Five to Enter Nebraska Golf Hall of Fame in 2026
Austin, Athy, Germer, Gunia and Riordan
OMAHA (May 1, 2026) - The Nebraska Golf Hall of Fame will induct its 2026 Class on May 11 at Wilderness Ridge in Lincoln. Five individuals will be honored, including Omaha's Gary Austin, Lincoln's Tom Athy, Omaha's Don Germer, Alliance-native Laura Gunia and Lincoln's Terry Riordan.
The Nebraska Golf Hall of Fame is an independent organization with an objective to honor those men and women, Amateur and Professional, who have made outstanding contributions to golf in Nebraska and to assist in the research necessary to develop and maintain a history of Nebraska Golf.
2026 Inductees
Gary Austin
Austin is a unique Hall of Fame member, earning his way in, not through trophies or a career in golf, but rather a complete dedication to the game as a volunteer.
He was a graduate of Burwell High School, before attending UNL. After his graduation as a Husker in 1966, Austin enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1967. He was a pilot and oceanographer over his 26 years of service, eventually retiring in 1993 with the rank of captain.
Austin took up golf at 25, and became sufficiently proficient to be a club four-ball champion and twice the low-net winner in his age group at the Nebraska Senior Amateur. However, his real contributions developed with the Rules book in his hands, instead of a club.
"I got a late start in Nebraska golf," Austin said. "When I retired from the Navy 33 years ago, Kathy and I moved back to Nebraska, our home state. I worked for a couple companies for several years, then decided I was old enough to finally retire for real. I saw somewhere that (NebGolf) was looking for volunteers. I decided to see what I could do for them and after nearly 19 years, I’m still doing it. I’ve been made to feel like one of their staff for much of that time."
The volunteer journey began for the Nebraska Golf Association in July 2007. He quickly made an impression on the full-time staff, and within three years agreed to take over the program, as volunteer coordinator.
Austin has been instrumental in growing the volunteer program, which provides rules officials and more to assist with NebGolf Championships and events, as well as several other outside events over the years. Currently, more than 80 volunteers are engaged in the program, providing 376 tournament days in 2025.
In his 19 years, Austin has lead by example, as the most-prolific volunteer. He's worked approximately 350 events conducted by NebGolf, spending more than 650 days on the course officiating. That excludes the extra work he put in over the years helping with marking, setup and travel. In 2025, he worked a whopping 49 days, almost twice as many as any other volunteer.
"Probably the most rewarding thing for me is all the great people I’ve met and built relationships with during the 19 years I’ve been volunteering," Austin said. "That includes watching young players grow up, go on to higher education, have families of their own and meeting their parents and grandparents throughout the process. Also, playing in several senior championships enabled me to meet other golfers almost my age. It gave me something I felt pride in doing during my retirement."
Austin has served as the official-in-charge at several events, including the NSAA State Championships, and has worked many college events. However, the highlight was getting to work a USGA Championship at Dalhousie Country Club in Missouri. That was the 2015 USGA Women's State Team Championship, where he worked on the Rules Committee.
He has been honored by the Nebraska School Activities Association for distinguished service. NebGolf presented him with the Virgil A. Parker Special Recognition Award in 2013. Being a Hall of Famer was something he didn't think was possible though.
"This is all very surreal to me. I was surprised I was even considered for a nomination, let alone being selected for induction," Austin said. "I’ve always felt I was just doing a job I agreed to do the best I could, which is the way I was raised. I was satisfied with the verbal recognition I received, both for myself and the other volunteers who have been a big part of my life for the last 15-18 years. Working with everyone, including the Nebraska Golf Association staff, was an honor. From what I know about the other recipients in this group, as well as others I know who are already members, being selected is something I’ll always cherish, but it’s a rather humbling experience for me."
Tom Athy
Tom Athy has been responsible for some of the finest greens across the state over the past half-century. He's spent 51 years in the golf industry, taking care of turf at Fremont Golf Club, Omaha Country Club and Wilderness Ridge in Lincoln over those years.
The Des Moines native played football and basketball at Midland College (now Midland University) and stayed in Fremont as a junior high teacher. He went on to earn a masters degree from the University of Nebraska-Omaha in 1976. That's when the golf industry came calling.
In 1976, Athy started as superintendent and course manager at Hillcrest Golf Course in Fremont. He soon moved to Fremont Golf Club as assistant superintendent to Nebraska Golf Hall of Famer Doug Petersan. When Petersan took the head superintendent job at the famed Prairie Dunes Country Club in Kansas, Athy took over as FGC's superintendent in 1979.
