‘Mr. Ping’ a.k.a Jim Bourne passes away

To those who knew him, Jim Bourne was not only the original owner of North Shore Golf Course in Tacoma he was also known as Mr. Ping. Bourne was the first golf sales rep for Ping in the Northwest. He was also the first course owner to load his shop with Ping equipment and introduce it to Northwest golfers.

Bourne passed away last month at the age of 81.

Bourne opened North Shore as a nine-hole facility until 1977 when he partnered with Larry Proctor to build the back nine, making it an 18-hole course.

Bourne played parts of two years on the PGA Tour and was inducted into the PGA Northwest Section Hall of Fame in 1992. He played college golf at the University of Washington. Golf was a part of his whole life, in fact as a youngster he found and sold golf balls – money he would later use to buy his first car.

Bourne is survived by his wife Mollie and children John, Dawn, Leslie and C.J.

Donations to the North Shore Junior Golf Program are warmly accepted.