The Lyn Nelson Golf Endowment for Women, Youth and Girls

Lyn Nelson, a true Olympian, spent her professional life in the world of golf. Her life’s passion was to introduce the game to women, youth and especially girls. The Lyn Nelson Golf Endowment for Women, Youth and Girls will provide grants each year in Lyn’s name to programs focused on women, youth and girls in San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Her legacy and infectious passion for golf will live on through this endowment, which has been funded with an initial commitment by The San Francisco Mayor’s Women’s Golf Council. Additional contributions in her memory to this endowment from family, friends and other organizations will be used to grow the fund and allow Lyn’s memory to live on in the lives of countless golfers and continue her impact in the Bay Area.

Lynda “Lyn” Nelson was born on December 24, 1958 in Burlingame, California. Her beautiful soul left this world on December 9, 2022. Lyn was a long-time resident of Half Moon Bay and a regular on the golf courses throughout Northern California. Lyn was also an active member of the Olympic Club and Half Moon Bay Women’s Golf Club, among others. Her dedication to women’s golf was never more apparent than her enthusiastic development of the PDM program for women at the Olympic Cub to learn the game of golf. She also served as co-chair of Players Services at the 2021 US Women’s Open and recently helped successfully resurrect the Harding Park Women’s Golf Club.

She was a multi-sport athlete who also loved reading, cooking, hiking, fishing, and time with her family and friends. Her crab feeds were epic. Her beautiful smile and tremendous sense of humor will never be forgotten.

Lyn once said, “Sports, which equates to teamwork, has always been a big part of my life.”

In high school, she excelled at basketball, flag football, field hockey, tennis and softball resulting in Hillsdale High School Athlete of the Year and receiving scholarships in both tennis and softball. She accepted the SJSU softball scholarship, but after a skiing accident that left her unable to play, she stumbled upon her greatest passion besides family and friends…golf.

Lyn was a member of the San Jose State University Lady Spartan Golf Team. A long driver and excellent putter, Lyn held several club championships and course records. She attained the top 100 international amateur ranking in 2007. She was a semifinalist in the 2002 USGA Women’s Mid Amateur Championship at Eugene Country Club and a quarterfinalist in the 2003 USGA Women’s Mid Amateur Championship at Long Cove Golf Club. Lyn still holds the course records at Half Moon Bay for the Old and Ocean courses.

Her passion for the game was fueled not by low scores or accomplishments but by the amazing people and mentors she has met along the way.

Lyn was a rare bird – a woman golf executive in a traditionally male-dominated sport and business. Lyn broke glass ceilings quietly with her competence and ability.

Lyn’s golf career spanned over 43 years, which included top leadership positions (General Manager) at Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club, University Club of Palo Alto and Half Moon Bay Golf Links. Most recently Lyn was the Director of Golf and Golf Properties for the City and County of San Francisco, appointed by Mayor Ed Lee. This position married Lyn’s professional acumen with her passion for public golf.

Lyn was the first female Executive Director of the Northern California Golf Association (NCGA) one of the Nation’s most prominent state golf associations from 2008 to 2013. Lyn oversaw the 2014 renovation of Poppy Hills Golf Course, which was hailed as the Renovation of the Year by Golf Magazine and Golf Digest. She also served as vice-president for the California Golf Alliance and various USGA committees. Lyn was also instrumental in the creation of the NCGA Hall of Fame and continued success of Youth on Course.

As a golf administrator, she was driven by a conviction that in order to survive, golf must broaden its reach – to embrace women, children, and diversity. Her view was shared by San Francisco’s late mayor Ed Lee, who in 2014 appointed Lyn as a founding member of the San Francisco Mayor’s Women’s Golf Council, dedicated to making San Francisco a women’s golf-friendly City.

A theme through Lyn’s life in golf was her deep personal knowledge and care for the people she served and worked with. Lyn also advanced golf through volunteerism by serving on many boards such as: Harding Park Women’s Golf Club, Navy Seal Foundation, California Alliance for Golf, and The First Tee of San Francisco (to name just a few) and supporting the Northern California junior tournaments through the U.S. Kids program.

Lyn was an annual fixture as the starter at all of the Frys.com Open and Safeway Open PGA Tour tournaments at Silverado. Lyn’s passion for golf ran deep and her love of course architecture was a similar passion as evidenced by her two beloved Labrador Retrievers named Alister and MacKenzie.

Lyn will be missed by all who knew her personally and professionally -- a treasured friend and colleague with legions of fans.

If you would prefer to contribute via check to the Lyn Nelson Golf Endowment for Women, Youth, and Girls, please make all checks payable to The Olympic Club Foundation at:

The Olympic Club Foundation
524 Post Street
San Francisco, CA 94102