STAFFORD, VA – Rob McNamara of Charlottesville, VA was honored by the Middle Atlantic Section of the Professional Golfers’ Association (MAPGA) as the 2018 Professional of the Year during the association’s annual Hall of Fame Banquet. McNamara was recognized with the highest honor paid to active PGA Professionals on March 17 at Washington Golf & Country Club. This high honor bestows special recognition on a PGA Professional for overall performance as a PGA Professional, leadership, service, and promotion of the game of golf.
Rob McNamara, PGA, has quietly and consistently succeeded at Farmington Country Club for 24 years. With his own unique style and personality, he is a master at his craft. Whether it is providing magnificent service to his members and their guests, outstanding counsel to his staff, increasing the number of rounds played by every demographic, generating more sales in his golf shop through exceptional service (and merchandising), annually teaching a tremendous number of golf lessons, or simply playing a fun round of golf with his members, Rob is the PGA Professional who simply “makes it all happen at Farmington.” He was elected to membership in The PGA of America in 1994 and has served as the Head PGA Professional at Farmington Country Club since the summer of 1997. Rob’s focus as a PGA Professional has been to excel in all areas of responsibility entrusted to him. He believes in “wearing all the hats” of the PGA Golf Professional.
Like many golf professionals, his interest in golf started with playing. Rob had a successful junior, high school, college, and amateur playing career, including back to back Southern Amateur titles in 1986 and 1987, plus, a Kentucky State Amateur and State Open title in 1985 and 1986, respectively. He capped off his amateur career with a win representing the United States in the Simon Boliver Cup in Caracas, Venezuela. He and partner David Toms defeated 25 countries. The second place team was 13 shots behind David and Rob. In January of 1988, while still in college to finish his business degree at Louisiana State University, Rob returned back to Venezuela to turn professional. He toured the country giving eight golf clinics and exhibitions. Amazingly, Rob doesn’t speak Spanish.
The Head PGA Professional at Farmington is no stranger to such high praise as he’s earned numerous recognitions during his more than 30 year golf career. This will be McNamara third award from the MAPGA, earning the 2001 and 2008 Merchandiser of the Year Awards in the Private Category.
McNamara is also an accomplished player, and has won more than 75 tournaments and served with the MAPGA for more than 20 years. During his first years at Farmington, he won the Virginia State Open at Willow Oaks in 1995, won the MAPGA Section Championship in 1997 and won the Southern Chapter title four times.
Nationally, McNamara has played in two USGA Amateurs, two USGA Opens and two PGA of America Assistant Professional Championships, finishing as runner-up back-to-back years.
Growing up, he won the Kentucky Open twice, once as an amateur and then as a professional. In the history of that Open only two other players have achieved this.
Golf Digest named him the No. 1 Teacher of the Year in Virginia, 2000.
He also has served on the MAPGA Board of Directors of the Education Committee, 1996 – 1997; the Board of Directors and Chaired the Section Tournament Committee, 2000 – 2001; served on the Public Relations Committee, 2002 – 2003; and the Sponsors Committee, 2002 – 2005.
Nevertheless, his greatest achievement to date has been his 24 year marriage to Carrie McNamara and being an upstanding father to his two daughters, 21-year-old, Madeline and 18-year-old, Sam.
Contact:
MAPGA Communications
Jeremy Beale, jbeale@pgahq.com
