In the Northern California golf circles, well, probably and in an even bigger circle than NorCal, mention the name “the Lipper” and everyone knew who you were talking about.
Born Dan Lippstreu on December 11, 1941, Lipper was the golf pro at Las Positas for 35-years at Las Positas, becoming one of golf’s most respected people in the Bay Area.
When news came out that he passed away on October 28 at the age of 84, it was easy to understand that many people were moved.
Count me among that group. Once I heard of Dan’s passing, two words came to mind – iconic and legend.
I love golf. I have a golf lifestyle publication and have had the privilege to cover four U.S. Opens, numerous PGA Tour events, some LPGA events, and even a Presidents Cup.
I have played some amazing courses throughout North America. And watching golf on TV – every weekend throughout the PGA Tour season, much to the chagrin of my wife – is on TV, usually in my home office.
And to be honest, most of my love of the game of golf was in no small part thanks to Dan.
Once I became a sportswriter back in 1985, golf was largely due to my matriculation at Chico State (ironically Dan’s alma mater), a beer a hole type event, of course with a shot or two before the round.
But then I met Dan doing some stories on all things Las Positas and we talked golf – all things golf.
Suddenly, here was a guy raised on the big three of sports – football, basketball, and baseball – suddenly getting more interested in golf.
Dan made golf cool at a time where it wasn’t as mainstream as it would get when Tiger stepped in.
It was a game that interested me as there were no teams – you were out there on your own with no place to hide, no place for excuses.
I loved that. Throw in the self-governing aspect of the game and I was hooked. I started covering high school golf and among the top golfers were Dan’s daughter Donna, a 1989 graduate of Amador Valley High.
Getting to cover Donna, gave me a chance to see yet another side of Dan – the doting father. Dan took a great deal of pride is his girls – Donna and Pam – teaching and coaching both girls.
And while it was clear how proud he was of his girls, the level of pride carried over to the massive number of junior golfers that went through the Las Positas junior program.
He took the program over in 1973 and had the numbers of junior golfers at a hardy group of 250, many whose family drove them hours just to come to the program.
In 1982 he was named by Sports Illustrated as the National Junior Golf Promoter of the Year. By 2016 more than 11,000 junior golfers had gone through the program, many of whom went on the play collegiately, as well as professionally.
He served a year as the President of the Junior Golf Association of Northern California and spent 11 years on the group’s Board of Directors.
One of the best players he coached was Jean Zedlitz who won the EBAL boys’ golf championship before there was girls’ golf at the local level.
After graduating from Amador Valley, Zedlitz went on to be a two-time All-American at UCLA and competed on the LPGA Tour.
I remember how proud Dan that at one point he held the men’s course record at Las Positas and Donna held the women’s record.
Donna lives in Arizona and is the founder of the globally recognized Golf Party Live podcast, with Pam – now Pam Fischer – teaching golf.
A celebration of life is planned for Sunday, December 13 at Las Positas from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The stories will be legendary and are sure to elicit some thunderous laughs, mixed in the sense of loss from so many that such a important part of their life is gone.
The Lipper may be gone physically but be sure he lives on in anyone who was lucky enough and privileged enough to having known him.
RIP Lipper and thank you for you have given the game and those who knew you.
By Dennis Miller