District News

Nearby Bedminster resident Dan “Loran” Larson has been collecting golf balls and donating them to those with a passion for the sport right here in Somerset Hills!

Larson was born and raised in Seattle, WA, a mere 2,839 miles from New Jersey. As a youngster, while supposedly caddying for his father, he was more focused on catching frogs.  However, after developing some skill for the game, he sheepishly admitted that his joy came more from the “healthy competition” that he and his dad shared on various courses year after year.

Larson proudly served over 30 years in the U.S. Coast Guard and had assignments that took him to distant locales like the Philippines and Japan, as well as throughout the United States to California, Nevada, Alaska, and more. He did countless inspections and visits to the U.S. and Host Nation Loran Stations (long range navigation - transmitting signals to ships and aircraft at sea - before GPS evolved) in the North Atlantic, Europe, and the Mediterranean Sea. He truly enjoyed traveling the world and was given his nickname “Loran” by the USCG due to his extensive work. During a five-year stint working out of the U.S. Embassy in London, he fondly remembered his parents visiting. During their trip, he and his father played a round of golf at the famous St. Andrews Golf Course in Scotland, the birthplace of golf!

Now residing in the small community of Burnt Mills, near the north branch of the Lamington River, Larson takes daily morning walks to stay limber and healthy. He often heads along the banks of the river, searching for, and finding, lost golf balls from upstream. Over the course of a few months at a time, he would occasionally amass a couple dozen golf balls which he gifted to neighbors. However, since the end of 2023, Larson’s excursions have led him to gather, thoroughly clean, and donate 707 golf balls in April, and another 304 this October… bringing the grand total to 1,011 golf balls donated to Coach Dan Spautz in 2024 for the Bernards High School Golf Team to practice!

“I remember getting a call from Mr. Larson telling me about his adventures in the woods. He is a kind and generous man, and it has been great getting to know him, talk golf, and learn about the interesting life he has lived. Having served our country in the Coast Guard, he sure has some great stories and experiences,” said Spautz. “His donations are helpful, so our golfers can have ample practice with defrayed costs. We even found one of our team balls with the Bernards golf logo from one of his adventures  down by the river!”

The BHS Golf Team was coached for many years by Joe Milde. Coach Spautz took over for him in 2021 after assisting him the prior year. The team is co-ed and it is a spring sport. During the 2023-2024 school year, the team was made up of 20 players, varsity and JV. They had a promising season and tied for 2nd in the Sectional Tournament, though losing in finals in a tiebreaker. Of significant note, Noah Ochab tied for 1st in the State Tournament and lost on a playoff hole, which was the best finish in Bernards Golf History! For the 2024-2025 golf season, we hope the team gets aces, eagles, and some good kicks!