Frank Siple inducted into Georgia GCSA HOF

Frank Siple (middle) with his Distinguished Service Award, presented by past U.S. Open champion Jerry Pate, left, and Jamie Pate, of the Jerry Pate Co., right. (Photo: Georgia GCSA)

Frank Siple, CGCS, “didn’t know greens mowing from window washing” on his first day on the job at Northwood Country Club in Lawrenceville, Ga., in 1971.

Siple has since been inducted into the Georgia Golf Course Superintendents Hall of Fame Nov. 4 at the Georgia GCSA’s annual awards banquet at Jekyll Island Resort.

Siple was traveling with his wife, Sherry, when he received the news.

“It was a humbling and exciting conversation. To now be included in a group with many of whom I consider my heroes, that means a lot to me,” Siple says.

After working at Northwood Country Club for three years, he became golf course superintendent at Idle Hour Country Club in Macon, then owned and operated his own landscape company for seven years.

He moved back into the golf course business at Lake Arrowhead Yacht and Country Club in Waleska, then Royal Lakes Golf and Country Club in Flowery Branch. He became a certified golf course superintendent in 1993. From 1997 to 2011, he was at Lanier Golf Club in Cumming, then joined the Corbin company. Siple officially retired in the summer of 2018.

“I was always taught by my parents that effort and hard work pay off,” he says. “It’s the willingness to do a project when the funds are provided, and even when they’re not, to improve the golf course.”

He volunteered at nearly 50 tournaments over his career, including The Masters and qualifying events such as the U.S. Amateur, the U.S. Mid-Amateur and Georgia GCSA state events.