Donald Lewis Hamblin

Donald "Don" Lewis Hamblin, 77, of La Quinta, California, passed away Saturday June 12, 2010, at his home due to an extended illness. Don was born Sept. 5, 1932, in Caldwell, Idaho, to Lewis and Ruth Hamblin. He had two brothers, Frank and Jerry; and a sister, Jean (Hayes) Hamblin. Don graduated from Caldwell High School, where he played basketball, baseball and golf. He attended Woodbury Junior College in Los Angeles for two years before graduating from College of Idaho with a bachelor of science in physical education and a minor in English. Don was a two-sport athlete at the College of Idaho where he played basketball and baseball. After graduation, he began his career as an English teacher and coach in Parma, Idaho. While in Parma, Don met his wife of 51 years, Alice, of Notus, Idaho, and they were married at St. Mary's in Caldwell, Idaho Feb. 7, 1959. T wo weeks later, he accepted the assistant professional position at The Desert Inn Country Club in Las Vegas, where he later became the head golf professional.

In 1960, son, Michael was born; daughter, Jeanne was born in 1962; and daughter, Julie in 1965. In 1965, Don became the head professional at The Dunes Emerald Green Country Club. Don moved his family back to Idaho in 1976, and he leased the Twin Falls Municipal Golf Course and served as head golf professional. In 1982, he started working part-time for the PGA Tour as a rules official and joined the PGA Senior Tour full-time as the assistant tournament director in 1987. Don loved all sports, especially basketball, fishing and cards where he excelled in gin and poker. He served as vice president of the UNLV Booster Club in the 70's. Don had a passion for junior golf and was instrumental in starting junior golf programs in Las Vegas, and Idaho for the Idaho Golf Association. While at the Dunes Country Club in Las Vegas, he taught hundreds of celebrities, but what he loved most was working with juniors and influencing their lives.

Of course, his favorite students were his son, Mike, who followed in his footsteps as a PGA professional and his grandson, Jordan, who currently plays golf for Odessa College in Texas. His daughter Julie was also an exceptional golfer, playing college golf in San Diego. She also followed her father's lead in the golf business, working at Las Vegas Country Club and Crane Creek Country Club. Jeannie was the smart one who chose the jewelry business instead of the golf business.

Don held every office in the Rocky Mountain Section PGA and was also the executive director while still at the Dunes Country Club. He was a six-time golf professional of the year and was district director of the PGA of America from 1982-84. While a rules official for the PGA tour he worked hundreds of tour events, including numerous PGA Championships, U.S. Open's, Ryder Cups, Senior U.S. Opens, Senior Skins Games. Don and Alice loved the tour and made many lifelong friends.

They enjoyed traveling and working the tour until a devastating stroke in 1994 that drained Don's body, but not his compassion for the game. Although his speech and movement were limited, he always found a way to share his opinion when it came to teaching. He was the ultimate constant worker and did everything for his family. He loved to cook and entertain and was one of the best cooks of all time. Don has now gone to the course in the sky where you always have a perfect lie. His family and friends love him and will miss him.

Don is survived by his wife, Alice; son, Mike (Kalyn) of Twin Falls, Idaho; daughters, Jeanne of Snohomish, Wasington., and Julie of Twin Falls; and grandchildren, Jordan, Kurtis, Jessica, Anthony and Michael.

It was Don's wish to be cremated, followed by a Mass at at 10 a.m. Monday, June 21, St. Francis of Assisi Church in La Quinta, California. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Don's memory be made to the TF Golf Club, Junior Golf Foundation, c/o First Federal Savings, P.O. Box 1885, Twin Falls, ID 83303.