'Figurehead for golf': Joel Peattie retires as pro at Port Huron Golf Club

‘Figurehead for golf’: Joel Peattie retires as pro at Port Huron Golf Club

Posted by author January 23, 2025 Golf

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PORT HURON — By his own admission, Joel Peattie won’t realize life is “a little different” until April.

Because at that point, unlike the past three decades, he won’t be spending spring at Port Huron Golf Club.

Peattie retired as the club’s PGA professional after 31 seasons in October.

“It was just time to wind down,” Peattie told the Times Herald in a phone interview. “I’m 64 now and my wife retired from (teaching at) Port Huron Northern a few years ago. We had been spending more time here in Florida and it was time to just enjoy life a little bit … (my experience at the club) was great. I look back and, in my 31 years, I never thought about going anywhere else.”

Before ascending to that role in 1994, the Port Huron native spent four years as the assistant to Bill Netter, who was the head professional for 36 years before that.

For generations of local golfers, Peattie is synonymous with the club.

“When you think about Port Huron Golf Club, you think about Joel as the pro there,” said Port Huron Northern boys golf coach Kyle Whymer, who is also a member. “I’ve worked with him in a variety of different ways. I was our invite chair for a little bit and we worked together on projects for that. Then, being the coach at Northern, he was always just so accommodating to our program … I was just lucky to work with him for that time.”

Speaking of work, there’s no shortage for a PGA professional.

“They take on so many different roles,” Whymer said. “Their leadership at the club entails running golf tournaments, giving people lessons, managing the pro shop, providing guidance to a board — they do so much more than just monitor a tee sheet. They’re absolutely essential. And to have somebody as much of a pro as Joel was, we were beyond lucky as a membership at Port Huron.”

“It was an honor,” Peattie said. “I played a lot of tournament golf … every time, if I was going to play in a PGA-sanctioned event or anything, you were always representing your members back at home. So, you always tried to do your best and make sure that the club was proud of your work and your endeavors.”

During his final season last fall, he was honored by the club on several occasions.

“The things that they did for me were above and beyond,” Peattie said. “It’s greatly appreciated. I was recognized at our men’s invitational. They were very gracious in throwing me a nice retirement party. Those things really stick out. That, and all the (thanks) everybody gives you for everything you do. It’s the small things, too, that are just as important as the big things.”

As for the big question everyone keeps asking ― what he plans to do next ― Peattie is already enjoying retirement in Florida alongside his wife, Linda.

“I’m looking forward to spending time with her,” Joel Peattie said. “And, hopefully, at this point, I might play a little golf. Because playing golf is not the thing you do when you’re in the golf business. It’s kind of the last thing you do.”

For everything he’s done, his legacy will last at Port Huron Golf Club.

“He’s just been involved in teaching so many people from around here,” Whymer said. “Some of the best players (from this region) have been taught by him. He’s a fantastic teacher, a fantastic player and just, really, a figurehead for golf in the area.”

“It’s a good place,” Joel Peattie said of the club. “I’m happy that I had a little bit of impact there.”

Contact Brenden Welper at bwelper@gannett.com. Follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @BrendenWelper.