Greg Norman, Australian golf legend and designer of the Earth, Wind and Fire courses at Jumeirah Golf Estates, has been selected to receive the 2008 Old Tom Morris Award by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA). Norman joins a host of golfing greats already nominated, including fellow Wind course designer Pete Dye, 'the father of modern golf course design', who received the 2003 Old Tom Morris Award.
The Old Tom Morris Award is the GCSAA's most prestigious honour, presented each year to the individual who, "through a continuing lifetime commitment to the game of golf, has helped to mould the welfare of the game in a manner and style exemplified by Old Tom Morris." Morris (1821-1908) was greenkeeper and golf professional at the St. Andrews Links Trust Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland; a four-time winner of the British Open (1861, '62, '64 and '67); and ranked as one of the top links designers of the 19th century.
"I have always had the utmost respect for the GCSAA and I believe its members are truly the unsung heroes of our sport," Norman said. "It is a distinct honour to be selected for the Old Tom Morris Award and to join this distinguished list of past recipients."
A longtime supporter of the golf course superintendent profession, Norman is a vocal leader in the movement to make the game of golf more compatible with the environment. He became a trustee of GCSAA's philanthropic organisation, The Environmental Institute for Golf, in 2003 and has served as chairman of The Institute's Advisory Council since its inception that year.
David Spencer, chief executive of Jumeirah Golf Estates, said:"This is a fantastic achievement for Greg and truly reflects his dedication and commitment to the game of golf. Tom Morris provided a role model to whom all golfers can aspire and both Greg and Pete have followed in his footsteps in all that they do on and off the field for the game of golf.
"A clear example of this is witnessed in their course design and the commitments both of them have made in donating a proportion of their design fees at Jumeirah Golf Estates to the Environmental Institute for Golf (EIFG), in a continued effort to strengthen the compatibility of golf with the natural environment."
The award will be presented at the Opening Session of the 2008 GCSAA Education Conference in Orlando on 31 January 2008.
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About Jumeirah Golf Estates - www.jumeirahgolfestates.com
The world's leading golfing and course design superstars are joining forces to create Dubai's premier residential golfing community - Jumeirah Golf Estates. Greg Norman, Vijay Singh, Sergio Garcia and "the father of modern golf course design", Pete Dye, are working on creating one of the world's most distinctive golf developments.
Four courses - Fire, Earth, Water, and Wind - will pay tribute to the power of nature, each employing the distinctive characteristics of its own surroundings to deliver a unique challenge.
Old Tom Morris Award Winners:
1983
Arnold Palmer
1996
Tom Fazio
1984
Bob Hope
1997
Ben Crenshaw
1985
Gerald Ford
1998
Ken Venturi
1986
Patty Berg
1999
Jaime Ortiz-Patiño
1987
Robert Trent Jones, Sr.
2000
Nancy Lopez
1988
Gene Sarazen
2001
Tim Finchem
1989
Chi Chi Rodriguez
2002
Walter Woods
1990
Sherwood Moore, CGCS
2003
Pete Dye
1991
William C. Campbell
2004
Rees Jones
1992
Tom Watson
2005
Jack Nicklaus
1993
Dinah Shore
2006
Joseph M. Duich, Ph.D.
1994
Byron Nelson
2007
Charles Sifford
1995
James R. Watson, Ph.D.
2008
Greg Norman
About the GCSAA
GCSAA is a leading golf organization and has as its focus golf course management. Since 1926, GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the United States and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to more than 21,000 members in more than 72 countries. GCSAA's mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf. The association's philanthropic organization, the Environmental Institute for Golf, works to strengthen the compatibility of golf with the natural environment through research grants, support for education programs and outreach efforts. Visit GCSAA at www.gcsaa.org.
For more information please contact:
Four Communications Group
Greg Moore
Tel: +971 50 794 4923
Tel: +971 4 362 5129
Ray Eglington
Tel: +973 36 044 111
Ben Thomas
Tel: +971 50 755 9246
Tel: +971 4 362 5129
Rozana Adams
Jumeirah Golf Estates
Tel: +971 4 375 9527
Tel: +971 50 459 3326
Email: Istithmar@fourcommunications.com
© Press Release 2007
