Pete Kuklinski Memorial Golf Scholarship

In August of 2020, the Pete Kuklinski Memorial Golf Scholarship was established as an annual fund in the Winona State University Foundation. The scholarship will benefit and encourage student-athletes who are members of the Winona State University Men’s and Women’s Golf Teams.

Criteria

1. Recipients must be an undergraduate student enrolled full-time and in good standing at Winona State University (minimum of 12 credits per semester, Fall and Spring).
2. The recipient must be a member of the Men’s or Women’s Golf Team.

Background and Motivation
Peter J. Kuklinski grew up in Winona and fell in love with the game of golf early in his life. After graduating from Winona High School in 1958, Pete worked at Rochester Country Club where he was Caddy Master and then after a year became the Assistant Golf Professional. In 1961, he joined the Army and was stationed in Fort Carson, Colorado. Golf continued to be a prominent part of his Army life as he ran the post’s golf course for 19 of his 23 months in service.

Pete spent several years teaching golf in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Wisconsin before becoming the teaching pro at Medinah Country Club near Chicago in 1968. Three club members sponsored him on the Professional Golfers Association Tour for two years. Golf took Pete and his wife Darlene all over as he played in multiple PGA events including The Byron Nelson, Doral, and Bing Crosby. He also played on the Caribbean Tour.

Following the tour, Pete and Darlene moved to Jacksonville, Illinois, where he was the Golf Pro and later both the Golf Pro and General Manager for a period of ten years. Pete retired in 1995 after 25 years of service to the Jacksonville Country Club.

Pete and Darlene returned to their hometown of Winona where he continued his passion for teaching golf at Cedar Valley Golf Course. He was also the Assistant Coach for the Winona State University Women’s Golf Team and assisted with the Junior Golf Program at Westfield Golf Course. In his efforts to promote junior golf, he organized and ran the Winona Area Junior Golf Tournament and Around the County Golf Tournament for 16 years.

Pete was a life member of the PGA Half Century Club, which recognizes individuals who have been members of the Professional Golfers Association for 50 years or more. Pete taught golf for over 40 years and his lifelong passion for the sport inspired many youths to fall in love with the game.