Bob Sakocius dominated the local men’s golf scene in the 1980s and 90s.
A Union High School graduate, he was an NAIA All-State golfer twice at Aquinas College where he lettered for four years, captained the team in 1978 and was medalist in seven tournaments during his final two years.
It was on the local West Michigan golf circuit where he truly dominated with 25 major titles, including nine West Michigan Amateur wins, seven Kent County Amateur titles, six City Championships and three City Match Play Championships. He won his seventh Kent County title at age 53. Only Michigan Golf Hall of Fame member Tom Werkmeister has won more local major titles.
He was the all-time leader in local wins for most of three decades, earned All-City status a record 36 times and is one of four golfers to ever win the local Grand Slam of all four major tournaments in one summer (West Michigan Amateur, Kent County, City, City Match). In the decade of the 1990s he had the lowest scoring average among all West Michigan Golf Association golfers.
Sakocius, a traffic manager at Knape & Vogt Manufacturing for several years, rarely ventured away from home to play. In just a few appearances in the Michigan Amateur Championship he made it as far as the quarterfinals and semifinals.
When inducted in 2017 he was still competing and winning in senior divisions of local tournaments.