LEE COBLE has given plenty back to golf during his 30-plus years as a volunteer to both the USGA and VSGA . It has not gone without notice . On March 2 at the USGA Annual Meeting in Nashville , the USGA presented Coble with the Joe Dey Award , the organization ’ s highest volunteer honor , making Coble the third past VSGA President to receive the award . Virginia Golf Hall of Famer Clyde Luther was honored in 2002 , and Gib Palmer received the award in 2018 .
Presented annually by the USGA since 1996 , the award is named for Joseph C . Dey Jr ., the USGA ’ s executive director from 1934-1968 . Dey was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1975 and devoted his life in service to the game .
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Virginia Golfer caught up with Coble — who has volunteered at 20 U . S . Opens — shortly after the award announcement in February .
VG : What was your reaction upon hearing the news that you ’ d be receiving the Joe Dey Award ? LC : I was absolutely floored , overwhelmed to say the least . When you volunteer , you don ’ t volunteer for something . You volunteer to give back , and as a result of your volunteerism , these things do happen . This is more than I could have ever expected through my volunteer work at the USGA .
VG : What drew you into volunteering in golf ? LC : It was just giving back and wanting to be a part of the game and wanting to learn
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more about the game . And the best way to do that is by volunteering .
VG : What are some of your favorite memories of volunteering for the USGA ? LC : I would say standing behind Phil Mickelson in 2006 at Winged Foot as his debacle on Sunday unfolded ( Mickelson famously lost that U . S . Open after making double bogey on the final hole , allowing Geoff Ogilvy to win from behind .) At Shinnecock Hills , I remember being at the par-3 7th hole that everyone was having trouble with . One of the things that Rules officials were allowed to do , if we didn ’ t have a playoff , was to play the course afterward with the same conditions that the pros played . I was with another Rules official , Clifford Davis , and we both birdied that par-3 the next day .
And of course , Pebble Beach , that was probably the most famous one , the year
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