Jack Nicklaus pays tribute to Bruce Borland 10 years after his tragic passing

Sunday, October 25th marks 10 years since the passing of Bruce Borland, a long-time Senior Design Associate with Nicklaus Design who was tragically lost in the same plane crash that took the life of Payne Stewart on Oct. 25, 1999.

Bruce joined Nicklaus Design during a 1990 expansion of the golf-course design firm. He was the Design Associate on no fewer than 13 Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Courses, as well as the lead designer on several Nicklaus Design projects. When he passed away at the age of 40, Bruce was the Design Associate on seven projects that were under construction or under design—courses that now stand as a lasting tribute to his passion for the game of golf and course design. Included among those courses was Coyote Creek Golf Club, near his hometown of Peoria, Illinois. A resident of Jupiter, Fla., Bruce was survived by his wife Kate, and four children: Daniel; Thomas; Benjamin; and Elizabeth.

As everyone associated with the Nicklaus Companies joins his many friends and family members as they reflect on the life and legacy of Bruce, Jack Nicklaus took a moment to offer his thoughts on his colleague and friend:

“It is difficult to believe that 10 years has gone by since the passing of Bruce Borland, because the memory of Bruce is still very fresh in our minds and always will be,” Jack said.

“We not only lost a wonderful champion and person that day in Payne Stewart, we lost someone in Bruce who was truly a member of our extended Nicklaus family. Bruce was a tremendously talented course designer, who worked on more than a dozen golf courses with me during the 1990s. We had the opportunity to work extensively together, travel together, and most important, share a lot of fun and memorable times together. He was simply a terrific addition to our company, a good friend, and a wonderful husband and father. He always had a warm smile, an inviting and infectious personality, and, I guess you could say, he put the gentle into gentleman. It was an extremely difficult loss for all of us.

“While gone, Bruce is still very much remembered, and there are constant reminders for us every day. There are a number of photos of Bruce that still hang on our office walls, and actually just a few minutes up the road, there is a community and cultural arts center bearing his name. The center is tied into the church with which Bruce was so active. That was another part of his life that few knew but many should celebrate. The only two loves in Bruce’s life greater than the love for his work were his family and his faith. One thing I will remember is that shortly before his passing, Bruce took on a design project just a few miles from his hometown of Peoria, Illinois. It was a course called Coyote Creek, and it was Bruce’s intent to donate all of his design fees to his church.

“I have always said that one of the beauties of golf course design is that you can leave a legacy behind for generations to enjoy for many years. Bruce has certainly done that, not only with his career but a life that was cut way too short. We miss him and always will.”