Lee Coble’s lifelong love of golf has led to decades of service to the game, sharing his knowledge, his time and his boundless energy to community golf initiatives. His volunteer resume includes serving as the 34th president of the Virginia State Golf Association (VSGA) as well as mentorship and fundraising for numerous junior programs while advocating for accessibility for everyone, including Hook A Kid on Golf, The First Tee of Richmond and Chesterfield County, and the VSGA Foundation’s Robins Junior Programs at Independence Golf Club.
When Coble was asked by this publication how he feels about being a recipient of the award, he responded, “Needless to say, when I got the call that would be receiving the 2024 Joe Dey Award at The USGA’s Annual Meeting, I was shocked to be honored with this award. Being honored this way means my years of your volunteerism and contributions to the game of golf have been recognized. It is also a recognition of the support I have received from my family through all the years,” said Coble.
A longstanding USGA Committee member, Coble’s entry into the game came as an 11-year-old, caddieing at a nine-hole, racially segregated course in rural Mebane, N.C. That’s where he grew his desire to play and perseverance to overcome obstacles – values that would guide him on his lifelong journey from being denied a spot on his high school golf team to becoming the first African American to lead the VSGA. Coble currently serves as the head golf coach at Virginia Union University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Richmond, Va., a commitment driven by his desire to grow the game and be a positive force for the next generation.
“Golf is a game of relationships. During my decades of volunteering, I have continued to nurture those relationships. Giving back to a game that has given me so much more in return means so much to me. Having served as the President of the Virginia State Golf Association (VSGA) and now, as a Head Golf Coach at Virginia Union University I can continue to encourage people to become volunteers.”
Presented annually by the USGA since 1996, the award is named for Joseph C. Dey Jr., the USGA’s executive director from 1934-1968, who was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1975 and devoted his life in service to the game.
