University of Minnesota Athletics
Les Bolstad - M Club Hall of Fame
Les BolstadMen’s Golf, 1927-29
Golf Coach, 1947-76
HOF Class of 1991
New Prague, MN, native Les Bolstad has long been considered the godfather of golf in Minnesota.
In 1926, at age 18, Bolstad became the youngest winner ever of a U.S. Public Links title. As a golfer at the University of Minnesota, Bolstad won Big Ten titles in 1927 and 1929. He would later win Minnesota Public Links, State Amateur and State Open titles.
Bolstad was the Golden Gophers’ golf coach from 1947-76, mentoring many of the state's most successful golfers, including the legendary Patty Berg. Considered one of the best teachers in amateur golf, he was later inducted into the Collegiate Golf Coaches Hall of Fame. In 1983 the University of Minnesota's on-campus golf course was renamed in his honor. The season scoring award in the Big Ten Conference is also named after Bolstad.