By David Lepper, Special Campaign Advisor
Alro Steel has made a gift to the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame which will be housed at the new Ferris PGA Golf Management Learning Center, at Katke Golf Course in Big Rapids.
Dr. David Eisler, Ferris State University President, said, “This gift will have a positive and long lasting impact on our Professional Golf Management students, by closely connecting our program with the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame.”
Alro Steel has long played an important role in Michigan golf sponsoring Jackson natives; including professional golfers, the late Dave Hill, Mike Hill and Elaine Crosby. All three are members of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame.
Alro Steel currently sponsors PGA Tour professional, Brian Stuard, who played in the 2017 Masters Tournament, and won the 2016 Zurich Classic.
Winner of 13 PGA tour events, including a Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average in 1969, six Senior tour events, and a member of three Ryder Cup teams, Dave Hill donated all his golf memorabilia for display at Alro Steel. He displayed an Alro Steel logo on his hat and golf bag throughout his career.
Mike Hill, Dave’s younger brother, owns and operates Hill’s Heart of the Lakes Golf Course in Brooklyn, after a professional career that included three PGA Tour victories, and 13 wins on the Senior PGA Tour. Hill’s five victories in 1991 earned him the Arnold Palmer Award as the leading money winner.
Mike Hill said, “Al Glick gave me money to wear the Alro Steel hat when I went on the Senior Tour in 1989. Otherwise, I would not have been able to go out and play. He really propelled my career from then on.”
Former LPGA golfer Elaine Crosby, who was inducted into the LPGA Legends Hall of Fame in 2016, said Alro Steel was one of her original sponsors when she joined the mini-tour in 1983. Crosby won twice on the LPGA tour, once on the Legends tour and won the Michigan Women’s Open in 2002.
Elaine Crosby said: “It is not surprising that Alro Steel is stepping up to sponsor the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame. Al Glick has always been very supportive of my game, and a great philanthropic person for Jackson golf. It is great that the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame will finally have a true home at the place where Professional Golf Management education started at Ferris State University.”
