STUDIO CITY AND ONTARIO, Calif. — Civil rights pioneers Bill Spiller and Maggie Hathaway will headline a class of six luminaries that will be inducted into the SoCal Golf Hall of Fame on Mar. 5 at Industry Hills GC at Pacific Palms Resort.
In addition to Spiller and Hathaway, this year’s inductees include a legendary collegiate coach, a longtime golf executive, a visionary golf journalist and a prolific course architect, all who helped shape Southern California golf.
The SoCal Golf Hall of Fame is honored to welcome the Class of 2026:
Bill Spiller; civil rights pioneer whose advocacy helped end racial segregation in professional golf. A longtime Los Angeles resident, Spiller quickly distinguished himself competitively despite not taking up the game until his late 20s. Barred from the PGA during the era of the “Caucasians-only” clause, he competed in the United Golfers Association and was supported early in his career by boxing legend, Joe Louis. Spiller broke barriers by competing in the 1948 Los Angeles Open and his fight for equality played a key role in the PGA of America eliminating its discriminatory policies in the early 1960s. He was posthumously granted PGA of America membership in 2009.
Maggie Hathaway; civil rights advocate whose tireless fight for inclusion transformed public golf in Los Angeles. At a time when many courses excluded minorities, Hathaway devoted her life to challenging discrimination in the game and expanding access for others. Originally from Louisiana, she moved to Hollywood to pursue acting and singing before turning her focus to advocacy in golf. Beginning in the 1950s, Hathaway protested exclusion at Los Angeles–area courses and served jail time for her activism. Her efforts led to a public golf course being renamed in her honor, which will reopen later in March following renovations supported by the FORE Youth: 2023 U.S. Open Community Legacy Campaign.
Andrea Gaston; championship-winning collegiate coach and one of the most accomplished leaders in women’s college golf history. A standout amateur who competed in multiple U.S. Women’s Open Championships, Gaston later became head coach of the USC women’s golf program, where she built a national powerhouse. Under her leadership, the Trojans won three NCAA Division I team championships and produced five individual national champions. Gaston developed dozens of All-Americans and conference honorees and guided USC to 21 NCAA Championship appearances and 63 team tournament wins. Her impact on the collegiate game was recognized with an induction into the Women’s Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2010.
John McNair, PGA; is a longtime golf industry executive and PGA of America leader who has helped shape Southern California golf for more than two decades. McNair joined JC Resorts in 1999 and serves as chief operating officer, overseeing golf operations while advancing course management and enhancing golfer and guest experiences throughout the region. He served as president of the Southern California PGA from 2015 to 2016 and in 2020 joined the PGA of America Board of Directors as District 11 director. He also served as chairman of the San Diego Convention and
Visitors Bureau’s Golf Committee and has contributed to several industry publications, including
PGA Magazine and Golf Inc.
- Scott Chisholm; influential golf journalist and architect of early Southern California golf promotion. Writing for the Los Angeles Evening Express, Chisholm helped elevate the game’s profile throughout Los Angeles. His vision helped launch “Golf Week,” which evolved into the Los Angeles Open, now The Genesis Invitational. He also co-founded the National Association for Left-Handed Golfers, which led to equipment quality improvements for left-handed players. Chisholm’s work was revered and he was ceremoniously celebrated near the end of his life by top-ranked professional and amateur golfers in the region.
William Watson; designer of Los Angeles’ first public nine-hole golf course and a foundational figure in Southern California golf architecture. Born near St Andrews Links in Scotland in 1860, William Watson developed an early interest in course design before moving to the United States in the late 1890s. He made Southern California his longtime winter home, working at a Pasadena hotel before shaping the region’s golf landscape. Watson built Garvanza Links, the first public nine- hole golf course in the Los Angeles area, and designed iconic Southern California courses including Hillcrest CC, San Diego CC and Annandale GC. He mentored golf course architect William P. Bell, leaving a lasting influence on the game.
Media representatives are welcome to attend the Mar. 5 luncheon ceremony with prior confirmation. To learn more about the SoCal Golf Hall of Fame program and view a comprehensive profile of all inductees with biographies, photos, videos and personal accolades, visit: socalgolfhof.com
About the SoCal Golf Hall of Fame
Managed by the Southern California Golf Association (SCGA) and Southern California PGA (SCPGA), the SoCal Golf Hall of Fame is a regional program that celebrates and honors golf luminaries who have helped transform and shape the Southern California golf landscape. The SCGA and SCPGA unified their respective programs in 2023.
Media Contact: Frank Moore (818) 738-4510
