Carolinas PGA Names Rick Murphy, PGA as the 50th Inductee
to the Carolinas PGA Hall of Fame

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GREENSBORO, NC (August 25, 2020) – The Carolinas PGA is honored to announce PGA Professional, Rick Murphy, as the 50th Inductee into the Carolinas PGA Hall of Fame. The Carolinas PGA Section’s Hall of Fame is an exclusive group of the finest PGA Professionals and other leaders in golf who have called the Carolinas home. The PGA of America lists 37 characteristics of PGA Professionals including being a motivator, community leader, business manager, accomplished player, trained instructor, counselor, and friend. The Section’s Hall of Fame members have displayed traits such as these over the span of their lives and careers to the benefit of their community and the game of golf at large. These individuals have positively impacted countless lives through professional and personal relationships.

Having begun his golf career as an assistant in the late 1970’s, Rick Murphy became passionate about the prospect of promoting the game of golf quickly and earned his PGA Membership in 1981. Throughout the 80’s and into the 90’s, Murphy served as Head Professional and went on to assume the Director of Golf responsibilities at The Cardinal Golf Club by Pete Dye in Greensboro, North Carolina. He was instrumental in growing youth golf at his facility with the creation of the first ever “Clubs for Kids Day” in the mid 80’s. The day was full of various topics of instruction, a show featuring a trick shot artist, and concluded with each kid that attended receiving a golf club. This day gained attention locally and nationally and reached 1500 kids in its second year. This was the start of Murphy’s wide-spread promotion of the game as the program turned Section-wide. These activities led to him receiving the first ever PGA of America Junior Golf Leader Award in 1988.

Murphy’s promotion of the game was just beginning as he continued for years to create opportunities for numerous juniors to get involved with golf while serving as a leader and example for other PGA Professionals and Associates. “Leadership for me is being a doer every day. I would describe my leadership mindset and ability as taking a challenge and tackling it with a well thought out plan and executing it; never being afraid to make a mistake,” says Murphy. “Leadership is helping others achieve their personal best.”

This leadership philosophy was lived out perfectly when Murphy was hired to assist the Country Club of Bogota in Bogota, Colombia from 1995-1999. His work in teaching and coaching youth golf in the United States was noticed all the way in Colombia as he was brought on to assist with their golf operation, grow their youth programming, and mentor eight Colombian Golf Professionals in an effort to make them better instructors. One of Murphy’s largest impacts there came when he helped build the CC of Bogota daily youth clinic participation from roughly 45 kids to over 160 kids.

His service to the Carolinas Section as a leader has been profound. He has served on numerous committees, beginning in the 80’s until present day. His Board service kickstarted when he assumed the role of Carolinas PGA Secretary in 2002 and subsequently move into the Carolinas PGA President role in 2006. This position allowed him the insight into the Section leadership’s decision to sell the longtime Section Headquarters property in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in 2008. Murphy was instrumental in building a team of support in the Greensboro area which created a team of key leaders who were able to create a highly desirable business arrangement and site location for the new headquarters which was unanimously approved by the Carolinas PGA Board in 2011.

Rick Murphy’s name is not only well-known across the Carolinas but is also tied to significant National impact. Murphy served on the National Board of Directors as the District 10 Director from 2013-2016. One of the most significant accomplishments during his tenure was when he jumped at the opportunity to help PGA Members provide more value to their employers, grow participation, and drive additional revenues. This was the driving factor for his creation and development of the PGA of America Inaugural Youth & Family Golf Summit in 2014. This summit has expanded to a two-day PGA Global Youth & Family Summit and has continued every other year under Murphy’s leadership as Chairman. Transitioning his passion back to the Carolinas Section, Murphy developed a similar Carolinas PGA Fall Teaching & Coaching Summit, as well as a Teaching Summit hosted each year in conjunction with the Carolinas PGA Annual Meeting, which he has helped oversee for the past four years.

At the conclusion of his service on the National Board of Directors, Murphy witnessed the creation, growth, and quick success of PGA Jr. League. His passion for youth development closely aligned with the goal of the program so he suggested the creation of a PGA Junior League Advisory Team in 2016. This team would be comprised of highly engaged PGA Members from across the country to assist in the program’s growth and serve as conduits for local PGA Professionals hosting PGA Jr. League across the country. Murphy served as Chairman of this Advisory Team from 2016-2018.

