Inductees

In sports, the upbeat personalities make the game fun. And perhaps there is no better example than the Director of Golf at Dalhousie Golf Club in Cape Girardeau.

Jack Connell comes at you with a salt-and-pepper mustache, endless tips and a talkative personality full of a string of stories and one-liners that knock ‘em dead.

As he likes to put it, “God has encouraged me to pray. I pray before dinners, golf schools, all golf tournaments and lessons with the hope of myself and others reminding us we can’t do it alone. Also, there are at least two things that will kiss this game! Slow play and golf pros that talk too much! And I’m done talking.”

Truth is, everybody cannot get enough of Connell, who has been a PGA teaching professional for 45 years. And it’s why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame proudly inducted him with the Class of 2024.

Connell was the head professional at Cape Girardeau Country Club from 1979 to 2000, and the Director of Golf at Dalhouise Golf Club since then.

Along the way, Connell has been part of the PGA of America Gateway Section for years. He was a non-member head professional from 1975 to 1984, and has been an elected member since 1985. He has served on the Gateway PGA Board of Directors since 2018.

Additionally, Connell is the host professional for numerous United States Golf Association, the American Junior Golfers Association, the Missouri Golf Association and the Gateway Junior Series events.

He also has been the Director of the Connell Golf Schools for more than 45 years. And, in one stretch from 2000-2004, he was the assistant coach at Southeast Missouri State University.

In essence, he’s a natural fit. His family held a membership at the country club in Mounds, Ill., where he graduated from Meridian High School in 1969 before heading on to Murray State University.

That was a nine-hole course called Egyptian Country Club, and his brother, Byron (Connie) later captained the University of Illinois golf team.

Connell spent his summers at Egyptian, where he caddied for Connie in local tournaments, played golf himself and swam in the pool. Their dad was the state attorney.

Soon, Jack began working there as the golf professional, and did it all – as superintendent, with the help of two others. He oversaw small equipment and had a low chemical budget but a lot of hills. Eventually, he managed a pro shop, bartended, handled clubhouse maintenance, gave lessons and, with his mom, sold sandwiches.

Some of the members there recommended him for the job at Cape Girardeau Country Club.

There, Connell ran tournaments, consulted on course maintenance, taught lessons, entertained members, and ran the pro shop and golf cart rentals.

So when Cord Dombrowski founded Dalhousie ahead of its 2002 opening, Connell won the job over numerous applicants.

“In my 20 years of teaching and deep inner desire to make people enjoy and have fun, it carried with me to Dalhousie,” Connell said. “The owners saw my heart and work ethic and gave me the opportunity. I was/am so thankful.”

“The Lord has instilled in my heart to serve and encourage others to enjoy golf and life. I learned from my parents and my family how to treat others.”

At Dalhousie, he and the staff run the men’s, women’s and juniors’ club championships, Ladies Days, Thursday night match play, Cord’s Cup, “The Connell” member-member tournament, the Connell Golf School, Fall Match Play and the summer junior program. They also run national, USGA, AJGA and state tournaments.

“It is so rewarding to see and follow juniors who start out not knowing if they’ll like the game and follow their progress to tournament junior golf, high school teams, college, and beyond to state and national success,” Connell said. “Also, I have enjoyed juniors who are now returning to our golf school with their children with stories and making more memories.”

Mentors include Jesus, his late brother Connie, Steve Heckel, Larry McKinney and Cord Dombrowski.

“The older you get, the more mentors you need,” Connell said.

He also had the backing of his parents, Byron and Laura, and the support of his wife, Cathy, and their daughter, Casey, and sons Jack Jr. and Corey, and their families.

“My faith has helped me choose and enjoy the opportunity to serve and share life memories with friends and acquaintances,” Connell said. “When you get to do what you love, then it’s not a job, it is a journey and an adventure.”