George Von Elm

George Von Elm was one of the world's elite golfers during the 1920s and early 1930s, winning the 1926 U.S. Amateur Championship and finishing as runner-up in the 1931 U.S. Open after a historic 72-hole playoff—the longest in tournament history. Selected by Golf Digest as Utah's greatest amateur golfer and later named Utah Golfer of the Century, Von Elm competed at the highest levels of the game during golf's golden age.

After his competitive playing career, Von Elm turned to golf course design, creating several courses primarily in the Idaho region. His design portfolio includes Juniper Hills Country Club and Riverside Golf Course in Pocatello, Highland Golf Course in Post Falls, and Blackfoot Municipal Golf Club. These layouts reflect the practical, strategic design sensibilities of a player who competed against the era's greatest champions.

Von Elm worked in the financial and insurance industries during much of his playing career before dedicating more time to course architecture later in life. He passed away in 1961, leaving behind a legacy both as a champion golfer and as a designer who contributed to the game's growth in the Mountain West.

Sources: Wikipedia articles linked above; course list from Course Vaults.