The Texas Golf Association will bestow the Bob Wells Distinguished Service Award to Pam Murray of Richardson at an award ceremony on Feb. 16, during the Association’s Annual Meeting at the Horseshoe Bay Resort in Marble Falls.
First presented in 2005, the Bob Wells Distinguished Service Award is the TGA’s highest honor for volunteerism and recognizes an individual’s meritorious service to the game. The award is named after the late Bob Wells, who served as TGA president from 1980-87.
Widely recognized as a skillful leader, administrator and mentor, Murray has made significant contributions to the game of golf at the local, state, and national levels over three decades of service.
“We are thrilled to present this year’s Bob Wells Award to Pam Murray,” said incoming TGA president Lee Sandlin. “Pam’s hard work and dedication to giving back through the years is an inspiration to us all and she genuinely embodies what the spirit of the game is all about.”
Past president and current USGA Executive Committee member Leslie Henry added, “Pam Murray is a true hero to so many of us that play golf in Texas. I have watched Pam devote endless hours to the game and I consider her to be the quintessential leader of golf for Texas and the USGA. She is truly worthy of the award, and we congratulate Pam on the well-deserved honor.”
Murray’s history of giving back to the game and helping others is long and extensive. She attended her first USGA Course Rating seminar in 1994 at Bent Tree Country Club in Dallas. Soon after that, she began her volunteer career in earnest as a course rater with the Women’s Texas Golf Association (WTGA). Murray would go on to join the WTGA Board of Directors in 2002 and served as president from 2008-10.
Her strong work ethic and hands-on approach to tackling any assignment were evident from the outset.
“I was on the Board of Directors when Pam attended her first meeting,” said Suzan Knox, a past president of the WTGA and current president of the TGA Foundation. “I vividly remember saying to another director, ‘She’s the real deal,’ and she’s proven me right from that day on. I am thrilled to welcome Pam into the circle of Bob Wells Award winners. Without a doubt, she epitomizes the ultimate volunteer.”
Murray has had an important volunteer role with the USGA since 2011, when she joined the organization as a member of the Women’s Committee. She chaired numerous committees over the years, including the Women’s Amateur Public Links in 2013-14 and Women’s Amateur Four-Ball in 2014-15, as well as having a position on the USGA Course Rating Committee (now known as the World Handicap System™ Course Rating Committee). She eventually served as vice-chair of the Women’s Committee in 2016-17 and chair from 2017-18.
Though the USGA reorganized many of its internal committees in the late 2010s, including the Women’s Committee, Murray maintains a crucial role on the WHS Course Rating Committee. For the past 10 years, she has taught Course Rating Calibration seminars for experienced Course Rating team leaders from around the country. She’s also one of the three U.S. representatives on the International Course Rating Committee that writes the authorized Course Rating manual.
In addition to her Course Rating proficiency, Murray is an expert on the Rules of Golf and has served as a Rules official at over 50 USGA national championships, as well as numerous Curtis Cups, World Amateur Team and NCAA Championships, Women’s British Opens, LPGA Q-Series, and many other high-profile amateur and professional events.
Murray was taken aback when she heard about the award.
“When I got a call from Leslie Henry, I thought it was going to be about a USGA-related matter,” Murray said. “But then when Suzan Knox joined the conversation and they told me why they were calling, I was very surprised. I’m very honored and very humbled to get this award but I think there are many, many people who deserve this award more than I do.”
While Murray has enjoyed every minute of her lengthy volunteer career and giving back to the game, she insists the balance scale is far from level.
“I’ve gotten a lot more out of golf than golf has gotten out of me,” she said. “Because of my involvement with the game, I’ve had the opportunity to play courses I would have never gotten to play, traveled to places I never would have visited, and met people and made friends from all over the world.”
Murray is often on the road due to her USGA responsibilities but is committed to remaining actively involved with TGA and working as many of its events as her schedule will allow.
“It’s important to me to help out whenever I can because this is where I got my start,” Murray said. “If it wasn’t for the TGA and the people I met when I was there that were USGA committee members and officials running the local USGA qualifiers, I wouldn’t have gotten the opportunity to do what I’m doing now. So, it is very important for me to give back to the TGA.”
Murray has left an indelible mark on the TGA membership and the staff during her 30 years of volunteerism.
“Few people are as passionate about giving back to golf than Pam Murray,” said Stacy Dennis, TGA Executive Director. “She has a deep appreciation for everything that goes on behind-the-scenes to make the game happen at both the championship and recreational level, and her contributions and enduring commitment have helped strengthen the game for all who play. We are extremely fortunate to have her as part of the TGA and are thrilled to honor her with this prestigious award.”
It would be reasonable to think that Murray might be looking forward to easing up a bit and spending a little less time at airports after all these years. Not a chance. The devoted servant of the game is eagerly awaiting her next volunteer assignment and has no intention to do anything other than what she does best, and that’s keep on keeping on.
“It’s something I love and enjoy doing and as long as I’m standing up and walking, I’ll continue to do it,” Murray said.