Stafford, VA – PGA Professional Butch Butler of Dick’s Sporting Goods in Lexington Park, Md. has been selected by Middle Atlantic PGA President John Malinowski as the 2013 President’s Award winner. This award is bestowed upon an individual whose tireless effort, unwavering dedication and exceptional contributions to the game of golf result in significant benefit to the Section, its members and apprentices and the entire golf community. Butler will be honored in front of his peers at the MAPGA Hall of Fame and Awards banquet to be held on March 9, 2013 at the Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center in Gaithersburg, Md.
Born into a military family, Butler spent much of his early years moving from one naval base to another. His father, Jack, was stationed at Patuxent River Naval Air Station when Butler was born and then the family moved to Trinidad in the West Indies; Brockton, Mass.; Newfoundland, Canada; Guam; and San Diego, Cal. before returning to Southern Maryland. While in Mass., Butler was introduced to golf at the age of 7 by his father. He continued to enjoy the game and began playing in earnest at the age of 13 while in San Diego. The latter half of Butler’s teenage years was spent playing on the Great Mills High School (Great Mills, Md.) golf team. He ventured back to California after high school and continued to play golf as an amateur before making it his career.
Butler turned professional in 1975 and earned his PGA Membership in 1983. As a PGA Apprentice, he held positions at several golf facilities in the Middle Atlantic Section including Wicomico Shores Golf Club (Chaptico, Md.), Breton Bay Golf and Country Club (Leonardtown, Md.), the former Indian Spring Country Club (Silver Spring, Md.), and Chevy Chase Club (Chevy Chase, Md.) to name a few. His first head professional position came in 1986 at Cedar Point Golf Course at Patuxent Naval Air Station, his birthplace.
During his time at Cedar Point, Butler developed a renowned junior golf camp that not only taught children essential golf skills, but also helped them earn golf scholarships or enter military academies. Under his supervision, Cedar Point was selected numerous times as the #1 military golf course in the world and in 1991 the PGA of America recognized Butler as a member of the President’s Council for growing the game of golf. He also offered free golf clinics to military personnel and continues to support the Wounded Warrior project through personal donations and participation in charity golf outings.
In 2011, Butler accepted his current position with Dick’s Sporting Goods and was selected to serve as the MAPGA’s Tournament Committee Chair. He has concentrated on maintaining the traditions of certain tournaments while at the same time working to increase participation in all events. “As Tournament Committee Chair, Butch has led his team to make key policy decisions that have focused on the best interest of all MAPGA Professionals,” states MAPGA President Malinowski.
About the Middle Atlantic Section of the PGA of America
The Middle Atlantic Section of the PGA (MAPGA), located in Stafford, Virginia, is one of 41 Sections of The Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA), headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. As a part of The PGA since 1925, the MAPGA consists of over 1,100 members and apprentices in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia and small portions of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Together, the MAPGA golf professionals, volunteers and staff support the mission of The PGA to promote enjoyment and involvement in the game of golf and to contribute to the game’s growth by providing services to PGA Professionals and the golf industry.
Contact:
Stephanie Jennings, PGA
sjennings@pgahq.com
(540) 720-7420 ext. 116
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