Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Bob Doyle named Colorado PGA’s Golf Professional of the Year for record-tying third time; he and other award winners will be honored at Section’s Oct. 27 gala
By Gary Baines – 8/24/2023
Roughly a quarter-century ago, Bob Doyle earned the Colorado PGA’s highest honor twice in four years. Now, 23 years removed from winning his second CPGA Golf Professional of the Year award, Doyle is making it a trifecta.
The Colorado Golf Hall of Famer, a PGA Life Member who resides in Colorado Springs, ties a record by winning the GPOY award for a third time, joining only Danny Harvanek and Alan Abrams in that regard in the Centennial State.
Doyle previously was named Golf Professional of the year in 1997 and 2000. This time around, he’ll be honored — along with many other Section award winners — at a gala on Oct. 27 at Cherry Hills Country Club.
Bob Doyle.
Late last year and early in 2023, Doyle served as interim executive director of the Colorado PGA for four months while the Section was finding a more permanent staff leader. Steven Bartkowski was later hired for that position.
The Colorado PGA Golf Professional of the Year honor “is awarded to a PGA Professional for overall performance including leadership and service and promotion of the game of golf. Overall performance at the member’s facility, level of service to the PGA Section and to the Association, and image as a golf professional are some of the criteria considered for this award.”
Doyle, a PGA member for more than 40 years, has served on the CPGA board for 25 of the last 32 years. He also been the president of the Section. He is perhaps best known in Colorado for being the longtime PGA general manager at the Riverdale Golf Courses in Brighton, during which time the Dunes course hosted a Korn Ferry Tour event for two years and a U.S. Public Links Championship.
Besides thrice being named CPGA Golf Professional of the Year, among the other awards from the Section Doyle has received: The Vic Kline Award — presented to a member of the CPGA board for outstanding service and leadership for the Section, in 2008; and the Professional Development Award in 2011.
Here are the 2023 Colorado PGA awards that have been finalized. (Other honorees will be determined at a later date.):
— Golf Professional of the Year — Bob Doyle of Colorado Springs
— Teacher of the Year — Ed Oldham, The Ranch CC
— Patriot Award (patriotism through the game of golf and commitment and dedication to the men and women who have served and protected the U.S.) — Bill Hughes, CC of The Rockies
— Private Club Merchandiser of the Year — Greg Bryan, Roaring Fork Club
— Public Course Merchandiser of the Year — Tyler Lowry, Cheyenne Shadows GC at Fort Carson
— Warren Smith Award (special contributions to the game of golf, the Colorado Section, junior golf and their facility) — Alice Plain, Vail GC
— Ed Kelbel Award (Professional Development) — Bryan Collins, GOLFTEC Headquarters
— Assistant Professional of the Year — Marcus Gillmor, Fort Collins CC
— Bill Stausbaugh Award (outstanding integrity, commitment to mentoring PGA professionals and making a significant impact on the careers of PGA professionals) — Jeff Ulvedal, Ptarmigan CC
— Player Development Award — Randy Meyers, Foothills Parks and Recreation District
— Youth Player Development Award — Trent Wearner, Trent Wearner Golf Academy
— Presidents Award (promoting and enhancing the PGA professional, the Section, and the game of golf and contributing to the betterment of the golf professional vocation) — Stuart Bruening, Southwest Greens
— Superintendent of the Year — Pamela Smith, Denver Golf
— Salesperson of the Year — Kelly Jo Wykes, Travis Mathew
About the Writer: Gary Baines has covered golf in Colorado continuously since 1983. He was a sports writer at the Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder, then the sports editor there, and has written regularly for ColoradoGolf.org since 2009. He was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2022. He owns and operates ColoradoGolfJournal.com