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Alotian’s SniderIn ‘Tall Cotton’At ArkansasASGA Hall of Famerembraces adoptedhome stateBy Jim HarrisPhotography by Mike PirniqueLittle did Dan Snider, a nativeTexan, know when he tookthe golf professional’sjob at Chenal Country Clubin 1989 that he was becomingan Arkansan for life. He hadnever seen Little Rock beforeinterviewing for the Chenalposition 24 years ago. But, hesays, Snider and his wife immediatelyfell in love with theirsoon-to-be new home.It’s become nearly a quartercenturylove affair that runsboth ways: The Sniders considerthemselves Arkansans, andthe state and many of its golfershave embraced the easy-goingSnider over the years.Last fall, it all culminatedin Snider’s induction into theArkansas Golf Hall of Fame.“First off, I was very humbled,”Snider said. “When JayFox came to tell me I wouldbe inducted, it meant a lot becauseJay is a very good friendand the executive director ofthe state golf association. It wasvery special that he came to tellme in person.“But, as he told me andas I sat and listened, my firstthoughts were of the peoplewho are already in there. Ithought of Jack Stephens forone. I think about what all hedid for golf and to go into a hallof fame with a man like that. …And some of the old pros likeJunior Lewis … I thought, ‘Why,a kid from Borger, Texas, justgot into high cotton.’ ”Snider was in on the creationof Chenal Country Club’shighly rated, Robert Trent JonesJr.-designed golf courses, thefirst of which opened in 1990.Snider spent almost 12 yearsworking at Chenal, where hetaught a young Bryce Molderand also instructed Glen Day— who both have won on thePGA Tour. Then a burgeoningfriendship on the driving rangewith Warren Stephens, CEO ofStephens Inc., and a happenstanceconversation led Sniderto what would become theAlotian Club.30 ARKANSAS BUSINESS EXECUTIVE GOLFER / 2013