GCBAA names Don A. Rossi Award winner

Logo: GCBAA

The Golf Course Builders Association of America (GCBAA) named Deane Beman as the Don A. Rossi Award recipient.

The award is given by the GCBAA to honor individuals who, “have made significant contributions to the game of golf and its growth and who have inspired others by example,” according to the association. It is named for Don A. Rossi, who served as executive director of the National Golf Foundation from 1970 to 1983, helped form the National Golf Course Owners Association and served as executive director of the GCBAA from 1984 to 1990.  

A two-time All-American on the varsity golf team at the University of Maryland, Deane logged a number of amateur victories, to include the British Amateur in 1959, the U.S. Amateur in 1960 and 1963, the Trans-Mississippi Amateur in 1960, Porter Cup in 1964, and four-time Eastern Amateur champion. Deane continued his playing career on the PGA TOUR, winning four times between 1969 and 1973 (Texas Open Invitational, Greater Milwaukee Open, Quad Cities Open and Shrine-Robinson Open Golf Classic).

After his professional career Deane served as the second commissioner of the PGA TOUR from 1974 to 1994. Under his watch, The Players Championship concept was formed along with the Senior PGA Tour, now known as the Champions Tour. During his time as commissioner, Deane advocated that Tour tournaments support a charitable initiative, and saw contributions grow from less than $1 million a year in 1974 to more than $30 million in 1994, according to a press release.

“While Deane’s list of accomplishments with the Tour and his playing career are impressive, what speaks most about him is his passion to grow the game,” says Justin Apel, GCBAA executive director. “We are humbled to honor Deane, someone who has given so much to golf, with our Rossi award.”

Referred to as “the Father of Stadium Golf,” Deane was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2000 and was awarded the seventh PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007. And in 2015, was the recipient to the PGA Distinguished Service Award, the organization’s highest honor.