Atlanta Pro-Duffers Golf Club became members of the Pro-Duffers USA Organization on January 19, 1996 at the Hidden Hills Golf Club House with 16 members initiated.
“The organization was started by the Washington D.C. chapter and was later joined by the Dallas, Memphis, and Little Rock chapters. Atlanta was the fifth chapter to join. Since the early years, our club has grown to 15 chapters that include, Del Val, N. Virginia, Houston, Carolina, Columbia, S.C., Orlando, FL., S. Michigan, Raleigh-Durham, and Greensville, MS.” says president, Karon Graves
Each organization is governed by the National Organization and their local club. “This is an excellent organization for retired men that play golf and like to travel to nice resorts, such as the Doral, World Golf Hall of Fame, TPC San Antonio, TPC Sawgrass, Innisbrook Golf Resort, PGA of America and Ross Bridges, just to name a few,” continues Graves. The Pro-Duffers play on Wednesdays, which keeps the avid ball strikers out of the heavy weekend golf traffic.
The Atlanta Pro-Duffers Constitution provides for three general meetings at the beginning of each year, the second Saturday in January, February. and March. The club holds their popular Annual Awards meeting during the first week of December.
“One of the highlights of our membership in the National Organization has been our participation in the Annual Spring Fling and National Tournaments. This has afforded us an opportunity to interact and establish lasting friendships with golfers from other chapters.”
The group hosted their National Tournament in their second year at Callaway Gardens Golf Course, located within a 6,500 acres resort complex in Pine Mountain, Georgia, “We were sharply dressed, but our 20 members were beaten badly by the other four chapters,” admits Graves. “The National Tournament Director commented on how nicely dressed we were but then countered his statement, saying that we couldn’t play golf as good as we looked,” chuckles Graves. Since that time the group has grown from 16 members to 80, the largest chapter in our organization. We also have won the Pro-Duffers USA National Championship five times (2003, 2006, 2007, 2012, and 2015).
2016 Champs
The Spring Fling and National Golf Tournaments has taken the Atlanta Pro-Duffers to Hilton Head, SC., PGA Village, Port St. Lucie, FL., Orange County National, Orlando Fl., The Bridges Golf Course, Bay St. Louis, MS., Riverside Golf Course, Dallas, TX., Cowboy Stadium Golf, Dallas, TA., Ford’s Colony Country Club, Williamsburg, VA, Cottonwoods Golf Club, Tunica, MS., Hilton Sandestin Beach and Golf Club, Destin FL, and many other exciting golf destinations.
The club supports many community programs like Hook-A-Kid project, The John A. White First Tee Program, Whitefoord Elementary School and The First Tee Saturday Academy. The Atlanta Pro-Duffers organization stands for the promotion of junior minority golf programs which enable interested youth to receive high-level exposure to fundamentals and character building of the great game of golf.
Graves work has made a positive change in the region and he seeks to continue to grow the efforts of the Atlanta Pro-Duffers. “Over the past several years, it has been a welcomed opportunity to assist the Atlanta Marriott Marquis and their Bell Staff in what has become a golfing classic in Metropolitan Atlanta. This annual golf tournament has also provided money to send a large number of aspiring youth golfers to the Atlanta Pro-Duffers Hook-A-Kid project.”
If you live in the Atlanta area and would like to experience an affiliation with the Atlanta Pro-Duffers please contact them at the information below:
Karon Graves – President
404-290-5532
gravess@bellsouth.net
atlantaproduffers.com
