount of time volunteering as a rules official for the GAM which included being away from his bride for virtually every one of their wedding anniversaries since it fell during the Michigan Amateur each June and Gus was not going to vacate his post at the scoreboard. He will be missed but his legacy lives on as those of us who worked with Gus over the years will always remember his enthusiastic support for the game of golf, for all the players and all the volunteers who supported it with him.”
Greg Reynolds has competed in GAM tournaments for a number of years and remembers the warmth Cosmos extended toward all of the tournament participants.
“Of all of the people who have ever worked at GAM tournaments, Gus was one of my favorites,” said Reynolds. “He was always glad to see us and we were always glad to see him doing the scoreboards. Sometimes you had to wonder if it was in his best interest health-wise when he was older and having trouble with his legs and jumping up and down doing the scoreboards but he loved it doing it and we loved having him there. And he was always very sharp. He knew who all of the people were and he remembered everyone’s name.”
Cosmos always encouraged the contestants and wasn’t shy about giving a few tips here and there that might help the players tame the golf course. Reynolds says often, Cosmos was his biggest cheerleader.
“He was always pulling very hard for me to win the State Amateur,” said Reynolds. “He was always trying to give you a little advice in one way or another. I’m not sure how beneficial the advice was, but he was always pulling for you hard. A couple of times I got close during the Am and he was always out there watching. He will really be missed by those of us who have played in those tournaments for a long time and have come to know Gus.”
“No matter how you played – good or bad – Gus always had a smile and a word of encouragement,” said longtime GAM member John Lindholm. “He just enjoyed being around the process, seeing the players come in, seeing the players tee off and everything else. I look at him like I would look at my grandfather. We all enjoyed him being around and he was just a very kind-hearted and warm person.”
Visitation will be at the AJ Desmond Funeral Home on Wednesday, May 12; 3-9 p.m. The funeral home address is: 2600 Crooks Road, Troy, MI 48084 (248) 362-2500.
The funeral service will be12:30 p.m. at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church on Thursday, May 13, 2010. The church address is: 760 W. Wattles Road, Troy, MI 48098.
