Rockford Park District announces Golf Hall of Fame inductees ...

PRESS RELEASE

ROCKFORD, IL ? At a news conference today, the Rockford Park District announced the newest members that will soon be officially welcomed into the Rockford Area Golf Hall of Fame. The following people/groups will be inducted into the 2012 Golf Hall of Fame: Steve Benjamin, John Alastair Robertson, and Tiger Woods Foundation.

In 2005, the Rockford Area Golf Hall of Fame began as a way to recognize, preserve, and promote the heritage of golf in the Rockford area. The Hall of Fame honors the contributions and accomplishments of individuals who are worthy of recognition and are examples for others to emulate. Inductees are selected through careful consideration by screening and selection committees comprised of knowledgeable golf experts representing area groups and organizations, including previous Hall of Fame inductees.

The Golf Hall of Fame Play Day and Induction Ceremony Dinner takes place Monday, September 24, 2012, and is presented by Edward Jones. The event is open to the public.

2012 Golf Hall of Fame Inductees

Steve Benjamin

Steve Benjamin has been a fixture in the Rockford golf scene for decades. He was a member of the 1968 Guilford Vikings golf team that finished second in the Illinois State Championship. In September 2012, the 1968 golf team was inducted in the Guilford High School Hall of Fame. While attending Rock Valley College in 1968?1970, Steve was a member of a conference champion golf team where he qualified for nationals and tied for medalist honors. Steve continued his collegiate career at the University of Northern Colorado, where he was one of the golf team's top five players. The UNC Bears were conference champions, and Steve was team captain. The biggest team victory came in 1972, when the Bears beat the US Air Force Academy for the first time in school history, with a team total of 279 (Steve shot a 79).

In 1973, Steve turned pro and worked as a club professional for the next four years in Colorado and Texas.

In 1977, he assumed the role of head coach for his alma mater, Rock Valley College. Under his guidance, RVC garnered over 60 team victories, including 15 regional championships, and the team advanced to the NJCAA nationals for seven straight years, earning two NJCAA Division III national championships; Steve was named NJCAA Division III National Golf Coach of the Year. Other credentials include four years finishing in second place at the NJCAA Division III National Championships and coaching 20 NJCAA Division III All-Americans.

After receiving his amateur status back, Steve continued his competitive career in Rockford by winning the Ballard Memorial in 1983 and 1986, and the Winnebago County Amateur in 1986. Another highlight was at the 1985 Greater Rockford Men's Golf Classic, when Steve finished one shot behind champion Chris Beto.

John Alastair Robertson

John Robertson first began golfing at age 13, and had a natural ability right from the start. Over the next four years, John played golf nearly every day of the summer with his boyhood best friend, Chris Leighty. Sinnissippi Golf Course was John's home course, and he didn't play another golf course until he was 16.

When John attended East High School, he opted to play football instead of golf, and was also on the wrestling team, where he was captain in his senior year. In the summer, though, golf was his game of choice. After graduation, John started playing pretty regularly, and that was when he was bitten by the "golf bug."

After high school, John worked at Sinnissippi Golf Course as a cashier, enrolled at Rock Valley College for the fall semester, and played golf for two years for Coach Steve Benjamin. After RVC, John attended the University of Iowa, and played in local tournaments during his college days, which garnered him his first win in the 1986 Ledges Invitational.

During John's competitive days, one could find him practicing on the Sandy Hollow Golf Course putting green during his lunch hour or spending hours at Elliot Golf Course driving range working on his game. John was a fixture on the local competitive scene in the late ?80s and early ?90s, winning the Melvin Ballard several times, the Greater Rockford Men's Golf Classic four times, the Ledges Invitational four times, and won several other area golf tournaments. Due to an increased work schedule, John stepped away from golf. Returning to golf in 1997, John won the Prairie View Gold Medal and regained the Ledges title in 2000 and 2001.

In 2006, John and his wife Mary Beth left the Rockford area and moved to Dayton, Ohio, where John accepted a position with GE. John still plays golf regularly, and maintains a scratch handicap. He has played in the Dayton Metro three times over a six-year period. John's best finish is fifth place. Most recently, John returned to the Forest City to participate in the 2012 Gold Medal Classic, where he tied for second place.

