We are saddened to learn that long time Valero Golf Club member Bob Simonson passed away on Thursday, September 22nd, 2022.
In reviewing his time with the club we find that he played with us from the club’s founding in 1971 until 2022. His first tournament win came on June 10th, 1971.
In Major Tournament play he won the Winners Tournament in 1977 at Franklin Canyon, in 2009 at Roddy Ranch and in 2012 again at Franklin Canyon. He was the Winners Tournament runner-up to Gary Beckman at Boundary Oak in1975, to Kevin Peck at Rancho Solano in 2003 and to Nemon Williamson at Shadow Lakes in 2007. He lost in a playoff at Rancho Solano after tying Dave Pearce for first place in the 2001 tournament. He won the Valero Cup in 2016 at Kennedy GC. He was the runner-up in the 2001 Club Championship to Nemon Williamson at Paradise Valley in a tie breaker. Bob played in the Pyramid Tournament in 1977, 79, 80, 81, 82 and then again in 2010 and 2011.
Other achievements Bob attained were, he was the Points Champion runner-up in 2001, 2007 and 2016. He was the Scoring Champion runner-up in 2006. He had the most birdies for the club in 2001. He had Best-Ball Tournament wins in 2000 with Ron Powers, in 2002 with his son Rick, in 2006 with Mike Cook who admitted that he only contributed two putts the entire round, Bob was the hot player that day. In 2012 he teamed with Floyd Duggins to win at Paradise Valley GC. Bob was the # 1 ranked golfer for the club in 2007. He was the runner-up for the Most Improved Player in 2001. In special tournaments he was on the winning team for the Tom Stead tournament in 1985 and 2013, he won the Boyd Cook memorial tournament in 2004 at Paradise Valley and 2007 at Cypress Lakes, he won the Matt Hurst Shootout in 2003 at Brentwood and 2004 at Hiddenbrooke and the Kamp-Devlin Classic in 2016 at Eagle Vines.
Records Bob held, low net score at the Brentwood GC and low net score at the Roddy Ranch GC, runner-up record for the most consecutive tournaments holding the # 1 ranking.
In Valero Golf League play he was on the 2003 league championship team, the Rovers and also holds the record for the low gross score (38) on the Blue Rock East front nine, blue tees.
His final stats, 23 tournament wins, 58 top 3’s, 300.0 tournament points, 4 majors, 74.51 net scoring average, 15 CP’s, 4 LD’s, 52 birdies and 7 pyramid match wins.
Bob was deservedly inducted into the Valero Golf Club’s Hall of Fame in 2012. He is one of the great guys I have known in my life. Mike Cook
