Golf pro killed in lawn-mower accident identified

By Rikki King, The Herald

TULALIP — A Snohomish man who died in a lawn-mower accident on a Tulalip-area golf course last week has been identified by friends and family as James “Jim” Pulliam, 58.

Pulliam was a member of the Professional Golfers’ Association of America. He’d worked as the head golf professional at the Battle Creek Golf Course, and was on the grounds crew there for the past five years, said Fred Jacobson, director of golf at Battle Creek and at the Snohomish Golf Course.

Pulliam was working at the Battle Creek course on Friday when the lawn mower apparently flipped over and landed on him, according to the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. He died at the scene. The state Department of Labor and Industries is investigating, a standard step in workplace fatalities.

Jacobson and Pulliam both grew up in Snohomish. They graduated from Snohomish High School, worked for a time as lifeguards and served in the U.S. Marine Corps, Jacobson said. Jacobson hired Pulliam in the 1980s to work at the Snohomish Golf Course.

Pulliam came from a big family and had two grown daughters. Pulliam helped build the Battle Creek course, Jacobson said.

“He liked to play golf a lot. He played a lot more golf in this life than I did,” Jacobson said. “His main passion was going out and playing and probably the highlight of his golfing career was he won the Washington State Open Pro-Am with his team.”

Pulliam’s family on Monday declined to comment for this story. They are planning to place an obituary in the coming days, according to his brother.

Pulliam loved teaching others the game of golf, and he also liked to cook, Jacobson said.

Before getting the job at the golf course, Pulliam worked as a bank teller and in construction.

“He knew a lot of people over at Battle Creek and (Snohomish),” Jacobson said. “He grew up in this area. He was a veteran. He came home and went to work and raised girls. He was a good man. I’ll miss him.”