MARIETTA, Ga. – The Georgia State Golf Association is pleased to announce the 2015 Georgia Golf Hall of Fame Logo inductees into the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame:
- Ray Cutright of Macon, the Director of Golf at Idle Hour Club in Macon, is a professional and dedicated teacher of golf and someone who has made outstanding contributions to his profession;
- Kenneth (Ken) L. Mangum of Cumming, the Superintendent of the Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, is a leader in the turfgrass and golf course industries and continues to serve as an ambassador for the game in Georgia and nationally;
- Gene B. McClure of Atlanta, a lifelong contributor to the game of golf who has demonstrated excellence in his knowledge, passion and volunteerism for the good of the game;
- Carter L. Mize of Columbus, a well-known, lifelong amateur and one of the better players to come out of the state of Georgia, winning on nearly every level in amateur golf.
- The Georgia Golf Hall of Fame Induction Banquet and Ceremony will take place on Saturday, January 17, 2015, at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek.
The Atlanta Athletic Club holds a long and storied place in the history of golf in the state of Georgia, as the home club of the greatest amateur golfer of them all, Bobby Jones, along with no less than 14 other members of the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame. The club hosted its third PGA Championship in 2011, and will host the U.S. Amateur Championship, its sixth USGA national championship, later this summer. Wendell Couch, chairman of the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame Committee, said, “The Nominating Committee and Kim Cox, director of the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame, thoroughly vetted the Hall of Fame process and we are elated with the Committee’s final selection for the 2015 class who will be inducted into the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame. I appreciate all the committee members who contributed their time and efforts in selecting this terrific class.” Biographical information on the four inductees: Ray Cutright, Macon Ray Cutright of Macon, Ga., is the Director of Golf at Idle Hour Club in Macon, and is a professional and dedicated teacher of golf. He has made outstanding contributions to the game and will be inducted into the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame as a member of the class of 2015. Born in Syracuse, New York, Cutright attended Auburn University from 1969 to 1972, and after graduation moved to Georgia and began his career first as an assistant golf professional at Brookfield Country Club in Roswell. After serving as an assistant for five years, Cutright took on the role of Head Golf Professional at Toccoa Golf Club in Toccoa, Ga. Less than one year later, he made the move to Macon, Ga., where he held dual roles as General Manager and Head Golf Professional at Riverside Country Club, where he stayed from 1976 to 1982. After nearly six years in Macon, Cutright moved south to St. Simons Island, Ga., where he served as Head Golf Professional at St. Simons Island Club for seven years. In 1990, he became Director of Golf at Sea Island Golf Club in Sea Island, Ga., then in 1993, he returned to Macon in his current role of Director of Golf at Idle Hour Club. A longtime member of the PGA of America, he served as Secretary and Vice President, before working his way up to President of the Georgia Section 1996 and 1997, and Honorary President 1998 to 1999. He served as a District 13 Director of the PGA of America from 2008 to 2010, and currently sits on its Junior Golf Committee. Cutright is a Subject Matter Expert and an original staff member of the Golf Professional Training Program, who has taught more than 50 workshops and seminars for the PGA, its Sections and Chapters since 1979. Cutright has been recognized for his contributions to the game of golf with many distinctions and honors, including the PGA Georgia Section’s President’s Award (2011), Bill Strausbaugh Award (2008), Horton Smith Award (1981, 1989, 2002, 2003), Merchandiser of the Year-Private (1999) and Professional of the Year (1992, 1997). He was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 2009 and was National PING Club Fitter of the Year in 2005. He owns his own custom club-making business, Cutright Classics, and is a successful writer, inking a number of pieces for various golf industry outlets, including Golf Industry Magazine, Golf Week Magazine, Macon Telegraph, among others. Currently a Georgia State Golf Association Foundation Trustee, Cutright lives in Macon, Ga., his wife, Kris, and have five children – Lauren, Jeffrey, Gerral, Richard and McKinsey. Kenneth (Ken) L. Mangum, Cumming Ken Mangum of Cumming, Ga., is the Superintendent of the Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, Ga., and is a leader in the turfgrass and golf course industries. He continues to serve as an ambassador for the game of golf both in Georgia and nationally, and will be inducted into the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame’s class of 2015. Mangum was born in Anniston, Ala., and attended Alexandria High School and later Lake City Community College in Lake City, Fla., graduating in 1975 from the School of Golf Course Operations. Mangum moved to Georgia and served as Assistant Superintendent at Mystery Valley Golf Course in Atlanta from 1976 to 1978. He returned to his home state of Alabama in 1978, taking on the role of Golf Course Superintendent at Lagoon Park in Montgomery. Mangum then served as Golf Course Superintendent at Idle Hour Club in Macon, Ga., from 1981 to 1988. At Idle Hour, Mangum installed the first computerized irrigation system east of the Mississippi River, and established a golf course management program and hosted seven Peach Blossom Invitational tournaments. He designed and managed construction of a golf course operations center and implemented a master landscape program for the course. In 1988, Mangum joined the Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, Ga., where he currently serves as Golf Course Superintendent. Under his tutelage, Mangum prepared the course for the 1990 U.S. Women’s Open Championship, 2001 PGA Championship, 2002 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, 2011 PGA Championship, and will host the 2014 U.S. Amateur Championship later this summer. He was Project Manager for six major golf course renovations and designed and built the par 3 course in 1993. He also developed a management program that has produced many successful superintendents around the country. An active member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, Mangum served on its Board of Directors from 1996 