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2023 Section Award Winners
Tom Connell, PGA
An Inspiring Career of Playing, Governance, Operations, and Engagement PGA of America Golf Professional Tom Connell had an impressive 42-year career as a professional, teacher, administrator, player, and promoter of junior golf. As a competitor, he led local qualifiers and played in two U.S. Opens, 1975 at Medinah and 1980 at Baltusrol, was runner-up in the 1976 Colorado PGA Championship, and played in five PGA National Club Professional Championships. Throughout those early years, Connell found himself serving the memberships of Valley Hi GC, CC of Colorado, and Cherry Hills CC until he landed the Head PGA Professional position at Denver County Club. For the next 27 years, Tom impressively led the operations of Denver Country Club until his retirement in 2009. For many, that would be enough on their plate, but not for Mr. Connell. In addition to Tom’s playing accomplishments and duties serving the members of Denver Country Club, he helped shape the direction of the Section in his governance roles. Tom served on the Colorado Section Board for 10 years including as President in 1985. This isn’t Tom’s first award he has been the recipient of over his storied career. Connell was named 1986 Teacher of the Year, 1988 Professional of the Year, and the 2008 Bill Strausbaugh Recipient.
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PGA of America Golf Professional Ralph “Rip” Arnold was a very active leader when the Colorado Section was chartered by the PGA of America. In the early days the Section President served as the volunteer Director of the Section and Ralph “Rip” Arnold was the first President to serve a two-year term (1959&1960) in that capacity while also the Head Professional at Cherry Hills CC. During Arnold’s years at Cherry Hills, the 1941 PGA Championship and 1960 U.S. Open were held at the club. President Dwight D. Eisenhower considered Rip his personal friend and teaching pro. He rarely played at Cherry Hills when Rip was not in his foursome; in fact, he insisted on it. One of Arnold’s significant 13 contributions to Cherry Hills was a prolific junior golf program. It was this program and the many contributions he made to Cherry Hills that led the board of directors at CHCC to build the par-3 nine-hole course on the northeast corner of the property. Today, the Colorado PGA Section Championship Trophy is named after Rip.
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Former Cherry Hills CC Head Pro was a Major Factor in the Success of the COPGA Today
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Ralph “RIP” Arnold, PGA
The SUMMIT
