By John Perry
Earl Hawkins, Owner, Hawkins Golf Academy at Orange County National
This article is about Earl Hawkins, but you can’t talk about Earl without talking about Phil Ritson. Phil Ritson was considered a Pro’s Pro. He was respected by golf professionals around the world. Phil was 88-years-old when he passed away on August 19th, 2017. He founded and developed the Orange County National Golf & Lodge, located in Winter Garden, Fla.
OCN Golf & Lodge is the home of two premier championship golf courses: Crooked Cat and Panther Lake. Plus, there is a nine-hole executive course called The Tooth, along with the largest driving range in the country.
OCN Golf & Lodge, as it is affectionately referred to by locals and tourist alike, is also the host site to the annual “Demo Day,” which takes place in January each year and kicks off the beginning of the PGA Merchandise Show–the golf industry’s annual major event, held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.
OCN opened its doors in 1997, 21-years ago. Back then, during OCN’s inception, Earl Hawkins was just one of seven golf instructors under Phil’s tutelage. Famous golf instructor David Leadbetter was also one of those seven.
Earl Hawkins was born in Warrenton, N.C. The town is located about 60-miles from Raleigh and was reputedly the wealthiest town in the state during the 1850s as the trading center of an area of rich tobacco and cotton plantations.
The Hawkins family moved to Brooklyn (and later Queens) N. Y. where Earl graduated from Andrew Jackson High School (1973). Earl later married and became the proud father of two daughters and a son. Not wanting his kids to grow up in the asphalt jungle of the city, he moved his family to Central Florida and the Orlando area. He now resides in South Clermont, Fla., where his home is a 30-minute commute from Orange County National.
Earl is the only African American with his own Golf Academy at OCN. He can be found at Earlhawkinsgolf@aol.com or HawkinsGolfAcademy.com. He can be reached at 407-625-1550. After Earl arrived in Florida, he quickly enrolled his daughters into the highly acclaimed Orlando Minority Youth Golf Association (OMYGA) that is owned and operated by Dr. T.J. Dorsey, recipient of all kinds of distinctive honors and accolades.
RELATED ARTICLE: Orlando Minority Youth Golf Association Helps Our Future
The OMYGA has been featured in African American Golfer’s Digest in one of their previous issues. The nonprofit is one of the nation’s most successful youth golf organizations. Earl also credits Dr. Dorsey in planting the seed in him which inspired him to start his own academy.
Earl has an average of one to two kids a year receiving golf scholarships. Ignacio Arcaya Jr. is one of them. He will be going to New Mexico University this fall. John Patrick Miller is another scholarship recipient, he will be going to George Mason University in Virginia this fall, as well.
Earl also taught Delores White, who went to Wake Forest University and was a roommate of Tiger Woods famous niece, Cheyenne Woods. Earl’s son Cameroon graduated with honors from Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, Fla., an HBCU school. His goal is to be in Law Enforcement in an administrative or field capacity.
A WHO’S WHO LIST OF CLIENTS
Earl Hawkins stands by photo of his mentor, Phil Ritson, at OCN
Earl’s contract agreement with OCN after 21-years consists of monthly facility fees and paying for range balls for his students or clients. If Phil Ritson was still alive today that might not have been the case. FYI– Walt Disney brought Phil Ritson to Florida during the early 70’s to head golf operations for Disney Golf. That’s how Phil got introduced to America. Phil is originally from South Africa. His expertise and contribution to this great game is unparalleled. His students and clients list is a who’s, who celebrity collaboration of PGA, LPGA, actors, entertainers, athletes, CEO’s, politicians, and VIP’s from all walks of life. Phil was considered the best of the best by many.
Earl Hawkins is extremely proud to have been one of Phil’s students (or proteges). Just to name a few, Phil’s clientele consist of names like Gary Player, Seve Ballesteros, Andy Bean, David Frost, Sally Little, K. J. Choi, Isao Aoki, Billy Mayfair, Lee Janzen, Paul Harvey, Andre Agassi, Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Lou Holtz, J. C. Snead, Steve Jones, Billy Eckstine, Gary “US ” Bonds, Keith Clearwater, Fulton Allen, and Amy Yang. The list goes on and on.
Earl Hawkins on driving range at Orange County National
Earl’s continued success and teaching method at OCN is a walking testament to Phil Ritson’s greatness. Important note: OCN has been around for 21- years and so has Earl Hawkins! Talk about being a survivor, keep up the good work Earl. You’re making us, and Phil, extremely proud.
One of Phil’s favorite quotes, says Earl, is that “You can’t make a Volkswagen win a Grand Prix, you have to want it.” Earl Hawkins is a well-kept secret, let’s make him a household name.
—John Perry, reporting for AAGD.
John Perry is a freelance writer, poet and active golfer with a passion for calling shots like he sees them and, then, telling it like it is. He is the author of Playing In the Dark and he resides in Orlando, Florida.
