October 28, 2021
The PGA Golf Professional of the Year Award is one of the highest honors the Association can bestow on a working club professional whose total contributions to the game best exemplify the complete PGA Professional. This year, the honor goes to Renee Powell, PGA/LPGA, Head Golf Professional at her historic Clearview Golf Course located in East Canton, Ohio.
Presented to Ms. Powell at the Section Annual Meeting at Westfield Inn in Westfield Center, Ohio the award embraces a wide range of services executed by the club professional such as outstanding leadership abilities, strong moral character, and outstanding service to the Association and the game of golf.
“It was a wonderful day, and I share it with all those who have supported Clearview Golf Club for generations,” said Renee on her Facebook page.
In receiving the honor, the PGA Hall of Famer also sets another historic milestone by becoming the first woman recipient of the Northern Ohio PGA Golf Professional of the Year Award.
Powell, 75, who became the first Black woman PGA Member in 1996, was recognized on Monday, October 25 as the 2021 Northern Ohio PGA Golf Professional of the Year. The Section award was first presented in 1974.
“I am deeply honored by the Northern Ohio PGA for this recognition, and share this with those who have supported Clearview Golf Club and its legacy,” said Powell. “I am all about growing the game as are my peers, and at the same time I have devoted myself to following my father’s example by growing diversity in the game of golf.”
Powell and her late father, William, who built Clearview Golf Club in 1946, are both members of the PGA of America Hall of Fame.
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Clearview Golf Club is the Northern Ohio PGA hub of PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere), a golf rehabilitative program for veterans.
In 2011, Powell launched Clearview HOPE, which remains the country’s sole year-round cost-free all-women’s veterans golf program. In 2018, she began hosting the Section’s men’s PGA HOPE program.
This golf season, as Clearview Golf Club ran nonstop programs and events, Powell also served as the U.S. Captain for the PING Junior Solheim Cup Team.
“One of our highlights was hosting CBS’ Jim Nantz here in August,” said Powell. “This was on his bucket list. Jim came because he wanted to help raise funds for the Clearview Legacy Foundation. It was amazing to have him, that with the busy schedule he has, he was able to fit it in. It has been an incredible year for Clearview.”
