The Herron Dynasty

Carson Herron

In July of 2022 twenty year old Carson Herron accomplished something no one else in the history of the USGA has done. He became the fourth generation in the Herron family to qualify for the US Amateur.

The streak started with Carson’s great grandfather C. Lee Herron in 1928, continued to his grandfather Carson D. Herron, to his father PGA Tour player, Tim. And possibly the finest player in the family is Tim’s sister Alissa.

“My parents have always been encouraging whether I play good or bad,” said Carson. “My dad, Tim, has always been supportive. He doesn’t care if I turn pro or not. I don’t feel pressure from him. He just wants me to have a good experience and have fun.”

“He has talent,” said Tim. “He needs experience playing tournaments.”

“I wasn’t aware of the multi-generational situation during qualifying,” Carson said. “I knew about the US Open connection but not the Amateur.”

The three older Herrons all qualified for the US Open.

The lanky 6’2” student at the University of New Mexico, hits the ball forever, like many his age. “I thought the Amateur would be a great learning experience heading into my sophomore year,” said Carson. “My dad didn’t give me much advice heading to the tournament, just to enjoy the experience.”

“I played in two US Amateurs,” said Tim. “I was at Muirfield in Columbus, Ohio and Champions Golf Club in Houston. I remember it being so hot in Houston. I walked down the side of the fairways under the trees to stay out of the sun. The Jackrabbit Course at Champions was very tight. Plus they had a great locker room.”

It was shortly after the 1993 Walker Cup where Tim was on the winning American team.

Tim was the last player to beat Tiger Woods in a USGA tournament, the USGA Amateur in 1992.

Led by grandfather Carson D. Herron, the family is full of talent and big personalities. One of those is Tim’s sister Alissa. “She has the most talent,” said Carson D. She won the 1999 USGA Women’s Mid Amateur and has qualified for a dozen US Women’s Amateurs.

As Tim “Lumpy” Herron’s agent, Alissa has marketed his personality to the fullest with a Lumpco web site, clothing and beer named for him, among other things.. “The Minneapolis area is a great corporate area. We have many good relationships,” Alissa said.

“I went to the Amateur at Oakmont in 1969,” said Carson D. “I remember the first and 10th greens sloped to the back and were firm. All you could do was hit it over the green and hope to chip back and make a par.

“Is it more difficult to qualify for the US Amateur today than 50 years ago?” I asked.

“There are more good players today, but it’s still a matter of beating your peers,” Carson D responded.

Alissa won the 1999 USGA Women’s Mid Amateur Championship. “I played in 12 Women’s Amateurs, but my best tournament was a USGA Junior where I got beat in the round of 16.”

“Tim was more motivated than I,” Alissa said. “There weren’t many girls playing then, so I didn’t have a lot of friends to play with.”

“We had great access to the Wayzata Country Club course,” she said. “We lived about a 9 iron away from a fairway. We would go out at night and play - just walk over to the course.”

Along with their father, Carson D., Alissa and Tim suffer from Dupuytren’s contracture, a condition were one or more fingers and toes become progressively bent in a fixed position. It is painful and difficult to reverse. “It moves faster in women and keeps coming back,” said Alissa. “I have had two surgeries and need another.” It limits her golf.

The patriarch, C. Lee Herron, was raised in La Mars, Iowa. He came to Minneapolis to attend the University of Minnesota, where in 1920 he started the University of Minnesota Golf Team. Through the years he won the Iowa and Minnesota State Amateur and State Open Championships. He qualified for four US Amateurs, including the 1927 Amateur at the Minikahda Club in Minneapolis, won by Bobby Jones. He also qualified for the 1934, 1938 and 1939 Amateurs. He was the first Herron to qualify for the US Open, which he did in 1934.

“He was an introvert and a perfectionist,” said Carson D. “He was a great musician, playing the piano and banjo by ear. He was always in a band.”

C. Lee Herron’s family owned farmland in Northwest Iowa which was slowly sold off. He lived on the proceeds through the depression and into the ‘40s. “He pretty much quit playing golf in the ‘40s and worked at a retail store in the later ‘40s.”  He died in 1986.

There are common threads that run through the three living generations. Each of these Herrons had exposure to the game but there was no pressure to play, practice or be great. Motivation for playing and improving has come from within.

Another common theme passed down was to have fun. This may be the reason the three generations of the Herron family enjoy playing.  With no pressure to play, they each play for their own reasons, not at the direction or expectation of a previous generation.

“I’m proud of our family,” said Carson D. And well he should be as the current patriarch of the top competitive golf family in Minnesota. The Herron family has been a big part of a Life In Golf.

Alissa Herron Super, Tim, and Carson D. Herron