H. James "Jim" Loke, CGCS, Montreal-born career superintendent who pushed the agronomic envelope at upper-echelon clubs in northern Ohio and central Pennsylvania, passed away December 12 after a 23 year battle with Parkinson’s Disease. He was 77.
After graduation from Ohio State in 1970 with a degree in turfgrass science, Loke worked at Scioto Country Club, Oakwood GC and The Ohio State University GC before taking the assistant position at Firestone Country Club in Akron. He worked his way up to the superintendent position at Firestone and went on to host seven televised PGA events, including the 1975 PGA Championship and the World Series of Golf.
From Firestone he went to Quail Hollow Resort in Painesville, OH, where he hosted several other PGA Tour events and US Open qualifiers. After Quail Hollow, Loke moved to the Lancaster, PA area to build and grow in Bent Creek Country Club, where he pioneered the use of fertigation and also maintained Poa-free putting surfaces.
He served as president of the Northern Ohio GCSA and the Central Pennsylvania GCSA chapters and on seven different GCSAA committees and two Ohio Turfgrass Foundation committees over the years. He received the Distinguished Service Award from GCSAA in 2008.
A life-long hockey player and youth/high school hockey coach, Jim was also an early and active TurfNet member who played on the first TurfNet team in the Golf Course Hockey Challenge in 1999.
"I met Jim soon after I started TurfNet in 1994," recalls Peter McCormick. "He was an early adopter in every way. Jim was serious about his craft but also friendly and approachable. He was one of the most inquisitive and studious superintendents I’ve ever met."
He was an early adopter in every way. Jim was serious about his craft but also friendly and approachable. He was one of the most inquisitive and studious superintendents I’ve ever met..." ~ Peter McCormick
Loke was noted for his intensive Poa eradication processes, pioneering the use of the glyphosate dabber and incorporating periodic "staff crawls" of shoulder-to-shoulder, on the knees hand-weeding of any rogue Poa plants that might have taken root in the greens at Bent Creek.
"I visited Jim at Bent Creek one October afternoon many years ago, and we took a drive around the course late on that stunning, bluebird-sky day," McCormick said. "The golf course absolutely glowed, with the precision of the stepcuts and the uniformity of the playing surfaces almost jumping off the turf. I remember thinking at the time that it can't get much better than this."
For many years Loke hosted a small-group afternoon "think-tank" session at the fall Penn State turf conference. "During a break in the conference schedule, when others might be heading for the bar, Jim's invited group would meet in a private room to review the current state of the industry and brainstorm what might be coming next," McCormick recalled. "He invited me to sit in one year. I remember Frank Dobie (Sharon Golf Club) and Todd Voss (Double Eagle Club) being there. It struck me as unusual at the time, but was an indication of Jim's inquisitive nature and desire to share his thoughts and learn from others."
John Colo, an Ohio native now at Frenchman’s Reserve Country Club in Florida, first worked for Loke at Quail Hollow and followed him to Pennsylvania for two stints at Bent Creek in the mid-late '90s.
"I am the man I am and the superintendent I am today in part due to having worked for Jim Loke," Colo said. "He was demanding and a taskmaster, but working for him was a great experience for me."
McCormick laments having lost contact with Loke about ten years ago. "Jim had significant health issues and had retired from Bent Creek," he said. "For some reason we drifted apart and lost contact. I regret that now. Our mutual friend Gordon Witteveen used to say that if you don't work at relationships they soon go away. He was right."
Jim is survived by his wife Karen, daughters Julie and Kristin and granddaughters Margo & Layla.
