Player Achievements
Mailing List
Join the OGA mailing list and receive Golf Association News.
OGA Gives Recognition of Many at Annual Meeting
The Oregon Golf Association (OGA) recently held its annual meeting at Willamette Valley Country Club where it gave recognition to many of its important stakeholders including members, member clubs, golf courses as well as new awards giving recognition to golf course superintendents and golf professionals.
The awards began with recognition of the associations’ Volunteers of the Year, an award that had been presented in the fall to Forrest and Linda McCreadie of Vancouver, Wash. as well as honorees Jerry Low of Portland, Ore. and certified OGA Rules Officials Peter Pittock of Portland, Ore., Terry McEvilly of Salem, Ore. and Pete Scholz of Springfield, Ore.
Ray Carder of Hillsboro, Ore. was then identified as the second recipient of the Distinguished Service Award for more than three decades as the OGA Director representing Forest Hills Golf Course in Cornelius, Ore. as well as being on the inaugural TAG Team, the group of volunteers that assists the association in conducting its championships..
Golfer of the Year honors were bestowed upon Jim Dunlap of Pumpkin Ridge – Witch Hollow. President Lynn M. Myrich noted, “Besides being a consistent competitor, Jim characterizes the values embodied in the game of golf. He takes nothing for granted and is a person of integrity, illustrated by the fact that he is one of the few players to make that extra effort to send a thank you letter to tournament hosts whenever he plays in a championship.”
Trysting Tree Golf Course in Corvallis, Ore. was named the Facility of the Year. Owned by the Oregon State University Foundation, the course opened in 1988 and has had a significant economic impact for its community consistently over the last 20 years with more than $3 million in contributions funding OSU programs such as OSU’s Turf Grass education and research. Click Here to watch a video about Trysting Tree's accomplishments.
As an organization comprised of Member Clubs (defined by the USGA Handicapping System as an organization of at least ten individual members that operates under bylaws with committees to supervise golf activities), the OGA Director Gail Phillips of Eugene, Ore. was presented on behalf of the members of Eugene Country Club with the Club of the Year award for the thousands of man-hours and their efforts in raising more than the $500,000 necessary to stage the U.S. Women’s Amateur, one of 13 national championships administered by the USGA. “By bringing this national championship to the region, they contributed to the economic vitality of their community and also promoted golf in our region to a worldwide audience,” said Myrick.
Member of the Year honors were given to Dr. S. Wynan Pelley of the River’s Edge Women’s Club in Bend, Ore. Myrick noted that, “she viewed her role as a liaison and ambassador among the ladies in her club as well as with the course, the Men’s League, other golf groups as well as the community at large.”
She developed orientation packets, wrote monthly newsletters, organized clinics and tutorials on the Rules of Golf, created fundraisers, and encouraged new lesson programs. She also did whatever was necessary to help the golf shop and course to be successful. As a result of her efforts, not only did membership in her club increase to more than 70 ladies, but the course has seen an appreciable increase in its’ revenues. Myrick concluded, “any golf club, or golf course for that matter, would be thrilled to have someone like Wynan on their team.”
The Dale Johnson Media Award, named in honor of Oregonian Golf Editor (1947 – 1958) and OGA/Pacific Northwest PGA Executive Director (1964 – 1990), was awarded to Bend-Bulletin Golf Writer, Zack Hall. It was the second award for this distinguished central Oregon newspaper.
Jim Hawkes of Eagle Crest Golf Club was then recognized as the Handicap Chair of the Year. It was noted that of all club members, the Handicap Chair often has the greatest workload and responsibilities, and without a knowledgeable chair, it would be far more difficult for the OGA to ensure a fair and equitable handicap system.
For the inaugural recognition of golf course professionals, Erik Nielsen, a 14-year Class A member of the PGA of America and Head Professional at Bend Golf & Country Club was awarded the Golf Professional of the Year for his hard work and efforts during the Oregon Amateur that ensured a successful event.
Finally, Myrick presented the inaugural award for those who are responsible for the quality of the courses that we play. In recognition of golf course superintendents, the Golf Course Superintendent of the Year award was presented to David Phipps, a nine-year GCSAA Class A member and superintendent of Stone Creek Golf Course in Oregon City, Ore., one of 17 Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries in Oregon. Myrick stated, “From education programs, water conservation and developing wildlife habitats, Phipps has been a true leader in the golf industry. In addition to our recognition of his efforts in environmental stewardship, the National Golf Course Superintendents Association recently bestowed Phipps with an Environmental Leaders in Golf Award for overall course management excellence in the areas of resource conservation, water quality management, integrated pest management, wildlife/habitat management and education/outreach.”
© Copyright 2011 Oregon Golf Association. All Rights Reserved.