Sculpture represents volunteer’s devotion to golf course

Norm Opp loved the Foster Gulch Golf Course as if it were his own. He served as a member of the board for many years and acted as board president for several of those years. He loved the game of golf and was an avid player most of his adult life. But even more so, he loved his hometown golf course and took great pride in his efforts to make it the best that it could be.

“He treated the course as if everything was his own, and he wanted it to be perfect,” said longtime golf course treasurer and colleague Christy Ellis. “He did everything he could to promote it and make it better.”

His widow, Phyrn, recalls that Norm learned to play while living in Lovell.

She said he loved the course and visited often, sometimes more than once a day.

Phyrn said she wanted to create a sculpture in Norm’s memory because the golf course was like a second home to him.

“He loved to golf, and he loved to go out there,” she said. “He planted all the trees on the south side of the golf course (especially along the hole number nine fairway), which has turned out to be a blessing and curse for the golfers out there. He helped the crew build a fence, pitched in on cleanup and even manned the club house some days.”

Phyrn said he would golf in the morning and take her for a ride with him to visit the course every afternoon. She said she still takes that ride now and then.

“Even when he couldn’t golf anymore, he would drive out there every day at three o’clock,” added his daughter Krystal Stephenson. “He really loved it out there.”

When his grandchildren were young, he bought all of them a golf bag and their own set of clubs. He took them out to the course on a regular basis, teaching them to play and giving them rides in his golf cart. Most of them still play now and then.

“Many memories were made out there,” said Stephenson.

The expertly designed metal sculpture is a realistic replica of Norm’s well-worn golf bag created by the Arizona-based company Extreme Iron Welding of Mojave Valley. The owner of the company, Andrew Studer, is a former classmate of Norm’s daughter-in-law Robin. The artist who designed and created the bag is Studer’s assistant Paola Gonzalez. It was her first such endeavor.

“It’s a life-sized true replica,” said Phyrn. “The detail is unbelievable. I envisioned it but never imagined it would come out this fantastic. It is everything I wanted and more.”

Memorials must receive approval of the golf board before being placed on the course. A special memorial garden, located adjacent to the clubhouse, is a common location for many, though a few are located elsewhere. The Norm Opp sculpture is installed across from the club house, behind the tee box for hole number one on the course.

The sculpture was installed August 15 by Pete Baxendale, Jake Lohof, Adam Anderson and Carson Olsen of Midway Construction and Dirt Work.