to 2001. He served as President of its Georgia Chapter in 1987. He is a current member of the Rain Bird Irrigation Select Superintendent Advisory Board and sits on the USGA Green Section Committee. Mangum was inducted into the Georgia Golf Course Superintendents Association Hall of Fame in 2013, and was the recipient of the USGA’s Fred Grainger Award and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America Col. John Morley Distinguished Service Award that same year. He was named Georgia Superintendent of the Year in 2002 and the Georgia Turf Professional of the Year in 1996. Mangum and his wife, Pam, are parents of two daughters and one son and reside in Cumming, Ga. Gene B. McClure, Atlanta Gene McClure of Atlanta, Ga., is a lifelong contributor to the game of golf and has demonstrated an excellence in his knowledge, passion and volunteerism for the good of the game. He will be inducted into the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame in the class of 2015. Born in Macon, Ga., McClure attended Lanier High School for Boys before studying law at Emory University, where he received his J.D. in 1970 from the School of Law. Before earning his law degree, McClure joined the U.S. Air Force and served as Captain from 1963 to 1967. While enlisted he was an Accounting and Finance Officer, responsible for all financial matters supporting the Strategic Air Command bomber refueling and missile defense bases. He also supervised base recreational and club facilities and competed in Strategic Air Command golf tournaments, conducted by the Air Force in the U.S. and Canada. He was awarded the U.S. Air Force Commendation Medal for Outstanding Achievement. McClure’s dedication to the game of golf is evident in his longstanding volunteer work with both the Georgia State Golf Association and the United States Golf Association. He served as President of the GSGA in 1996 to 1997, and is a past member of many committees, including the Executive Committee, Nominating Committee, Communications Committee and a past chairman of the Championship Committee. His work with the GSGA caught the attention of the USGA, where McClure first joined its Regional Affairs Committee in 1992 and has been involved with the national organization ever since. From 2008 to 2012, McClure served as a member of the USGA’s Executive Committee, where his knowledge benefited the GHIN, Mid-Amateur, Regional Affairs and Regional Associations Committees. Over the past two decades, McClure has been a rules official at many USGA national championships and qualifiers, as well as many collegiate and state competitions. As a USGA Rules of Golf Committee member, McClure has served as rules official and referee at more than 100 USGA national championships. He was co-chairman of the 2005 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship when it was held at Ansley Golf Club in Roswell, Ga. McClure is an instructor in Rules of Golf for PGA-USGA Workshops. McClure is a Trustee with the Jones Foundation at the Atlanta Athletic Club. He serves on the Executive Committee of the Atlanta History Center’s permanent exhibit “Down the Fairway with Bobby Jones,” and was a historical consultant to its 2005 traveling exhibit and video, “Quest for the Grand Slam.” In 2008, McClure was the recipient of the Joe Dey Award, given by the USGA for his service to the world of golf as a volunteer. A practicing lawyer in both Atlanta, Ga., and Washington, D.C., McClure and his wife, Sharon, reside in Atlanta and have three children, Meredith, Holly and Devon. Carter L. Mize, Columbus Carter Mize of Columbus, Ga., is a well-known, lifelong amateur golfer. He is one of the better players to come out of the state of Georgia, winning on nearly every level in amateur golf, and for that will be inducted into the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame’s class of 2015. A Columbus native, Mize attended Hardaway High School winning multiple state championships and later went on to Auburn University, where he was a four-year letterman on the golf team. In 1982 he was the individual champion at the Springhill Intercollegiate, and was his team’s Player of the Year in 1983 when he recorded the lowest scoring average. After his collegiate career, Mize returned to Georgia where he would go on to enjoy a successful amateur run. He is a two-time Georgia Amateur champion (1993 and 1994), and finished runner-up two times. Mize won the Georgia Four-Ball Championship four times (1991, 1995, 2003 and 2004), all with playing partner Wright Waddell of Columbus, and earned runner-up honors three times. He won the Southeastern Amateur Championship twice (1991 and 2003). In 1977, Mize was low-medalist in the Georgia-South Carolina Junior Challenge Match.On the national circuit, Mize qualified for the U.S. Amateur Championship in 1986 and 1990. In 1991, he qualified for and advanced to the round of 32 at the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship. He was the Spirit of America champion in 1991 and 1993. At the Country Club of Columbus, where Mize has been a member since 1985, he won the club championship five times (1977, 1990, 1993, 1994 and 1999), and was the club’s junior champion three times. Mize and his wife have three children and live in Columbus. The Class of 2015 was selected by the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame Committee and approved by the GSGA Executive Committee, based on the recommendation of the GGHOF Nominating Committee. These four inductees will bring the total number of Georgia Golf Hall of Fame members to 102. The Georgia Golf Hall of Fame, which came under the management of the Georgia State Golf Association in 2010, is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Georgia’s golf traditions, heritage, achievements and excellence. For more information on the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame, please visit www.gghof.com. About the Georgia State Golf Association Founded in 1916, the Georgia State Golf Association (GSGA) received its official charter on June 24, 1924. Since that date, the GSGA has grown to one of the largest state amateur golf associations in the country, with nearly 340 member clubs and 75,000 individual members. With a mission to promote and preserve amateur golf in the state of Georgia, GSGA offers a computerized handicapping service, course rating and measuring, and annually conducts a full schedule of statewide competitions for men and women of all age groups. Other services include a summer-long junior sectional program, award-winning Golf Georgia magazine, membership recognition and rewards programs, management of the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame and a charitable foundation administering two college scholarship programs.