Before he took over at FGC, Athy was the grow-in superintendent at The Pines Country Club in Valley, which still features some of the best greens in the state.
After eight years in Fremont, Athy took one of the most coveted jobs in the state at Omaha Country Club in 1987. He had already established himself as a leader in the industry, taking several advisory and leadership roles.
Athy had served on the Nebraska Golf Course Superintendent Association board from 1981-1984, including as president in 1984. He also had two stints on the Nebraska Turfgrass Association board, again serving as president in 1984 and 1985. Athy later served on advisory councils at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for the Center for Grassland Studies and the Professional Golf Management Program. He was on the Nebraska Golf Hall of Fame board of directors from 1998-2011, again serving as president from 2006-2011.
His 25 years at Omaha Country Club featured another grow-in, following the $4.1 million renovation in 2005-06. In 2012, he took on a new challenge, in reviving Wilderness Ridge. It was a daily fee course at the time with struggling turf conditions, and Athy restored it to the championship facility it is today.
Athy has received multiple honors over his career, including Superintendent of the Year from the NGCSA in 1995. He earned the Nebraska Turfgrass Association's Distinguished Service Award, and Wilderness Ridge has been recognized by the PGA Tour as one of the top sites for Stage 1 of its qualifying school.
"Throughout my career of 48 years in the golf industry, I have been blessed to be surrounded by quality individuals who are at the very top of their professions. Leaders in their fields and highly regarded by their peers," Athy said. "I have truly been surrounded by the best of the best. In all these positions, I have been able to recruit and train the absolute best of support staff. Excellent hard-working assistants, mechanics and maintenance staff. These individuals were the backbone of our maintenance team. Most importantly I have always been blessed by the love, support and encouragement of my three sons: Todd, Jeff and Scott and my wife of 54 years, Jackie. Without them I would be found wanting."
Don Germer
Don Germer is a PGA of America Life Member who was a head golf professional in Omaha for more than 30 years, before his retirement in 2021.
After graduating from Benson High School in 1972, Germer went on to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was the All-Spain Military champion, and after his honorable discharge, he had his eyes set on playing professionally.
Germer returned to Nebraska and was the Nebraska Match Play runner-up in 1978 and the medalist in the 1979 World-Herald Publinks match play. That's when he decided to give it a shot and turn pro.
He spent some time working and playing at Indian Wells Country Club in Palm Desert, California. His focus changed, after he realized his game wouldn't stack up. Instead, he decided to go the club pro route.
"When I was a boy, I didn't dream of folding sweaters and picking the range," Germer said. "Like all kids, my dream was to play professional golf. I was a crummy junior golfer and a crummy high school player too...I left for California thinking my game was tournament ready. At Indian Wells Country Club in Palm Desert, where I hung out, everyone was better than I was. I realized I had zero chance to be a player. It was the best thing that could have happened to me. My focus changed to being a club professional, folding sweaters and picking the range."
Germer eventually came back to Omaha, and earned his first head professional position in 1987 at Miracle Hill Golf Course. In 1992, he moved on to Highland Country Club, which later became Ironwood Golf and Country Club. Germer cemented his status as a top club professional during his tenure there.
After Ironwood closed, Germer continued his career at The Players Club in Omaha from 2011 until his retirement in 2021.
He earned several awards over the years, including the Nebraska PGA Golf Professional of the Year in 1996 and 1997. Germer's merchandise was always top of the line, with the Nebraska PGA presenting him with the Private Club Merchandiser of the Year award five times (1993, 1994, 1998, 2005 and 2016). He served as the organizations President from 1995-1997, as well.
As a player, he won the Nebraska PGA match play title in 1990 and its senior stroke-play championship in 2007.
Laura Gunia
Laura Gunia was a pioneer in the golf industry in Nebraska, becoming the first female PGA Head Golf Professional in the state.
"Golf has been at the heart of my life for as long as I can remember - a gift that began in Nebraska and shaped not only my career, but the person I became," Gunia said. "Guided by my father, I learned the game's greatest lessons: integrity, humility, and respect for others. Those values became the foundation for every opportunity that followed. The fairways and communities of Nebraska are where my love for the game took root, and where I first understood what it means to serve something greater than myself. Every step of my journey traces back to those beginnings, and I will always be proud to call Nebraska the place where it all began."
Before her professional career, Gunia was a standout amateur from Alliance. Her school, St. Agnes, did not have a girls' team, so she competed on the boys' team. She was the No. 2 player, behind her brother, and they helped the team to the Class C state tournament each year from 1981 to 1983.
