George Peper, editor-in-chief of “Golf Magazine” for a quarter of a century and author of 17 books on golf and golf courses, has been chosen to receive the 2008 Donald Ross Award from the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA). He will accept the award during ASGCA’s 62nd Annual Meeting, on Apr. 3, 2008 in St. Andrews, Scotland.
The award is given annually to an individual who has made significant contributions to golf and golf course architecture. President Steve Forrest, ASGCA will present the award to Peper at the group’s Donald Ross Banquet at the Rusacks Hotel in St. Andrews.
“George Peper is one of the most knowledgeable voices in golf, respected for his prolific journalistic and publishing career and his respect for and knowledge of golf courses,” notes Forrest. “He continues as editor-at-large for ‘Links’ Magazine and lives in St. Andrews. I will be honored to present this award to a man who has devoted his career to understanding and promoting golf and golf courses.”
Long Career in Golf and Golf Publishing
Peper is a graduate of Princeton University, and went on to study for his Ph.D. in comparative literature at Yale University. He left that program to join the staff of “Golf Magazine.” Under his stewardship, the magazine became the most widely-read in the industry and began publishing the first “Top 100 Golf Courses in the World” lists. While there, he also published a number of books on the game, including “The World’s 500 Greatest Golf Holes,” “Golf Courses of the PGA Tour,” “Golf in America” and most recently “Two Years in St. Andrews: At Home on the 18th Hole.”
Peper is a member of five clubs in Scotland, including the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, where he is the first American on the Club Committee. His “The Need System” was adopted by the USGA as the recommended method for allocating handicap strokes across 18 holes, and he has worked with clubs worldwide on pace of play. He is also a partner in Golf Magazine China Consulting, which matches golf architects with development projects in China.
The Donald Ross Award was established by the ASGCA Board of Governors in 1976 and is given annually to an individual who has made a positive impact on golf and golf course architecture. Its first recipient was one of ASGCA’s Founding Fathers, Robert Trent Jones. ASGCA’s Donald Ross Award Committee is led by Past President Rees Jones, ASGCA.
Peper will be the 33rd winner of the Donald Ross Award.
Sidebar: Donald Ross Award Recipients
YEAR RECIPIENT OCCUPATION
2008 George Peper Golf Writer, Author
2007 Dr. Michael Hurdzan, Golf Course Architect
ASGCA
2006 Jim Awtrey CEO, PGA of America
2005 John Singleton Irrigation Pioneer
2004 Thomas Cousins Philanthropist, Urban Golf
Developer
2003 Bill Campbell President, USGA, Captain, Royal &
Ancient Golf Club
2002 Byron Nelson Professional Golfer
2001 Jack Nicklaus, ASGCA Professional Golfer, Golf Course
Architect
2000 Jaime Ortiz-Patiño Owner, President, Valderrama Golf
Club
1999 Arnold Palmer , ASGCA Professional Golfer
Fellow
1998 Judy Bell President, USGA
1997 Gene Sarazen Professional Golfer
1996 Ron Whitten Golf Writer
1995 Pete Dye, ASGCA Fellow Golf Course Architect
1994 James R. Watson Agronomist
1993 Brent Wadsworth Golf Course Builder
1992 Paul Fullmer ASGCA Executive Secretary
1991 Michael Bonallack Secretary, Royal and Ancient (St.
Andrews)
1990 John Zoller Former Executive Director, No.
California Golf Association
1989 Dick Taylor Editor, Golf World Magazine
1988 Frank Hannigan USGA Executive Director
1987 Charles Price Golf Writer, Author
1986 Deane Beman PGA Tour Commissioner
1985 Peter Dobereiner London Observer Columnist, Author
1984 Dinah Shore Sponsor of Women's Golf
Tournaments
1983 Al Radko Former Director, USGA Green
Section
1982 Geoffrey Cornish, ASGCA Golf Course Architect, Historian
Fellow
1981 James Rhodes Governor of Ohio
1980 Gerald Micklem Former Captain, Royal and Ancient
1979 Joe Dey Former Executive Director of the
USGA
1978 Herb and Joe Graffis Founders, National Golf Foundation
1977 Herbert Warren Wind Golf Digest Columnist, Author
1976 Robert Trent Jones, ASGCA Founding Member of ASGCA