To this day, Murphy is actively involved as a host for PGA of America Junior Golf Camps, has served as a First Tee facility, and has engaged with Special Olympics Athletes at his facility for over 18 years. All his years of service have earned him numerous Carolinas Section awards, including the 2016 PGA Professional Development Award, 2009 & 2001 Teacher of the Year Award, 2008 Golf Professional of the Year Award, 1987 Junior Golf Leader Award, and a five time winner of the Junior Golf Promoter of the Year.

One of the most rewarding moments of Murphy’s life to date has been running for PGA of America Secretary in 2016 and 2018. His motivation: “I wanted to continue to serve our PGA Members and our Association into the future and wanted to have the opportunity to help improve the lives and careers of our PGA Members and to grow the game of golf.”

A colleague summarized Rick Murphy’s service perfectly: “Rick has {accomplished all his goals} through unselfish service, mentorship and giving of his knowledge, passion, and most importantly, friendship.” There is no better embodiment of all it means to be a PGA Professional, serve your Association, and promote the game of golf than Rick Murphy. Murphy says, “My hope is that I have made a positive impact on PGA Members’ lives and their careers.”

Murphy will be inducted into the CPGA Hall of Fame, tentatively scheduled on Sunday, February 21, 2021 at Greensboro Country Club – Irving Park. This ceremony will take place during the Club Car CPGA Awards & Honors Dinner where the Section annually celebrates the accomplishments of outstanding CPGA Professionals.

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About the Carolinas PGA Hall of Fame

The Carolinas PGA Golf Professional Hall of Fame was established to enshrine PGA Professionals and other leaders in golf and recognize their significant, enduring, accomplishments and contributions to the game and the Association, which are judged to be of historical significance.

Other Carolinas PGA Hall of Fame members include:

2019 – Jerry Hogge
2018 – Bobby Howard
2016 – Ron Schmid
2015 – Ed Ibarguen
2014 – Charles “Chip” E. King
2013 – Peggy Kirk Bell
2012 – Grover Bullin
2011 – John Derr
2010 – Mike Harmon
2009 – Jim Westbrook
2008 – Terry Florence
2007 – Bob Boyd and Rod Myers
2002 – Bill Clemmer and Will Mann
2001 – Hamp Auld and Gene Hamm
2000 – D. Sherrill Austin and Norman Flynn
1999 – Henry Poe and Bruce Sudderth
1998 – Jim Ferree and Don Padgett
1997 – Joe Davis and Roger Watson
1996 – Buck Adams and E. Harvie Ward
1995 – Gary Schaal and Luke Veasey
1994 – Tommy Card, Joe Cheves, and Palmer Maples
1993 – Ed Bullock, Charles Farlow, Al Goodrich, Melvin Hemphill, and Randy Glover
1992 – Aubrey Apple, Sr.
1991 – Joe Ellis Maples
1985 – Grant Bennett, J. Fairley Clark, and Orville White
1984 – Jimmy D’Angelo
1983 – Purvis Ferree and Clayton Heafner
1982 – Johnny Palmer
1981 – Dugan Aycock, Henry Picard, and Donald Ross

 

About the Carolinas PGA Section

Established in 1923, the Carolinas PGA Section of the Professional Golfers’ Association has grown to be the largest of the PGA’s forty-one sections with over 2,000 professional members. The Carolinas PGA Section embraces North and South Carolina, as well as a small portion of southern Virginia, with more than 600 golf facilities. The Carolinas PGA is dedicated to nurturing and improving the quality of the game for the thousands of golfers using its member facilities. PGA professionals are responsible for conducting a variety of golf-related functions, which include human resource management, golf shop merchandising, golf instruction, tournament operations, junior golf programs, growth of the game initiatives, golf club repair, administering the rules, public relations and much more.  For more information, please visit carolinas.pga.com. You can also find the Carolinas PGA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

 

Media Contact: Sally Morgan, PGA, Carolinas PGA, 336-398-2675, smorgan@pgahq.com