Len Kennett And Bill Davies Among Those Honored

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, November 1 — Errol Shaw, an attorney from Bakersfield and a member of Bakersfield CC, was elected the 81st president of the Southern California Golf Association during the SCGA’s annual meeting today in Universal City.

The 65-year-old Shaw, a Bakersfield native, received a B.A. from Fresno State University and a law degree from University of La Verne. He has been a member of the SCGA board of directors since 1995 and served as vice-president last year. He’s also served on various committees at his club and has long been involved in many community and youth activities in the area, ranging from Quail Valley Water District director to Twin Towers Orphans Fund and Rosewood Retirement Community. Shaw is also an elder at his church. He is married to Judy Shaw and has two daughters, Suzanne and Angela.

Joining Shaw on the executive committee are vice president Ed Holmes of The Victoria Club in Riverside, secretary Kent Keller of Wilshire CC, and treasurer Bob Lowe of Saticoy CC. Bill Cunerty of Tijeras Creek GC remains on the board as immediate past president.

Reelected to one-year terms as directors were: Ken Bien of Rancho Santa Fe GC, Alan Frank of Oakmont CC, Jim Giles of Brookside GC and La Cañada-Flintridge CC, Dennis Harwood of Big Canyon and Indian Ridge CCs, Bob Jones of G-Man GA, Tom Lindgren of Eldorado CC, John Morello of Lake San Marcos GC, John Rydell of La Cumbre CC and The Valley Club of Montecito, Steve Titus of San Gabriel CC, and Bill Woolfolk of Bel-Air CC. Keenan Barber of Mission Hills CC was elected for the first time, and 2004 president Marc Myers of Hillcrest CC leaves the board after more than a decade of service.

In addition to the election and other official business, several people were honored at the meeting:

Long-time golf professional Len Kennett received the SCGA’s "Lynn Smith Award," the association’s highest honor, given for outstanding service to amateur golf. Kennett, 79, was cited for more than a half-century of service as a golf professional and, in particular, for his work in running an annual junior tournament that had more than 300 entrants this year, the 50th consecutive year that it’s been conducted.

This marks the first time that the award has been given to a golf professional. Kennett joins 13 previous winners, starting with the award’s namesake in 1987, the late Lynn Smith, an SCGA president and USGA Executive Committee member. Other honorees have been Sarah Floyd of Western American GA (last year), past SCGA presidents Cliff Tweedy, Charles Laws, Marion Farmer, Steve Horrell, Paul Jenkins and Jim House; Oakmont CC pioneer Don Young, entertainer Bob Hope, past SCGA directors Bill Russell and Bob Eddy and former SCGA Executive Director Newell Pinch.

Bill Davies, a long-time SCGA committeeman from Wilshire CC, was presented with the "Jim House Award," given to honor exemplary service and named for a past SCGA president and committeeman (and Lynn Smith winner) who was famous for the amount of time and number of miles he devoted to SCGA activities.

2005 California Amateur champion Don DuBois of Newport Beach was honored for winning the inaugural SCGA Player of the Year competition, edging out 2005 SCGA Amateur champion Scott McGihon of Bermuda Dunes, who was also honored. Another honoree was Scott Monroe of Julian, the 2005 SCGA Senior Amateur champion, parlayed that win into the first "Senior Player of the Year" award.

Kathi Flores, SCGA controller, was feted for 30 years of service with the association (she will retire next April). Andrea Fredlin, administrative assistant, and Timmie High, FORE Magazine production supervisor, were honored for 15 years of service. Frances Nee, SCGA director of club relations, and John Martinez, director of golf operations at The SCGA Golf Course in Murrieta, were saluted for 10 years of service.

About the SCGA

Founded in 1899, the SCGA is one of the nation’s oldest and largest state/regional golf associations, with more than 170,000 individuals who belong to more than 1,200 members clubs throughout Southern California and Baja California. The SCGA provides USGA-approved handicap indexes for its members; measures and rates more than 400 golf courses that are association members; has one of the nation’s most significant tournament programs, with more than 125 days of events available to golfers of all abilities; is active in turfgrass research and junior golf; and publishes FORE Magazine and the annual Southern California Directory of Golf.

Contact:
Bob Thomas

(323) 257-3817 (eves)

(818) 980-3630 (days)

E-mail: BobTatFORE@aol.com