Kirkby, Jones and Probert to be Enshrined in the NJSGA Hall of Fame
KENILWORTH, N.J. – The New Jersey State Golf Association is pleased to announce its Hall of Fame Class of 2023.
The Class of 2023 will include Oswald Kirkby, Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and Ann Probert.
“We are very excited to host our 6th NJSGA Hall of Fame ceremony May 3rd,” Michael McFadden, NJSGA President exclaimed. “The nominating committee's criteria to select inductees is based on an individual's contributions to, or impact on the game of golf in the State of New Jersey. The 6th class is made up of esteemed honorees that have made significant contributions to golf in the Garden State. It will be a special evening.”
Oswald Kirkby (1886-1934), of Englewood, was among the earliest amateur greats to hail from New Jersey. Over 100 years ago, Kirkby won his first New Jersey Amateur at Atlantic City Country Club. He went on to win a total of three New Jersey Amateur Championships and three Met Amateur Championships throughout his career. Kirkby was well known for his head-to-head match ups with Jerry Travers, a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. In 1912, when the USGA released its first-ever annual handicap report, Kirby was one of six golfers to be listed as a ‘scratch’ handicap. He was also the 1911 Nassau Invitational and 1921 Garden City Golf Club Invitational Champion.
Touted one of the best golf course architects of his time, Robert Trent Jones, Sr. (1906-2000) had a career that spanned seven decades. Born in England, Jones planted his roots in the Northeast, eventually settling down in Montclair where he would spend most of his adult life. A successful junior golfer, Jones attended Cornell University to study golf course architecture. His rise in prominence came when he constructed Peachtree Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia. Jones would get frequent requests from the USGA to toughen U.S. Open venues, and was eventually tabbed “The Open Doctor.” Throughout his career, Jones is credited with building or redesigning over 23 golf courses in the Garden State. Overall, Jones is recognized for 310 courses across five continents, 30 countries and 45 states in the U.S.
West Orange native Ann Probert is among the winningest New Jersey female amateur golfers in history, with more than a dozen statewide and Met Area titles to her resume. Starting with the Junior Girls’ Championship in 1956, Probert went on to collect the four WMGA Stroke-Play Championships, five Women’s New Jersey Stroke Play Championships and 14 Garden State Women’s Championships. She has competed in six U.S. Women’s Amateur Championships as well as the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship and the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship. Probert represented the WMGA 11 times in the Griscom Cup matches. In 1982 and 1989, Probert finished as runner-up in the New Jersey Women’s Amateur Championship. She’s most heralded for her 25 Club Championships at Somerset Hills Country Club and her 14 holes-in-one.
In addition to her impressive playing abilities, Probert’s dedication to growing the game was unmatched. Over the years, Probert served the USGA for 11 years on the Junior Girls’ Championship Committee, nine years on the Women’s Committee and was the Chairperson of the Senior Women’s Amateur. She also served as WMGA president in 1991-92 where she helped found the WMGA Foundation and served as its president in 2004-06. As a result of her commitment and service to the game, Probert was awarded the 2002 Judy Bell award and the 2009 Ike Grainger Award by the United States Golf Association.
The 2023 Hall of Fame Class will officially be inducted on May 3, 2023 at Galloping Hill Golf Course. Tickets will be available March 1.
All-Time NJSGA Hall of Fame Inductees
The NJSGA Hall of Fame, which launched in 2018, has inducted George A. Crump (2022), David Glenz (2022), Karen Noble (2022), Ed Whitman (2022), “Long” Jim Barnes (2021), Max Marston (2021), Marge Mason (2021), Leighton Calkins (2020), Michael Cestone (2020), Carolyn Cudone (2018), William Y. Dear (2018), Dr. Ralph Engel (2018), Johnny Farrell (2018), Leo Fraser (2019), Vic Ghezzi (2018), Charlotte Glutting (2018), Sherry Herman (2020), Arthur “Red” Hoffman (2018), Robert Housen (2018), Robert “Bobby” Jacobson (2019), Milton “Babe” Lichardus (2019), Nestor J. MacDonald (2018), Joseph McBride (2019), John McDermott (2020), Byron Nelson (2018), Maureen Orcutt (2018), Dorothy Germain Porter (2019), Chet Sanok (2018), John Shippen (2018), Allan Small (2020), Jeff Thomas (2019), Albert Warren Tillinghast (2018), Jerome Travers (2018), Dennis Walters (2019), Charles Whitehead (2018), Craig Wood (2019), and Billy Ziobro (2019).
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