Lee Trevino (center) was joined by (front row) George Hannon, Tracey Stewart and Ray Cutright, and (back row) Thomas Bolt, Charles Sifford Jr. and Michael Doctor during the 2015 PGA of America Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Photo Credit: Montana Pritchard/The PGA of America
What a privilege and honor to be able to attend the 2015 Induction Ceremony for PGA of America Hall of Fame! The 2015 Class included Tommy Bolt, George Hannon, Charlie Sifford, Michael Doctor, Payne Stewart, Ray Cutright and Lee Trevino.
I had the opportunity to sit down with Lee Trevino and ask him about his lifelong love affair with golf and the PGA of America. The 6-time Major Champion spoke honestly and transparently about how being struck by lightning in 1975 changed his life. After getting a glimpse of “the other side,” he took a long look at his life and made the transformation to be of lifelong service to promote the game and give back all he can to the game. He is and has done just that. Congratulations on a well-deserved induction into the PGA of America’s Hall of Fame!
With Lee Trevino in a small group interview right before the Hall of Fame Induction ceremony.
In the second part of his response he took time to recognize and pay tribute to the 28,000 Golf Professional members of the PGA of America. Amazed at what they do and he did early on in his life—open the shop at 5 am and close it down at dark—he attributes The Lord as with coming up with the PGA Golf Professional to fill the difficult job. A referee, a rules person, a doctor, a teacher, a chaplain among other roles is the PGA Golf Professional. All amateur golfers, like me, would wholeheartedly agree- THANK YOU PGA Golf Professionals!
It was an inspiring Induction Night with inspiring videos and inspiring people to accept the Induction Awards, all hosted by Interviewer/Essayist of NBC Sports Jimmy Roberts.
Four of the seven inductees—George Hannon, Michael Doctor, Ray Cutright and Lee Trevino—accepted their award in person. Three others—Tommy Bolt, Charlie Sifford and Payne Stewart—were represented posthumously by their son Tommy Bolt, their son Charles Sifford Jr. and their wife Tracey Stewart.
All seven presentations were inspiring, here are my personal highlights:
Jimmy Roberts mc’d the evening…
Tommy Bolt—referenced Dan Jenkins line as a creative sportswriter—if Tommy Bolt never existed, he would have created him (for the entertainment value). His son was humble and shared that while opposites, his father and Ben Hogan were good friends; that he remembered traveling a lot growing up as he was born the year after Tommy bolt won the 1958 U.S. Open and that his father had a charitable nature tithing to two churches in Florida and Arkansas.
George Hannon—the man who took over for the legendary Harvey Penick as University of Texas men’s golf coach in 1963 and won two NCAA Championships and 12 Southwest Conference Titles in his ensuing 18-year term. Who says you can’t follow a great round with a great round or coach? HE ran a First Tee-like program before there was a First Tee at two municipal courses he managed in Austin, Texas. Famed golf instructor Rick Smith, who played for Coach Hannon at UT, joined him on stage with host interviewer Jimmy Roberts. His loving wife of 68 years Jo was present with him as well and said it all to close the video—”How about that, we made it!”
With WGHOF member Dr. Charles Sifford on Opening Night of the ‘Honoring the Legacy: A Tribute to African-Americans in Golf.”
Charlie Sifford—became the first African American to earn full membership on the PGA TOUR in 1964. It was an honor to meet him at the opening of the “Honoring the Legacy: A Tribute to African-Americans in Golf” at the World Golf Hall of Fame last May. He pioneered race equality in sports alongside baseball’s Jackie Robinson. His son Charles Sifford Jr. said he loved the game, just wanted to play it on even ground and that his mother was his father’s backbone and inspiration throughout his golfing career which included six UGA National Negro Opens, two PGA TOUR titles and the 1975 PGA Seniors’ Championship.
Michael Doctor—in his 31st season as the PGA Head Golf Professional at Skaneatles (New York) Country Club, a course I played this summer while nearby in my hometown of Binghamton for the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open on the Champions Tour. He is a Master PGA Professional and has served with distinction both in the Central New York PGA Section and on the national PGA of America levels. I missed meeting him in Skaneatles and on Induction night but look forward to returning to Skaneatles CC one day and getting that video interview done!
The distinguished Class of 2015!
Payne Stewart—what can I can I say about a guy that we all loved, admired and was inspired by in life and beyond? His beautiful widow Tracey did an eloquent interview while accepting the induction on his behalf. She reminded us that the first time he wore knickers all four days at the 1982 Quad Cities Open he was paired with Lee Trevino. How many pairs of knickers did he have? “About 50, he had the big closet, I had the small one!” The Payne Stewart Family Foundation continues Tracey and Payne’s generousity that began in 1987 when he won at Bay Hill and donated every single penny of his $500,ooo first place check to charity. I hope to make a trip to Springfield, Missouri, Payne’s hometown, one day to honor his memory.
Ray Cutright—the lucky guy sandwiched between Payne Stewart and Lee Trevino who more than admirably filled the space with distinction. Here’s a guy that goes all the way back to club fitting in the late 1960s and the importance of using technology properly. He would tell you that there is a lot of technology out there, that it is important to use technology properly and the key to doing that is to team up with a PGA Golf Professional to be properly fitted. Only the fourth PGA Professional in the 102-year history of Idle Hour Club, sounds like a place I need to visit! With 71 friends and family present, the recipient of the 2014 PGA Golf Professional of the Year Award, was welcomed into the Hall of Fame to the tune of Georgia on my mind!
The list of Hall of Fame members now totals 157!
Lee Trevino—who picked cotton at the age of 5, became a caddie at age 8, ran a driving range at age 14, became a Marine at age 17, came late to professional golf at age 27—brought the house down at the 2015 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, battling Jimmy Roberts for the control of the microphone! He joked in the course of teaching his son what he knows about the game of golf, that he probably would not have played at all if he had a cell phone way back when. Contrasting the interaction of media today and when he won the 1968 U.S. Open at Oak Hill he commented that the four questions in a tent in the parking lot took five minutes and he was drinking a margarita within one hour of sinking his last putt. Roberts had the last say though as he told us why Lee was no longer in television—as the producer would count down to a commercial break Lee could never stop talking. We are happy for that!
Congratulations to all seven Inductees in the Class of 2015 and to the other 150 members of the PGA of America’s Hall of Fame which is located in the PGA Golf Museum at the PGA Village in Port St. Lucie, Florida right off Interstate I-95. Stop for a visit if you have the chance, utilize the incredible practice facilities and get a lesson at the PGA Center for Golf Learning and Performance. Then, of course make sure you get a round or two of golf in at the PGA Golf Club on one of their four golf courses—the Wanamaker, Ryder, Dye Courses and the St. Lucie Trail Golf Club!
Golf & Life, PGA of America-style!
CLICK here for the article “PGA of America, More than a Village”
