SAN DIEGO (Feb. 6, 2016) – In celebration of individuals who have given back to the game in extraordinary ways, the United States Golf Association (USGA) presented its annual Service Awards during a gala dinner at the Annual Meeting at the Hotel del Coronado.

Hosted by Golf World senior writer and television analyst Tim Rosaforte, this year’s USGA Service Awards Dinner celebrated the leadership, selfless dedication and outstanding contributions of 18 individuals who have devoted their time and talents to serve the game.

“The USGA is proud to recognize the contributions of these extraordinary individuals,” said Diana Murphy, USGA president. “We are here to celebrate their dedication and hard work, which inspire thousands of volunteers who support our mission and help sustain the game for future generations.”

The Service Awards Dinner consolidates the presentation of many of the USGA’s volunteer accolades. The Green Section Award, the Joe Dey Award, Ike Grainger Awards and Herbert Warren Wind Book Award are presented. The USGA’s highest honor, the Bob Jones Award, will be presented to Judy Bell at a ceremony during the week of the 116th U.S. Open Championship, which will be contested June 13-19, 2016, at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club.

The following individuals were recognized at the USGA Service Awards Dinner:

Keith Hansen, Joe Dey Award
Presented annually since 1996, the Joe Dey Award recognizes an individual’s meritorious service to the game as a volunteer. The award is named for the late Joseph C. Dey Jr., who served as USGA executive director for 35 years (1934-1969) before becoming the first commissioner of the PGA Tour.

This year’s honoree, Keith Hansen, has served on the USGA’s Regional Affairs Committee and Mid-Amateur Committee since 1989. During that time, he has worked as a Rules official at more than 80 USGA championships, including 10 U.S. Opens. When not working as a Rules official, Hansen has also volunteered his time and energy to numerous state and regional championships and qualifying events. He received the Ike Grainger Award, which honors 25 years of service to the USGA, in 2013.

Beyond his dedication to the USGA, Hansen has been a selfless contributor to golf in his home state. A 2015 inductee into the Utah Golf Hall of Fame, he served nine years on the Utah Golf Association board of directors, including two years as president. He has also served on the board of directors of the Utah Golf Foundation and The First Tee of Utah.

Roger McStravick, Herbert Warren Wind Book Award
Established in 1987, the Herbert Warren Wind Book Award recognizes and honors outstanding contributions to golf literature while seeking to broaden the public’s interest in, and knowledge of, the game of golf. Wind, who died in 2005, was a renowned writer for The New Yorker and Sports Illustrated who coined the phrase “Amen Corner” at Augusta National Golf Club. He is the only writer to win the Bob Jones Award, the USGA’s highest honor.

In St. Andrews: In the Footsteps of Old Tom Morris, McStravick chronicles life in St. Andrews, Scotland, during the era of Old Tom Morris. A product of three years of  careful curation and research, the book provides a fresh look at the important role that Morris played in securing St. Andrews’ reputation as the “home of golf.”

“Roger McStravick’s St. Andrews: In the Footsteps of Old Tom Morris is an outstanding achievement and a major contribution to the literature of the game,” said Michael Trostel, director of the USGA Museum. “The level of research undertaken to breathe new life into this subject is extraordinary. McStravick’s writing, along with the previously unseen photos of St. Andrews, Old Tom and others from that era, make this a magnificent, one-of-a-kind book.”

Dr. Bruce Clarke, Green Section Award
Presented annually since 1961, the USGA Green Section Award recognizes an individual’s distinguished service to the game of golf through his or her work with turfgrass, including research, maintenance and other areas that positively impact the landscape upon which golf is played.

The 2016 recipient is Dr. Bruce Clarke, of Iselin, N.J., an extension specialist of turfgrass pathology in the department of plant biology and pathology at Rutgers University, as well as the director of the Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science.

Clarke’s research and extension programs focus on the cause and control of turfgrass diseases and integrated pest management strategies to reduce fungicide use. Clarke’s work with the biology and control of summer patch and anthracnose, and his introduction of effective cultural management and fungicides are cited as some of the most important achievements affecting the playing conditions of golf courses worldwide.

Ike Grainger Awards
Established in 1995 as part of the USGA’s Centennial Celebration, the Ike Grainger Award recognizes those volunteers who have provided 25 years of service to the Association. Grainger served on the USGA Executive Committee and served as USGA president in 1954 and 1955.

In 2016, the following 15 individuals earned the award for their distinguished service to the USGA:

Larry D. Cooper            College Station, Texas  Regional Affairs Committee
Bill Dickens                   Ankeny, Iowa                Regional Associations Committee
Robert Fox                   Jackson, Miss.                          Regional Affairs Committee
Galen Hill                      Portsmouth, Va.            Senior Amateur Championship Committee
Carol E. Huf                  Nekoosa, Wis.              Regional Affairs Committee
Sue May                       Henderson, Nev.           Senior Women’s Championship Committee;
                                                                        Regional Affairs Committee
Gene McClure               Atlanta, Ga.                   Regional Affairs Committee

Duff Meyercord             Bedminster, N.J.           Regional Affairs Committee
Bob Mooney                             Boise, Idaho                 Junior Championship Committee
John C. Moore              Bowling Green, Ky.        Regional Affairs Committee
Jack Nance                   West End, N.C.             Joe Dey Award Committee;
                                                                        Amateur Status Committee;
                                                                        Regional Associations Committee
James A. Savage          Memphis, Tenn.             Regional Affairs Committee
Mark A. Studer              Pittsburgh, Pa.              Mid-Amateur Championship Committee
Lorraine Thies                Scottsdale, Ariz.            Handicap Procedure Committee
Gene Westmoreland      Bronxville, N.Y.             Regional Affairs Committee

Media Contact: Jeff Altstadter (jaltstadter@usga.org)