Gotsche enters GBHS Hall of Fame, career and community impact celebrated

GREAT BEND, KS – For more than 10 years, Great Bend High School has been proud to honor the accomplishments and career achievements of its graduates through the Great Bend High School Hall of Fame awards. On January 3, 2019, the community celebrated the induction of Steve Gotsche with a luncheon, followed by the official induction that evening as the Great Bend Panthers took on Buehler on the basketball court.

While Gotsche’s accomplished and extensive professional golf biography impressed all in attendance, comments of Gotsche’s community involvement and generosity left a lasting impact as guests departed.

Gotsche earned nine invitations to the US Open, 70 mini-tour wins, and celebrated many other milestones while on the PGA and Nike tours. While these wins are very impressive, the community remembers his impact at home, in Great Bend. Gotsche made a lasting impact as golf coach at Barton Community College, Club Professional at Stoneridge Country Club, and mentor to many young golfers. Gotsche was a dedicated volunteer for Kans for Kids, Secret Santa, and the Perfect Attendance Bikes Program for USD 428. In his role at Stoneridge, he assisted many local non-profits in their fundraising efforts by administering top-notch golf tournaments.

“I was honored to cross paths with Steve while he was the Golf Professional at Stoneridge Country Club,” said Mark Mingenback, event emcee and former marketing director for Central Kansas Medical Center. “During the ten years we hosted a golf tournament benefitting the Heartland Cancer Center, Steve was vital to the event, lending his expertise to us and helping us raise over a million dollars, money that is still serving the community through the Golden Belt Community Foundation.”

During the luncheon, Gotsche shared stories of his path to the PGA as well as personal remarks about his respect for the game, instilled in him by several high school coaches and mentors. Gotsche also took time to express his gratitude to unnamed guests in the room who were financial sponsors in the early stages of his career, helping to make his dreams a reality.

Gotsche was officially welcomed into the Hall of Fame Friday evening, center court at the Panther Basketball Game. A plaque highlighting Gotsche’s career and accomplishments joins to the 23 other Hall of Fame members on display in the Jack Kilby Commons at Great Bend High School.

Career Highlights:

Steve Gotsche is a 1979 graduate from Great Bend High School. Gotsche began his amateur golf career in 1974 by traveling to local and regional junior events culminating with victories in both the Kansas Junior Amateur (1979) and the 6A Kansas High School Individual Champion (1979) and then went on to win the Kansas Amateur in 1984. He then turned professional in the spring of 1985 and it didn’t take long to begin winning events throughout the Midwest and qualifying for his first of nine United States Opens. Gotsche’s career is marked by numerous PGA and Nike tour accomplishments. During his professional career, Gotsche qualified nine times for the US Open, competed in the US Senior Open, has won over 70 mini-tour tournaments throughout the country and holds many course records many of which still stand today including a 56(-15) at The Club at Stoneridge.

Once his touring days were limited, Gotsche returned to his Great Bend roots where he shared his passion and expertise in the sport of golf as a Barton Community College coach, PGA Golf Professional at Stoneridge Country Club, community volunteer and business owner. In May of 2014, Gotsche accepted the position of Head PGA Golf Professional at Colbert Hills Country Club in Manhattan Kansas where he resides with his wife of 35 years, Linda (Wilson), a native of Macksville, Kansas. Linda has been teaching elementary students for over 36 years, with 30 years of service in the Great Bend school district. They have two sons, Adam and Ryan who were able to attend the festivities, both GBHS graduates now living in Kansas City and Oklahoma City respectfully. Adam and his wife Kelsey are the parents of toddler, Collins Gotsche. During his spare time he enjoys bass fishing, reading fiction mystery and studying the unique Kansas weather.