Charlie Borner Jr.

Charlie Borner, the longtime head professional and Director of Golf at the Hillcrest Country Club in Lincoln, had a brilliant playing career as an amateur before turning pro.

It started when he won three straight Lincoln City junior titles. Later, while just a junior at Lincoln high in 1963, Charlie not only won the state high school championship in the spring, but then won the Lincoln City Men’s championship that summer.

Borner became a rare two-time state high school champion as a senior. That led to him being named Lincoln High’s “Outstanding L-Man.” He has since been named to the Lincoln High School’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

Charlie won the State Amateur championship three times (1968, ’70, and ’73) and was the runner-up on four other occasions. He was the first to win both the state stroke and match play titles in the same year when he added the latter in 1970. Borner was also named Nebraska’s outstanding amateur golfer in 1973.

In 1967, Charlie was the first University of Nebraska golfer to ever earn a spot as an individual in the NCAA national championship.

Nationally he was the runner-up at the Western Amateur, being edged in the final by Lanny Watkins. He also qualified for and played in three USGA National Amateur Championships.

For six years after graduation from NU, Borner was a teacher and golf coach for North Platte Public Schools. He then became an assistant professional at Omaha’s Highland Country Club before serving in that same capacity for eight years at The Country Club of Lincoln.

In 1983 he was named the head professional at Hillcrest, replacing Hall of Fame member William “Bunny” Richards. He became Director of Golf in 1990.

Recognized as an outstanding teacher of the game, Borner was the recipient of the Nebraska PGA Section’s Horton Smith Award in 1985; named the Professional of the year in 1986; won the PGA Section championship in 1988 and has qualified for and played in eight PGA National Club Professional Championships.