Earl Brayer was born in Denver in 1910 and attended Denver West High School. At ten years of age he started caddying at Lakewood Country Club. He continued to caddie and work, off and on, in the golf shop for professional Fred Bell through 1938. Bill Jelliffe became the next head professional at Lakewood and Earl was right there next to Bill until he left in 1946.
Gene Root succeeded Jelliffe and was head pro at Lakewood for over 20 years; Earl Brayer continued to assist. Earl became a member of the PGA Colorado Section in 1958. Gene went to Applewood Golf Club in 1968 and this time Brayer followed his long-time friend. Root once said, “If I ever paid Earl for what he was worth, I’d owe him a million dollars.”
Following Root’s death in 1978, Earl Brayer stayed on at Applewood with Gene’s son Larry Root. Earl’s dedication, respect and faithful service to golf and golfers for over 66 years has earned him this spot in the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame.
