Dick Horton Receives IAGA Distinguished Service Award

Growing up in Hamilton, New York, Horton graduated cum laude from Wake Forest University in 1971. In 1974, Horton took the role of executive director at the TGA where in 35 years he would not only make an impact on golf in Tennessee but on golf in the United States as well. Horton’s accomplishments include overseeing the growth of the Tennessee PGA membership from 150 to 500+ members and apprentices, initiating a Special Olympics golf program that now conducts a national invitational run by the PGA of America, and establishing the Tennessee PGA Junior Golf Academy and 1,500-member TGA Junior Tour. Since 1991, Horton has presided over the Tennessee Golf Foundation as President. Additionally, Horton oversaw the merger of the TGA and Women’s TGA in 2000 and served on the board of directors of the Arnold Palmer Golf Company. He has also served as First Chairman of the PGA Executive Director’s organization, and is a member of the United States Golf Association Regional Affairs Committee and the Vince Gill Pro-Celebrity Advisory Board. Horton was the recipient of the USGA Ike Grainger Award and the 1994 Tennessee Turfgrass Association Professional of the Year. He served as IAGA President in 1991.