Heck's golfing exploits earn her hall of fame honors

SEATTLE—Laura Heck is no stranger to being inducted into a hall of fame.

The former Hibbing High School graduate was inducted into the St. Thomas Hall of Fame in 2019 for her exploits on the golf course.

Heck is getting a second opportunity to be inducted into another hall of fame, the Hibbing High School Hall of Fame, when attends the ceremony, which is being held Saturday at the Hibbing Memorial Building.

This honor came somewhat as a surprise.

“Mr. (Craig) Hattam called me in July,” Heck said. “My dad (Mike) was talking to him at the golf course, and he asked him for my phone number. He called out of the blue one day. I called him back, and he asked me to send him an email of my high school and college stats related to golf.

“He didn’t say what it was for. He was very vague, which was weird.”

A few weeks later, Hattam, who was a coach on the Hibbing golf team, called Heck back.

“He let me know that I was being considered for the athletic hall of fame,” Heck said. “He told me it was his goal to get me in there. He wanted to get a golfer inducted into it.”

Heck, who graduated in 2006, found out in August that she had been selected for induction.

“I was surprised and shocked, but I’m honored,” Heck said. “There’s many great athletes inducted into it.”

Heck was a member of the girls golf team from the seventh through 12 grade.

She won the section meet in 2005. In 2006, the whole team went to state. She was sixth in the state in 2006.

Heck has her parents, Mike and Karen, and her grandparents, Frank and Audrey, to thank for all of her golfing accomplishments.

“My parents were a huge influence on me,” Heck said. “My dad worked with Dr. Ben Owens. He was my dad’s mentor. Dr. Owens loved golf, so he took me under his wing and got me involved through my parents in the Friday morning golf league with Gary Yeager.

“They got me involved with golf at a young age. I enjoyed doing that.”

Heck would play in the MGA Junior Series and in the MWGA.

Through Bob Perfetti, Heck got hooked up with Patty McGowen in Florida, so she would take lessons in Lake Nona during the winter.

At St. Thomas, Heck played through her junior year, then she had spinal surgery, which kept her out of her senior season.

Through golf, Heck has created a lot of friendships.

“We’re a close group,” Heck said. “This is an emotional and humbling experience. I’m honored to be selected. It’s a culmination of all of the hard work and sacrifice, not only for my golf, but for my parents, and their extra time and sacrifice.

“My husband and two kids will be there. They will now know that their mom plays golf, but I don’t know if they’ll understand what a big deal this is. I’m sure I’ll be emotional.”