Gunia went on to play golf at the University of Nebraska, and added to her accolades. She was a four-year letter winner and team captain her senior year. She won a tournament that year, and earned All-Big Eight Conference honors in 1987. Gunia won the Nebraska Women's Amateur that same year at Beatrice Country Club.
Shortly after graduating, Gunia entered the PGA apprentice program. She wanted to follow in the footsteps of her father, Ron, who was the PGA Head Professional at Sky View Golf Course in Alliance. An assistant job at Firethorn Golf Club in Lincoln allowed her to learn the trade for a handful of years.
Gunia had impressed Firethorn developer, and Nebraska Golf Hall of Famer, Dick Youngscap so much that he made a move that had never been done. He hired Gunia as the Head Golf Professional in 1994, making her the first woman in Nebraska to hold that position.
When the 1996 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship came to Firethorn, Gunia served as an executive committee member, in addition to being the host professional. She was the Nebraska PGA Private Club Merchandiser of the Year that same year.
Gunia left Firethorn and Nebraska in 1997 to pursue other business interests in Texas. However, she eventually returned to golf at Falconhead Golf Club in Texas. She was the Director of Golf from 2011-2012, before moving up to General Manager and General Partner in 2013. Gunia led the club until negotiating its sale in 2018. She now works in the real estate business in Austin.
"I am truly honored and deeply grateful to be considered for induction into the Nebraska Golf Hall of Fame," Gunia said. "Golf has been a defining part of my life, shaping my path as both a competitor and a PGA Professional. My career has been guided by values instilled early on - integrity, hard work, and respect for the game. I owe much of my journey to my father, Ron Gunia, a Life Member of the PGA, whose wisdom and guidance laid the foundation for my professional life. The foundation of my career was built in Nebraska, and every milestone that followed traces back to those beginnings."
Terry Riordan
Dr. Terry Riordan enjoyed a long and unique career as a leading authority on turfgrass breeding and as the first director of UNL’s PGA Golf Management Program.
Riordan was born in Riverside, California, but grew up in Illinois. He was a turfgrass major at Purdue University, after lettering in golf at Bradley University.
He entered the turfgrass industry with Scotts, developing St. Augustine grasses for home lawns from 1970 to 1978. Then, he moved on to education, teaching agronomy and horticulture classes at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. A $4,000 research grant from the USGA Green Section in 1983 changed everything. With water use for golf courses a concern, the USGA asked for the development of drought-resistant turfgrasses. The grants increased, and eventually totaled $1.5 million from the USGA during a 15-year stretch with Riordan. The UNL Turfgrass Science Program is still a leader in the industry to this day.
After the turn of the millenium, Riordan branched outside of turf. The University was struggling to bring in students, and a decision was made to start a new undergrad program for PGA Professional Golf Management. Riordan was tasked with getting the program going, even though he had no experience in that realm of the industry.
Riordan immersed himself in the golf professional business, and worked with the PGA of America to get the program off the ground. In 2004, the new PGM program began accepting students, and it grew into a major success for the University.
Since he was leading the program, Riordan decided it made sense to become a PGA Professional himself, and go through the same program as his students. In 2008, he became a Class A PGA Professional at the age of 64, the oldest to go through the program at the time.
"Well, it was an interesting career," Riordan said. "I would have never expected that first round of golf I played when I was 16 years old would have had such a significant effect on what I did for the next 60-plus years. I'm proud of what I accomplished professionally, but I'm much prouder of all the students who have gone on and had excellent careers in areas such as a golf course superintendent, teaching at a university or having a career as a PGA golf professional."
Since his retirement in 2009, Riordan has given back through PGA HOPE, which exposes golf to military veterans. He received the 2011 Nebraska PGA Professional Development Award. The UNL Turfgrass Department was honored by the Nebraska Golf Hall of Fame in 1999.
Learn more about the Nebraska Golf Hall of Fame at the button below.
About NebGolf
The Nebraska Golf Association (NebGolf), founded in 1966, is comprised of all members of public and private clubs and/or municipal or regional golf associations which utilize an approved handicap service recognized by the USGA and provided by NebGolf. Our mission is to uphold and promote the game of golf and its values to all golfers in Nebraska. Among the duties of the Association include governance of member clubs and service as their handicapping and course rating authority, conduct of state golf championships, local USGA qualifying & other notable competitions, promotion of junior golf, presentation of worthwhile educational programs and support of allied golf organizations in Nebraska. The Nebraska Golf Association is an Allied Golf Association of the USGA and carries out core services including Handicap Administration and Oversight, Course Rating, Rules of Golf and Rules of Amateur Status, Tournaments and USGA Championship Qualifiers and USGA Initiatives and Community Programs.
