USGA

Read more about the two 2021 inductees below :

MOSS BEECROFT

The day Morris Bryan “ Moss ” Beecroft turned 55 in 1985 was the day his golf game took a turn toward Hall of Fame status .

A Newport News native and longtime member of James River Country Club , Beecroft hoisted the first of his six Virginia State Golf Association Senior Amateur trophies in 1986 . That same year he won the inaugural VSGA Senior Stroke Play Championship . He added a second VSGA Senior Stroke Play title in 1997 .

“ During the years we played together in competition in the Peninsula Amateur and

“ Moss was a very confident man . He was kind of like a lot of men would like to be : good golfer , good looking , look good in their clothes and win . He had all of those .”

– Stan Fischer , 1996 VSGA Senior Amateur champion .

James River CC championship and all that , Moss was competitive but he never won very much as a regular ,” says Wayne Jackson , a longtime friend , fellow JRCC member and 2020 Virginia Golf Hall of Fame inductee . “ He was dedicated and had tremendous perseverance . He kept himself in good shape , and as a result , I think he maintained his ability at a terrific level as a senior .”

All of Beecroft ’ s VSGA Senior Amateur titles came on The Omni Homestead Resort ’ s Cascades Course . The first five came in even years during a nine-year stretch from 1986 to 1994 . He defeated Charlie Mattox in 20 holes in 1986 ; Robert Lewis in 19 holes in 1988 ; Arman Fletcher 2 up in 1990 ; Ken Newlin 5 and 4 in 1992 ; and Don Foster 4 and 2 in 1994 .

“ It really was an amazing coincidence . I don ’ t know how it came about , but once it started , it just kept going ,” Beecroft says in author Jim Ducibella ’ s book entitled Par Excellence : A Celebration of Virginia Golf .

Beecroft defeated Stan Fischer 2 and 1 in the 1999 final . It was Beecroft ’ s last VSGA tournament victory . His comment

Moss Beecroft and his caddie at the 1992 U . S . Senior Open .

in Par Excellence : “ In the twilight hours of a mediocre career , that was certainly nice .”

The six championships in an individual VSGA event ranks second to the seven titles won by Virginia Golf Hall of Famers Vinny Giles in the VSGA Amateur and Keith Decker in the VSGA Mid-Amateur .

Beecroft had a shot at a seventh victory in the Senior Am , but Henry Kerfoot beat him 1-up in the 1989 final .

A runner-up finish in the 1991 U . S . Senior Amateur and low amateur in the 1992 U . S . Senior Open helped Beecroft attain the No . 3 senior amateur ranking in the U . S . in ’ 92 .

Beecroft died in April 2019 . He was 89 years old .

HABERDASHER OF NATIONAL REPUTE Beecroft might have had a career as a lawyer . He was accepted by the University of Virginia law school , but he chose a different path and became a nationally recognized menswear magnate .

He and his wife Frances started men ’ s clothing store Beecroft & Bull more than 60 years ago in Newport News . They later brought in sons Bryan and Craig , and the family built the business into one of the “ Best Men ’ s Stores in the Country ” according to Esquire and MR magazines .

Beecroft & Bull now has locations in Virginia Beach , Richmond and Charlottesville .

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• Won VSGA Senior Amateur in 1986 , 1988 , 1990 , 1992 , 1994 and 1999 and was runner-up in 1989 . Tournament medalist in 1985 , 1992 .

• Won VSGA Senior Stroke Play in 1986 ( inaugural ) and 1997 . Lost in three-way playoff in 1990 .

• U . S . Senior Amateur runner-up and co-medalist in 1991 .

• Low amateur at 1992 U . S . Senior Open .

• Won Kenridge Invitational in 1967 and was runner-up in 1970 Eastern Amateur .

• Inducted into Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame in 1999 .

• A regular on the Society of Seniors Amateur Tour , he was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Club at Quail Ridge in Boynton Beach , Fla ., his home away from home .