Hershey, Pa., August 2, 2006 — You have tasted the famous chocolate. Perhaps taken a ride on one of Hersheypark’s numerous roller coasters. Or even played a round at one of the highly regarded 18-hole layouts here.
But did you know that Hershey will soon become one of the few- if not only- golf resorts in the world to have had two World Golf Hall of Fame members serve as head golf professional?
That becomes a fact this October, when the late Henry Picard, who served as head professional at Hershey Country Club from 1934 to 1941, is inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, Florida. Picard was succeeded by the legendary Ben Hogan, who remained in the job until 1951.
Nicknamed the "Hershey Hurricane," Picard compiled 26 PGA Tour wins during an outstanding career, including the 1938 Masters and the 1939 PGA Championship. Other individual titles included back-to-back Hershey Invitationals in 1936 and 1937. He also participated on victorious U.S. Ryder Cup teams in 1935 and 1937. Notably, 20 of his 26 victories came between 1935 and 1939, including six wins in 1939 alone, when he led the PGA Tour in earnings.
From 1934 until 1941, Picard served as professional of the Hershey Country Club and Hershey’s other three golf courses: Hershey Park Golf Club, Hotel Hershey Course, and the Juvenile Golf Course (the only course at that time for young boys and girls under the age of 18). At the four courses, which were made up of 54 holes, Picard gave lessons to youth and adult amateur golfers in between his participation in tour events. One of the more popular teachers in the country, Picard’s skill at hitting a two-iron led to him being proclaimed the master of the long iron in this era.
Since the days of Picard and Hogan, Hershey Country Club has hosted events featuring PGA Tour, LPGA Tour and Nationwide Tour players. In 1970, the 7,061-yard East Course designed by George Fazio was opened. In 2006, the $17 million clubhouse renovation was unveiled and the nine-hole Spring Creek Golf Course (formerly the Juvenile Golf Course) was re-opened after a $750,000 renovation.
The resort will also celebrate two important milestones in 2007 – Milton Hershey’s 150 th birthday and the 100 th anniversary of HersheyPark. An avid golfer himself, Hershey allowed his High Point mansion, still visible today behind the West Course’s fifth hole, to be used as the club’s original clubhouse. Surely he would be proud of the honor being accorded to his first-ever head professional, Henry Picard.
For further information call 1-800- HERSHEY or visit the destination’s website at www.Hersheygolf.com.
Hershey, Pennsylvania, is known the world over as The Sweetest Place On Earth. The destination’s wide array of attractions include Hersheypark, ZooAmerica, Dutch Wonderland Family Amusement Park, The Hotel Hershey, Hershey Lodge, Hershey Highmeadow Campground, Hershey Country Club, Hersheypark Stadium, Hersheypark Arena, Hershey Bears professional hockey team and the Giant Center. Hershey is located in Central Pennsylvania, three hours from New York City, two hours from Philadelphia, and 90 minutes from the Washington/Baltimore metro area.
Contact:
Karen Moraghan
Hunter Public Relations – East
908/876-5100
kmoraghan@hunter-pr.com
