Steve Kealy Receives Local Legend Recognition

Steve Kealy, the superintendent at Bellevue, Washington's Glendale Country Club, who has been a driving force in the First Green program since its inception, was honored with a Local Legend award by the Northwest Golf Media Association.  

Kealy began his career in golf as a caddie at Seattle’s Broadmoor Golf Club in 1972 and has since gone on to become one of the region’s most respected golf course superintendents. In 1987 he earned his BS in Agronomy from Washington State University, and has been the golf course superintendent at Glendale Country Club in Bellevue, Wash. for over 25 years.

He is currently serving on several golf industry boards that include the Northwest Turfgrass Association, Western Washington Golf Course Superintendents Association, and The First Green Foundation. Since 2000, he has hosted over 100 field trips to his golf course to teach schoolkids hands-on environmental education through the First Green program, and serves as a mentor to golf course superintendents and clubs in setting up their First Green field trips.

Kealy serves numerous hours of community service, donating his time and talents to educate local area high school students on agronomic and environmental issues, and is a community volunteer for schools going to Glendale for field trips and when he goes to schools to judge science fairs and serve as a high school environmental program advisor.

He also has been recognized nationally by the GCSAA with both its Excellence in Government Relations Award and President’s Award for Environmental Stewardship.

Steve Kealy seen here at the inaugural First Green event held in Canada, May 2014 at the Vancouver Golf Club. Image credit Jerry Rousseau