There was a time in our country when golf’s greatest players went on to run golf operations at some of the nation’s most prestigious golf clubs.
Lew Worsham was one of those men. He won the first televised U.S. Open in 1947, beating Sam Snead in an 18-hole playoff. It was also the first year he served as Oakmont’s head professional.
Fast forward to 1973 when Worsham hired a young college guy from the University of Tampa to work in the pro shop. It was Bob Ford’s first introduction to Oakmont.
I first met Ford in 1975 when he was a senior at the University of Tampa. He entered the Tampa City Championship and would lock horns with Gary Koch, the All-American from the University of Florida. They both shot 10-under par for 36 holes at the Babe Zaharias Golf Club in North Tampa. Koch beat Ford in a playoff.
Koch went on to have a successful PGA Tour career and is now an outstanding announcer at NBC.
Bob Ford found himself back at Oakmont, an assistant to Worsham. When Worsham retired in 1979 after 32 years at the club, 25-year-old Ford threw his hat in the ring to replace Worsham. The Oakmont board then made a superb decision and hired the young guy from outside Philly, who like a lot of northern golfers found his way to the University of Tampa.
Ford would go on to become one of the country’s most successful club professionals — ever.
It is not often that you throw the word “legendary” when describing anyone but that is the status Ford gained at Oakmont and at Seminole Golf Club in North Palm Beach. No one has ever had TWO such prestigious club jobs. It is a testament to how highly regarded Ford became in his profession.
He has been the PGA of America’s Player of the Year (1988), Golf Professional of the Year (1987) and Merchandiser of the Year (1985). Over his 37 years at Oakmont, he has mentored more than 100 young professionals, many are now head pros at clubs around the country.
If he chose, he probably could have had a good career on the PGA Tour, but he has had a Hall of Fame career as a PGA of America member. He is the standard, the ultimate, he set a bar that is simply too high.
He’s also one of the best players to man a pro shop. At the 1983 U.S. Open at Oakmont, won by Larry Nelson, Ford qualified, played, made the 36-hole cut and finished tied for 26th. Every day after he finished his round, he would be manning the merchandise tent. Since then, no club professional has made the 36-hole cut at a U.S. Open.
Ford, now Director of Golf at Oakmont, will bid farewell to the club after this week. He deemed it time and leaves on his own terms. He will still work his position at head professional at Seminole in the winters.
And Seminole is fortunate to have him.
Oakmont was fortunate to have him.
Bob Ford has a style and manner that is difficult to find anywhere.
First and foremost, he is the walking definition of a gentleman.
And those who have crossed his path for the past four decades are better for it.
