Lynda “Lyn” Nelson

December 24, 1958 - December 9, 2022

Lynda “Lyn” Nelson was born on December 24, 1958 in Burlingame, CA to Norman and Lilly Nelson. Her beautiful soul left this world on December 9, 2022.

She is survived by her brother Barry Nelson and his wife Karen; her Niece/ God-Daughter, Mariah Nelson; her God-Children Nick and Jessica Hatch; and her two 4-legged sons named Alister and MacKenzie. She was preceded in death by her parents.

She was a multi-sport athlete who also loved reading, cooking, hiking, fishing, and time with her family and friends.

Lyn once said, “Sports, which equates to teamwork, has always been a big part of my life.”

In High School, she excelled at basketball, flag football, field hockey, tennis and softball resulting in Hillsdale High School Athlete of the Year and receiving scholarships in both tennis and softball. She accepted the San Jose State University softball scholarship, but after a skiing accident that left her unable to play, she stumbled upon her greatest passion besides family and friends…golf.

Lyn was a member of the SJSU Lady Spartan Golf Team. A long driver and excellent putter, Lyn held several club championships and course records. She attained the top 100 international amateur ranking in 2007.

Her passion for the game was fueled not by low scores or accomplishments but by the amazing people and mentors she has met along the way.

Lyn was a rare bird – a woman golf executive in a traditionally male-dominated sport and business.

Lyn’s golf career spanned over 43 years, which included top leadership positions at Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club; University Club of Palo Alto; Half Moon Bay Golf Links; Northern California Golf Association, one of the Nation’s most prominent state golf associations; Parvus Rex Golf; and City and County of San Francisco.

As a golf administrator, she was driven by a conviction that in order to survive, golf must broaden its reach – to embrace women, children, and diversity. Her view was shared by San Francisco’s late mayor Ed Lee, who in 2014 appointed Lyn as a founding member of the San Francisco Mayor’s Women’s Golf Council, dedicated to making San Francisco a women’s golffriendly City.

A theme through Lyn’s life in golf was her deep personal knowledge and care for the people she served and worked with. Lyn also advanced golf through volunteerism by serving on many boards such as: San Francisco Women’s Golf Council, Navy Seal Foundation, California Alliance for Golf, and The First Tee of San Francisco just to name a few.

Lyn Nelson’s Celebration of Life will be held at Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club on Saturday, February 25, 2023 from 2:00pm5:00pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers that donations be made to advance the game of golf. The Lyn Nelson Golf Endowment for Women, Youth and Girls has been established at the Olympic Club Foundation, providing grants each year in Lyn’s name to golf programs focused on young women, youth and especially girls in San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, as well as scholarships to high school seniors demonstrating the ability to compete at the collegiate level. Gifts in support of the Endowment can be mailed to The Olympic Club Foundation, 524 Post Street, San Francisco, CA 94102, with “Lyn Nelson Fund” in the memo. Online gifts can be made here: https://www. olympicclubfoundation.org/ lyn-nelson-fund