2015 Year in Review
Updegraff Award: John Souza
John Souza, who began working for PING when he was still in high school and has been with the equipment maker for 35 years, is the 2015 recipient of the AGA’s highest honor - the Ed Updegraff Award When he was playing on the Grand Canyon University Golf Team, John Souza had the privilege of teeing it up twice with Dr. Ed Updegraff, never thinking that one day he would receive an award bearing the good doctor’s name. Souza began with PING by working on a test range where Cave Creek Golf Course later was built, and now is head of the company’s WRX (Works) Division. In that role, he helped design clubs for their Adaptive Fitting Program, a program that custom-fits physically challenged golfers, many of whom are severely wounded veterans, with specialized PING technology built exclusively for them. PING is currently the only major golf club manufacturer with an organized adapting fitting effort. In 2008 Souza, as a member of Moon Valley Country Club, established the Junior Golf University. Starting with fundamentals, the JGU provided junior golfers at Moon Valley CC with classroom and on-course instruction pertaining to the sport's history, rules, etiquette, agronomy, fitness, club fitting and the golf swing. As early participants learned the fundamentals of the game, they became eager to have a competitive aspect added so in 2009, they created the Arizona Junior Interclub Series which is now the PING Junior Interclub. This functions as a graduate level program within the original curriculum. What started as a program for a handful of kids at Moon Valley Country Club has now touched over 2,000 young golfers in four states. Ed Updegraff is recognized as Arizona’s greatest golf ambassador. John Souza is another whose efforts follow in that path, helping grow more golfers who love the game in the spirit of Dr. Ed. |
Doc Graves Volunteer of the Year: Roger Waterer
In 2015, we honor Roger Waterer as the Volunteer of the Year. Back home in England during the 60’s and 70’s, golf was viewed as an elitist sport that wasn’t an activity for individuals of his background. It wasn't until after Roger moved to Connecticut in the late 1970’s that he had his first golf experience at a corporate outing that ended up igniting his passion for the game. He spent 25 years in Connecticut, and wanting to learn more about the game, attended a rules workshop. This was his first formal introduction to the Rules of Golf. Moving to Phoenix in 2011, his involvement in the AGA began a couple years later with an email to Courtney Smyser asking about any volunteer opportunities as he needed something to do in his retirement. Be careful what you ask for. Roger has since become one of the top Rules Officials in Arizona. One of his favorite memories officiating with the AGA occurred a short time after he began volunteering. In the 89th Arizona Amateur Championship at Pinnacle Peak in 2013, he worked as an observer with Robin Farran in the quarterfinal and semifinal matches. Match play is a format that has always intrigued him, and watching players of such a high caliber compete against each other was something he had not experienced before. To this day, being a match play referee is one of the most enjoyable assignments for him. Nowadays, you will find Roger expanding his role outside of just being a Rules Official. He is teaching workshops for junior golfers on the basics of the Rules and helping the AGA with golf course set-up prior to events. Even though he has scored 95 twice on the Rules of Golf test, he admits that there is still a lot to learn. It seems as though it was just last year the guy with the accent and bucket hat came out to find something to do, but in a short amount of time Roger has become an integral part of the AGA and beyond. |
Player of the Year: Ken Tanigawa
2015 Accomplishments: Winner- 91st AZ Amateur Championship, Winner- AZ Mid-Am Championship, Winner- 2014 Player's Cup, 2015 Goldwater Cup Team Member |
Masters Player of the Year: Rick Bojalad
2015 Accomplishments: Winner- Short Course, T1- Southern Amateur, T9 - Tempe Amateur, 10th - 2014 Players Cup Championship, Semi-finalist- AZ Senior Match Play |
Senior Player of the Year: Murphy Mitchell
2015 Accomplishments: Winner- AZ Senior Match Play Championship, T1- Southern Amateur (Sr. Division), T2- AZ Senior Stroke Play, T3- San Tan Amateur, 2015 Goldwater Cup Team Member, AZ/UT Shootout Team Member |
Legends Player of the Year: Terry Beels
Terry Beels was a newcomer in the Legends division in 2015 and he didn’t waste any time making a name for himself. After winning the AZ Senior Stroke Play Championship in a playoff at the beginning of May, Terry almost went on to win the Senior Match Play Championship before falling short in the championship match. Terry finished 5th on the Players Cup Points list in the Legends Division. 2015 Accomplishments: Winner- AZ Senior Stroke Play, Runner-up- AZ Senior Match Play |
Mayfair Award: Blaine Staggs- 70.86 Scoring Average
Blaine satisfied the eligibility requirements for the Mayfair Award by posting 14 rounds from the following tournaments: AZ Publinks Championship, San Tan Amateur, AZ Stroke Play Championship, Southern Amateur, Northern Amateur, US Mid-Amateur Qualifier |