Tuesday, May 19th The Hawaii Prince Golf Course
The History behind the Wilkinson Classic
We often forget that newer members and non-members don’t automatically know the history of this association or this event, and so it is a valid question...Who are Stan Zur and John Wilkinson?
Stan Zur was the founder of the Honolulu Executives Association along with Stewart Wade, in 1972. The H.E.A. was officially incorporated in 1973 and Stan Zur became the first President of the Association. Originally all men, the Association held frequent golf outings, but a fun-filled, non-serious golf tournament soon became an official annual event. To avoid intimidating and possibly alienating those non-golfers in the association, it became the annual “Turf Inspection”, and was held at a golf course willing to allow the group to enjoy the course pretty much to themselves, permitting “fun” on the course.Stan Zur passed away in 1988. A new president, John Wilkinson, was just taking office in 1989, and it was John with his new board, who made the decision to continue holding the golf tournament, naming it in honor or our late founder. So, in 1989, it officially became “The Stan Zur Turf Inspection”. Held in Spring, it has been a great way to spend an afternoon, strengthen friendships, and introduce staff or friends to the members of HEA.
In spring of 2009 John Wilkinson passed away. In those 20 years since his presidency that permanently set the tone for this tournament, John became a prominent figure in HEA and not only founded the Kona Executives Association, but helped in the start of the Hilo Bay Executives Association and the early stages of an Association for Kauai. John was known for his love of fishing and especially his love of golf. He had his own 9 hole back yard course at his home in Waiahole, and if you were lucky enough to be invited to play at “Sweet Waiahole” you had to play with certain rules... play barefoot and select only 4 clubs to play the entire course.In finding a way to honor John for all of his contributions to HEA and to continue to honor Stan Zur we changed the Stan Zur Turf Inspection to the Wilkinson Classic but will have a perpetual trophy named the Stan Zur Turf Inspection Trophy. The Classic will remain a fun day on the course for serious players and those that seldom or never play. With special events on several tees, and 2 beverage carts that roam the course all day long, there is something for everyone to enjoy along with good friends and a beautiful course. The day is topped off with a dinner, laughter, awards and hundreds of prizes, so that everyone leaves with a prize, just for joining us out on the course for the day.
