1917-2004
Melvin respected the game he loved

By Stanley Lee
Advertiser Staff Writer

Barrett Melvin, left, was inducted into the Hawai'i Golf Hall of Fame in 2000, along with Mark Rolfing. Advertiser library photo

Such announcements stopped years ago and the man behind them, Hawai'i Hall of Fame golfer Barrett Melvin, quietly passed away Monday morning at Wahiawa General Hospital.

He was 86.

Described as a well-mannered man, Melvin is remembered for his golf ethics as much as his respect for others on the course.

"He kept telling (our children) 'manners, manners' on the golf course," said Vicki Melvin, his wife of 60 years. "If you whispered or turned your head when someone was putting, he would tell you not to do it again."

Tom Hrdlicka, owner of Tom's Golf Shop in Wahiawa, said Melvin "had a lot of respect for the other individuals no matter what kind of game they were playing."

Melvin was inducted into the Hawai'i Golf Hall of Fame in 2000, decades after leaving his mark on the local golf scene.

Besides winning the PGA of Hawai'i Match Play Championship in 1950 and the inaugural Navy-Marine Open in 1951, he was also a head pro at the Kalakaua and Leilehua courses. Melvin also served as pro and manager at Maui Country Club from 1952 to 1954 and built and operated several local courses and driving ranges. He also held course records at Kalakaua and Fort Shafter.

On a national level, Melvin qualified for the U.S. Open 11 times and the PGA Championship from 1948 to 1951.

"He loved playing competitive tournament golf with his heart and soul," Vicki said.

Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Melvin was the son of a long line of Scottish pros. He learned to make golf clubs at the age of 8 and by the time he was 14, he won a state high school golf championship. He made his first U.S. Open appearance when he was 16.

Melvin came to Hawai'i in 1942 as a U.S. Army lieutenant and met Vicki on Kaua'i. She remembered their first meeting when he agreed to stop smoking if she went out with him.

They were married in 1944. He then went on to serve in Saipan, Iwo Jima, New Guinea and other places in the Pacific during World War II.

Both of his sons, Buzz and Edward, joined the military, but only Buzz, the eldest child, took up golf.

"(My father) insisted that it was a really simple game," Buzz said. "You master a few basics of the game, hone your skills and after that, you'll be just fine."

Despite retiring in 1987, Melvin continued playing golf.

"He had a real good game. He even played up until about eight years ago," Hrdlicka said.

Around that time, the death of his best friend and golfing partner, and the theft of his golf bag that included two clubs given by his father took the game from him.

"He missed them (clubs) more than anything else," Vicki said. "He searched and looked all over the shops for those two (type of) clubs. He said he'll never buy another set. He knew he was fading."

For the past several months, osteoarthritis and age began taking a toll on Melvin's 6-foot-2 frame. He was confined to his bed and put on a liquid diet. Having difficulty speaking, he would smile or squeeze someone's hand instead.

Vicki, who was a foot shorter than her husband, cared for him and recalled a time when she rested her head on his chest. Melvin gently patted her head and whispered, "I'm so sorry mommy."

Besides Vicki and his two sons, Melvin is survived by daughters Bari Wynn Ruiz and Heather Melvin, six grandchildren and sister Wilhelmina Russell.

A private service is being planned.

Reach Stanley Lee at slee@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8533.