Rudolph “Hubby” Habjan
Rudolph “Hubby” Habjan died peacefully on July 5, 2016, in The Villages, Florida. Hubby was husband to Marilynn “Lynn” Habjan, father to Tim (Mary), Bruce (Leslie), and Cindy Edwards (Ty Stuckslager), grandfather to Lisa, Tammy, Jennifer, Tricia, Tanner, Taylor, Jeff, and Alex, and great-grandfather to six. Hubby was also uncle to many nieces and nephews with whom he enjoyed spending time. He was preceded in death by his sister Janet and brother Joseph.
Hubby was born in North Chicago, Illinois, on December 17, 1931, to Joseph Habjan, a steel mill worker, and Jenny Trobec Habjan. After graduating from Mother of God and Waukegan High School, where he was a three-sport athlete, Hubby attended engineering school in El Paso, TX. He then apprenticed as a golf club maker and became a golf professional in 1950 at the age of 18.
Hubby then joined the military, where he served as a corporal. He was a member of the All-Army golf team and helped lead the group to several victories. Following his time in the military, Hubby became an assistant golf professional at the Indian Hill Club in Winnetka, IL.
Hubby then went to the Onwentsia Club of Lake Forest, IL, where he was mentored by head professional George Smith. Upon Mr. Smith’s retirement, Hubby became the Club’s head professional in 1955, a role he held until 1997.
During his 42-year tenure at the Onwentsia Club, Hubby earned many honors while teaching the game of golf to his students. In 1965, Hubby was named PGA of America Golf Professional of the Year – at that time its youngest winner since the award’s inception. In 1989, the Illinois PGA honored Hubby with its Teacher of the Year award.
In addition to his work at Onwentsia, Hubby served in a variety of leadership roles with the Illinois PGA and PGA of America. From 1963-1966 Hubby was the Secretary-Treasurer of the Illinois PGA. He was a member of the National Rules Committee of the PGA from 1968-1978 and a member of the Emblems and Specifications Committee for PGA Golf from 1969-1987. In 1973, Hubby was elected President of the Illinois PGA and from 1974-1976 he served as Vice President of the PGA of America. Some of his favorite memories came during his 1966-1970 service as Director of the Caribbean Tour.
Hubby’s greatest passion was designing and making golf clubs. He was one of the innovators in the custom golf club business. From his small workshop at the Onwentsia Club, Hubby made many custom clubs for clients worldwide. He was the custom golf club designer for the Faultless Golf Company. He also served as a consultant for the Tommy Armour Golf Company as well as the Consultant Union Golf Shaft Company of the Brunswick Corporation. In 1998 Hubby was elected to the Professional Club Makers Hall of Fame.
Hubby was not only a gifted teacher and club maker, but he was a talented player as well. He competed in hundreds of tournaments during his life, including two appearances in the PGA Championship as well as the British Open. One of his most remarkable accomplishments came when he was the only pro to birdie the same par-three at the Carnoustie Golf Links in all four rounds in 1968. Hubby never stopped playing golf and he frequently won local senior tournaments during his retirement in Florida, taking great pride in the fact that he would regularly score lower than his age.
In his own words, Hubby’s lifetime ambition was to “teach the game of golf, its rules and ethics, make it enjoyable, keep it a walking game, and make the finest golf clubs for my pupils.” Hubby’s contributions to the game and his profession were honored in 1989, when he was inducted into the Illinois PGA Hall of Fame as a member of its inaugural class. Hubby was later welcomed into the PGA of America Hall of Fame in 2005, one of only 157 golf professionals to earn this distinction in the organization’s history. Hubby was the consummate golf professional.
Hubby’s love for golf was perhaps only matched by his love for the West. During his life he visited many ranches, and in 1985 Hubby found his second home at Eatons’ Ranch in Wolf, WY. He visited several times a year and shared his fondness for Eatons’ with his children and grandchildren. He was a familiar sight at the rail beside the barn, watching the horses come down in the early morning hours with a cup of coffee in hand. Hubby’s favorite horse was Rio, and as recently as last August he could be found guiding his family along the trails of his beloved South Red Canyon.
A funeral mass will be held on Friday, July 8, at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Wildwood, Florida (352-330-0220).
A memorial service will take place on Saturday, July 23, from 4-7 p.m. at the Onwentsia Club in Lake Forest, Illinois.
In lieu of flowers, tax deductible donations may be made to: Evans Scholars Foundation – Hubby Habjan Named Scholarship. C/O the Western Golf Association 1 Briar Road Golf, IL 60029. Or visit the website, wgaesf.org