Tiger Woods Foundation

It seems like only yesterday the Tiger Woods Foundation (TWF) was first in Rockford, but it has been more than 10 years. The 2001 TWF Clinic and Exhibition generated over $154,000 in grants to area youth golf groups to expand and enhance their golf lesson programs. These grants were restricted for certain use, and no funds were to be allowed to construct any golf facility, but this did not deter golf enthusiasts from starting a fundraising campaign that would lead to the construction of two wonderful facilities - Ingersoll Learning Links, and The First Tee AMCORE Learning Facility at Patriots' Gateway. Both locations helped grow the next generation of golfers.

While the construction campaign was underway, golf programs started to bloom. Through the Tiger Woods Foundation grants, golf was now being taught in Rockford Park District summer playground programs, Kid Zones, and in various Therapeutic Recreation programs. The Golf Services Department expanded their lesson program and hired a PGA Teaching Professional to implement the expanded programs. The RSGA Friday night program was now using PGA Professionals to instruct youth, and Beloit Merrill Community

Center enhanced their golf programs that reach youth at risk. From 2001 to 2004, Rockford Park District youth golf programs increased by 78% with more than 4,600 registrations compared to 2,584 in 2001, thanks to the funds from the Tiger Woods Foundation.

In 2004, the Tiger Woods Foundation returned to Rockford for the TWF "In the City" Festival and Clinic. Funds raised from the 2004 event generated another $40,000 to further enrich golf programs for youth. The Foundation was very impressed with the implementation of the grant program and the development of the Ingersoll Learning Links in 2005, and awarded an additional $18,130 to the Park District in a one-time grant. These funds were earmarked to help the RSGA continue their Friday night youth program, purchase a golf cart to be used exclusively at Ingersoll Learning Links, and $5,000 helped construct the Ingersoll Learning Links gazebo. This is the first and only time in TWF history a construction grant was awarded to a TWF clinic site.

The Tiger Woods Foundation has shown unwavering support for youth golf in the Forest City. The area now boasts two wonderful golf learning facilities that share the great game of golf with more than 1,000 youth participants in programs. More than 3,800 youth also first experience golf through the PGA In-School First Swing program or Rockford Park District summer playground programs.

Keynote Speaker: Wendy Ward

Wendy Ward is a three-time Solheim Cup team member, and four-time LPGA Tournament winner. Her amateur success includes the following events: 1992 Texas State Women's champion, 1994 World Team Amateur champion and medalist, 1994 U.S. Women's Amateur champion, and member of the 1994 U.S. Curtis Cup Team.

Ward played collegiate golf at Arizona State University, where her team was three-time national champion. In 1993, she finished in third place at the NCAA Championship, and was runner-up in 1994-95. Ward also earned First-Team All-America honors from 1993 to 1995. Ward turned professional in 1995 and qualified for the LPGA tour on her first attempt to become a rookie in 1996.

Ward started playing golf at the age of 7 and credits her instructors, parents, and sister Pam for having the most influence on her career. When she's not on the course, she is helping her husband Nate on their 300-acre cattle ranch in Washington, fly fishing, camping, hiking with her dogs, or playing the piano.

Previous Golf Hall of Fame Inductees

? Class of 2011: Jamie Hogan, Gunnar Nelson, Rockford Sportsmen's Golf Association,

Conny Sjostrom, Sr. and Irene Sjostrom Youth Golf Foundation

? Class of 2010: Carl Dargene, Webbs Norman, Mary Holton Reid, Mark Taylor

? Class of 2009: Christian Beto, Ken Kellaney, Scott W. Nicholas, Lois Jean Dahlquist Woodworth

? Class of 2008: Shirley M. Dommers, Robert "Butch" Pegoraro, Robert A. "Bob" Reitsch, Rockford Pro/Am

? Class of 2007: David J. Claeyssens, Brad Fowler, Mike Johnson, Junior Golf Association of Greater Rockford ? James W. Keeling

? Class of 2006: Steven Hare, The Hogan Family, Dean Lind, Rockford Women's Golf Association, Mary Wilder Welsh, Salley Wessels

? Class of 2005: Margaret and Norris Aldeen, Georgalee George, John Holmstrom, Jr., Nancy Joan Kauzlarich, Roger Lindeman, Lloyd McWilliams, Kay Rossmiller, Ken Scott, Mary Lib Skerkoske, Don Terasaki, Tom Warren, Alex Welsh

Source: http://www.wrex.com/story/19353494/rockford-park-district-announces-golf-hall-of-fame-inductees

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