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Arlen Peacock, one of the top amateur golfers in Utah history, has died at age 88.
Peacock, who was inducted into the Utah Golf Hall of Fame in 2002, was a two-time winner of the Men’s State Amateur and won numerous amateur events over the years.
Peacock won his first State Amateur in 1972, defeating Steve Sharp in the finals at Patio Springs. Then in 1977, he defeated future PGA Tour standout Jay Don Blake in the finals at Logan Country Club and became the second-oldest winner of the event at age 44. The following year he won the Salt Lake City Amateur.
Besides his golfing prowess, Peacock was well-known for his gentle manner and as one of the nicest persons you’d ever want to meet.
“First and foremost he was a gentleman,” said Joe Watts, the former executive director of the Utah Golf Association. “He was soft-spoken, but when he spoke, everyone listened. Arlen was straight down the middle in life and on the golf course. He was always gracious and kind to everyone. He was a perfect example of what a golfer should be and a wonderful person.”
One of the highlights of Peacock’s golf career was playing with Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer in an exhibition match in 1977 at the Salt Lake Country Club. He shot a 72 and teamed with Nicklaus to win the best-ball match over Palmer and Don Branca.