Some golf awards are given to players and instructors for excellence in performance, some are given to equipment and course designers for innovation, and others are given to individuals for notable involvement in charity.

But there are a few golf awards given to people whose qualities of character extend beyond the game, people who not only make an impact on golf but who also make a difference in their communities. The Dave Marr Memorial Award is such an honor, and Ed Seay, its most recent recipient, certainly deserving his moment in the sun.

Renowned golf course designer and Palmer Course Design co-founder, Seay was presented with the 2005 Dave Marr Memorial Award in conjunction with the Champions Tour’s Administaff Small Business Classic. Longtime friend and business partner Arnold Palmer and Tour veteran Miller Barber presented the award to Seay.

“To be selected as this year’s recipient was, and still is, beyond my comprehension,” said Seay. “When I accepted the award, I told young Davey Marr that I felt sorry for him, because his daddy was probably rolling over in his grave,” Seay joked, adding seriously that he “would do everything to uphold the integrity of the award, and to continue to exhibit sportsmanship, honesty, character, and a passion for the game of golf.”

That shouldn’t be a problem for Seay, whose impeccable reputation throughout the golf world is well deserved, as Mr. Palmer testified in presenting the award.

“It was an honor for me to present my friend, Ed, with this award,” Mr Palmer said. “We have had a lot of fun over the years creating some memorable courses for one of the greatest games ever invented. Ed’s impact on golf has been tremendous. He is very deserving of this honor.”

As the 2005 recipient, Seay joins a distinguished list of honorees, including Mr. Palmer, Byron Nelson, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Judy Rankin and former President George Bush. The Dave Marr Memorial Award was established in 1998 in honor of Marr, a longtime PGA Tour player and broadcaster who passed away after a long battle with stomach cancer. The award recognizes individuals who epitomize the qualities for which Marr was known: sportsmanship, honesty, character, and an ardent passion for the game of golf.

“I was extremely humbled, proud, and appreciative of receiving the 2005 Dave Marr Award. Arnold introduced me to him almost 30 years ago and I considered Dave a good friend,” said Seay. “Dave was the kind of guy who was highly thought of by everyone. I didn’t know one soul that didn’t like and respect Dave Marr. Everyone thought that he was a hell of a guy and the quintessential gentleman.”

Seay has been engaged in golf course architecture and recreational development planning for nearly 40 years. His philosophy of designing beautiful and enjoyable golf courses with practicality in their design and construction is evident in Palmer Course Design courses throughout the world. Seay and Palmer began working together in 1972 and formed Palmer Course Design in 1979.

Prior to joining Palmer, Seay had the distinction of designing many well-known courses, including Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, which hosted THE PLAYERS Championship from 1977 through 1981.

In total, Seay has participated in the design, construction and promotion of more than 350 golf courses worldwide.

Seay continues to be involved with state, regional and national golf associations. He was president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) from 1976-77 and is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Urban Land Institute, the National Golf Foundation, Georgia Golf Course.

Superintendents Association and the Golf Development Institute’s Advisory Board. He also sits on the board of the Board of Advisors for the World Golf Hall of Fame.

In addition to receiving the Dave Marr Memorial Award, Seay will be presented with the Distinguished Service Award from the ASGCA Board of Governors at its annual meeting in March 2006 in Pinehurst, N.C., and has been nominated for the Don Rossi Award, given by the Golf Course Builders’ Association.

DAVE MARR REMEMBERED

An historical note on the man after whom the Dave Marr Memorial Award was named.

Dave Marr’s passion for golf began in Houston, Texas, where he was born. He became an assistant club professional in the 940s, and began playing on the PGA Tour regularly in 1960.

In 1965, he won the PGA Championship in Laurel Valley at Ligonier, Pennsylvania. That same year, he was a member of the U.S. Ryder Cup Team and was named PGA Player of the Year.

He later served at Walton Heath in Surrey, England, as captain of the 1981 Ryder Cup Team – the line-up which included Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Hale Irwin, Johnny Miller, Tom Watson and Ben Crenshaw and was, by general consent, the greatest golf team ever assembled (to underline this fact, they won by the emphatic margin of 18 1/2–9 1/2). Elected to the College Golf Hall of Fame in 1981, Marr served as a golf analyst for ABC for several years, and later worked for both NBC and the BBC.