Sandy Gautschi | The Golfer of Lifetime

By Ali Dickson

“My favorite day when we lived at Tahoe Donner was to get up in the morning, play two or three sets of tennis and come home for lunch – my husband played tennis, not golf. Then, I’d play 18 holes of golf in the afternoon and go fishing.” – Sandy Gautschi, 94 years old

A Course Legend

If you’ve played at Tahoe Donner Golf Course – or anywhere in the Truckee-Tahoe area, really – there is a good chance you’ve been on the course at the same time as Sandy Gautschi. In her 94 years of life, she has held a list of impressive titles: daughter, mother, wife, teacher, friend and mentor. A new title now graces her living room in the form of a certificate, having been presented in July with the Lifetime Achievement Award through the Tahoe Donner Women’s 9-Holers Golf Club.

With a sweet disposition, a funny sense of humor and an infectious outlook on life, Sandy grew up in Menlo Park in a loving and active family. An avid tennis player in college, she became a physical education teacher in Palo Alto. “I was hired to teach PE at a high school,” Sandy remembers, “and one of the requirements was to teach golf, which I had never played. It’s hard to teach something if you have never done it before.

“A fellow PE teacher from Palo Alto School District was probably the most consistent golfer I’d ever known in my life. I had a really good teacher. He could hit golf balls within feet of each other, and he was so good at picking out errors. Bob Klett. I owe him a lot.” She took her first lesson from Bob, and life was never the same.

MVG: Most Valuable Golfer

As her love of golf grew, she was drawn further away from tennis. Additionally, as she watched her own family grow, they would spend summer vacations in the Tahoe area, including Tahoe Donner. “We were totally impressed with what Tahoe Donner had to offer with recreation.” These vacations led them to eventually purchasing their own Tahoe Donner home in 1976.

Especially after hip replacements that made tennis less enticing, golf was on the forefront of Sandy’s mind. She quickly became a regular at Tahoe Donner Golf Course and developed a reputation through her ability and kindness. Her husband preferred tennis to golf, and Sandy enjoyed being able to play tennis at Tahoe Donner with him in the morning before having a quick lunch and heading out to the golf course in the afternoon.

Joining Tahoe Donner golf clubs, she found passion and excitement from the other members. “The kindness of the people and the sincerity in learning to improve golf drew me to Tahoe Donner’s golf clubs. They are amazing. It astounds me that these women all want to get better. They don’t just like where they are at – they want to improve.”

Outside the course, you could find Sandy working at Tahoe Forest Gift Shop. Friend Criss Rojas remembers, “Sandy was president of the hospital auxiliary and ran the gift shop. She was the buyer, and you would see her carrying large boxes filled with merchandise through the hospital. She did all this while playing 18 holes of golf a couple of times a week.

“On her golf days, halfway through the round, she would bring out a bag of homemade cookies to share with her fellow players. It was always a treat to play with Sandy. She opened her home to Gift Tree volunteers and golfers for a Saturday brunch or Christmas cookie exchange. She is one of the most generous people I know.”

Fran Macomber, who is an 86-year-old 18-hole golfer and has known Sandy since 1980, reminisces how Sandy was an active club member. Often listed as a tournament director, Sandy was the president of the
TD Women 18 Hole Golf Club in 1985. Beyond the course, she was also on the Tahoe Donner Board of Directors. Though she has since moved from Tahoe Donner, her granddaughter owns a home within the association, meaning Sandy can play on her league. She aims to get on the greens as much as she can.

Nothing Short of Incredible

Sandy’s reputation quickly grew, and club members saw her as a force of golfing nature. Coral Cavanagh, a fellow club member, says, “It’s an early treat when new club members get to play with Sandy. She helps them get started, and I think she might also be scoping out what their developmental needs are as golfers.” Hilary Ward, fellow golf club member, shares,

“Sandy could always see what you were doing wrong but would never say anything unless you welcomed the instruction. She is an asset to the golf group and an inspiration to us all, always with a
positive attitude and ready to play!”

Tahoe Donner clubs have given Sandy and countless other members the chance to create unforgettable skills and memories. “To change things, you have to get involved,” she urges. “Show up – show your interest. The kindest group of ladies I’ve ever
belonged to happened through a club. They always astound me.” No one could speak of Sandy without recalling a particular play that showcased her unparalleled talent, though Sandy remembers the play more humbly. “My eagle on number 11 on Tahoe Donner is my proudest achievement. Instead of a five, I hit a three. It was sheer luck, but I can remember it like it happened yesterday. Sheer, unadulterated luck.” If you ask anyone else, luck had nothing to do with it

The Power of “Nice”

The life Sandy lives is one of contagious kindness, compassion and gratitude. “You have no idea how pleased I am with my life. I could not ask for a better family to come from or a better family to raise. I have Olympic athletes in my family who are wonderful swimmers and water polo players. My son went to school for a football scholarship. My life has been wonderful, just wonderful. What more can I say?”

If you can take a golf lesson, such as the private and semi-private lessons that Tahoe Donner Driving Range provides, Sandy notes that it makes all the difference in the world. Above all, though, ability comes second to having fun. “I see people on the course getting angry and throwing their clubs, and I just wonder, ‘Why are you doing that?’ I always say ‘nice’ is the best thing you can bring to the course.”

COVID-19 has changed the way most of us live our lives, but Sandy’s eye remains on the golfing prize. “Boy, have I stayed home. I have good help and good health. It’s been very nice, but I’m tired of me. This darn virus has just driven me crazy.” Nothing can stop her from a good game of golf, though, and nothing should. The best medicine, it seems, is being on the greens. “I got to play golf yesterday,” she said with a glint in her eye and a smile breaking across her face, “so I feel fine.”

To become a little more like Sandy, Tahoe Donner Driving Range offers private and semi-private lessons available daily, and golf clubs are available for a range of ages and abilities. To learn more, visit tahoedonner.com/golf.