Two members of Decorah High School’s golfing legacy were recently inducted into the Iowa Golf Coach’s Association Hall of Fame: a player and a coach.

Andrew Peter, class of 2010, was a four-year letter winner. In 2008 he was a state golf individual qualifier. In 2009 he placed first at the state meet and was named 3A State Player of the Year. He was also named first team All-State and was selected to the All-Tournament Team. In addition, he was given the honor of Iowa Junior Golf Association (IGA) Player of the Year.

During Peter’s senior year he placed second at the state meet and was again named 3A State Player of the Year. In addition, he was again named first team All-State and was selected to the All-Tournament Team.

Peter then played golf at Luther College. There he was named Third Team All-American by Golf Coaches of America and also named to Division III Ping All-American Third Team. He was also Luther’s number one player during the 2012-13 campaign. He was named the Iowa Conference MVP after winning the individual title at the 72-hole IIAC Championship at Finkbine Golf Course.   

Coach Rich Gaard remarked, “Andrew Peter was not only an outstanding golfer in high school and college but a great mentor to our younger golfers. He set a great example to our team members and was a very coachable young man.”

Coach Rich Gaard has a storied career as the boys’ golf coach at Decorah High School. During his time at DHS, fourteen different athletes earned top ten finishes 18 times at the State Tournament. Of those 18 top finishers, six individuals were state runners up, and Cody Schweinefus and Andrew Peter were each state champions, with Schweinefus winning back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007. Other significant contributions by Coach Gaard include 18 Sectional Championships,12 District Championships, and 19 Conference Titles.

In 2007 Gaard was named National Coach of the Year by the National Federation of High Schools, National Coach of the Year from the National High School Coaches Association in 2008, and Coach of the Year from the Iowa Golf Coaches Association in 2010. He has been a member of the Iowa Golf Coaches Association for many years, has chaired the Academic All State Boys/Girls selection process, and has volunteered as a junior golf instructor for Decorah Parks & Recreation every summer.

Rich Gaard and Andrew Peter accept their Hall of Fame plaques