Peter Carl Puetz, golf-store guru, dies at 90

Peter Carl Puetz, the humble and hardworking co-founder of one of the nation's first discount golf stores, died of pneumonia Saturday (June 15) in Bothell. He was 90.

Mr. Puetz was known as the quiet Puetz brother, a dedicated businessman who, with the help of his younger brother Alvin, turned a modest North Seattle driving range into Puetz Golf Superstores.

"They were pioneers and leaders in the golf industry," said Billy Derickson, a PGA golf pro who worked with Puetz Golf for more than 20 years. "It's quite a success story."

In 1945, just after World War II, the Puetz brothers built Puetz driving range, sort of an Everyman's country club where you could get a bucket of balls for 60 cents.

It was a nice-enough place, but golf wasn't nearly as popular then as it is today, and the brothers realized early on that the range wouldn't survive if its only moneymakers were cheap buckets of balls and the occasional golf lesson.

"They thought, well, maybe they could merchandise," Derickson said. "Only they'd sell it cheap."

Before Puetz driving range got into the market, the primary places to buy equipment were golf courses, and there the prices were high. The Puetz brothers came in and made clubs more affordable.

"The pros were a little up in arms when the Puetz brothers started discounting golf equipment," said David Puetz, Mr. Puetz's son who now owns and operates the business.

"I haven't found anyone that disputes they were the first to discount golf clubs," David Puetz said. "But did they revolutionize the golfing industry? I don't know. I don't know what they were doing in Ireland at the time. But they certainly changed the way things were done around here."

Born in Seattle to Peter and Anna Puetz on June 1, 1912, Mr. Puetz was a middle child in a family of 12. At an early age, he and some of his brothers discovered golf when they began caddying at Seattle Golf Club.

It was there that the Puetz boys learned to play the game by watching golfers and competing in caddy tournaments.

"I don't think there was a lot of recreational things to do then," David Puetz said. "Times were tough. I remember my dad telling me stories about eating bacon grease on bread for a meal. Golf was something that was fun. It wasn't going home to listen to dad yell at them. I think they caddied as much as they could."

At age 13, Mr. Puetz dropped out of the eighth grade to support his family after his father died. He and his brothers worked at fish and meat markets in downtown Seattle.

"Al had this idea to start a driving range," David Puetz said. "He quit the meat market to begin working on it. Dad didn't want to quit his job until he was sure it was going to happen. But he helped Al with it on nights and weekends."

The Puetz brothers transformed the tiny business with a handful of employees into a Seattle institution that employs 65 and has locations in Seattle, Bellevue and Tukwila.

"I learned from my dad that business always comes first," David Puetz said. "Whether that is always right, I don't know. I've tried to soften that a little bit, but I always take care of business first and personal second. I also learned from him what to purchase and how to negotiate with a supplier. And I learned the keys to success which, number one, is customer service. Basically, my dad based everything around good customer service."

Mr. Puetz was also known to argue loudly with Alvin, now 88. David Puetz said his father and uncle related to each other through yelling.

"He and Al used to fight like cats and dogs," David Puetz said. "They'd yell at each other for two hours, then it'd be lunchtime, and they'd go out, and you'd never know they were arguing. That was their relationship. It worked for them."

Mr. Puetz is survived by his son, who lives in Woodinville; his brother Alvin, who lives in Seattle; a sister, Irene Kelley of Seattle; two daughters, Pat Woodcock of Sylmar, Calif., and Susan Weaver of Canton, Mich.; six grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorine; a son, Peter Michael "Mickey"; and a daughter, Sally.

David Puetz said his dad requested that there be no funeral or memorial.

"He really lived a full life," David Puetz said. "Everybody pretty much lives for something, and you just try to be the best at it. The golf business has just been our thing. ... I guess that's the only reason I'm still in the business. Golf isn't a moneymaker. You do it out of a love of the sport, a love of customer service and a love of family."