Dr. Al Kuchler Recipient of Prestigious Honey Gantner Award
PHOTO: Dr. Albert Kuchler, right, presents Mid-Amateur Championship Trophy to Brian Komline in 2012
Dr. Albert Kuchler, a long-time New Jersey State Golf Association volunteer and tournament
committee official, is the 2018 recipient of the coveted Honey Gantner Award, presented
annually to an outstanding NJSGA volunteer.
Dr. Kuchler will officially be announced as the winner of this prestigious award at the NJSGA
Annual Meeting on Thursday, Oct. 11, at the Essex County Country Club in West Orange.
He is the seventh winner of the award which began in 2012 with a presentation to Honey
Gantner herself. Other recipients are Vic Bacile (2013), Bob Krueger (2014), Bernie Samons
(2015), Phillips Babcock (2016) and John Rochford (2017).
Dr. Kuchler is a former Board of Trustees member and long-time Tournament Committee
chairman. Dr. Kuchler for nearly two decades conducted Rules of Golf seminars presented by
the NJSGA. In addition, he has trained numerous NJSGA rules officials over the years and is a
nationally-recognized authority on the Rules of Golf.
"When I started volunteering with the NJSGA, Al Kuchler immediately became a mentor,” said
Eric Houseknecht, NJSGA Vice President and Tournament Committee Chairman. “His approach
to officiating our events, training our volunteers and leading the Committee was thoroughly
professional. He inspired me to increase my own knowledge of the Rules and 'up my game' as
an official.”
Houseknecht continued, “Al has played a far greater role in improving the quality of NJSGA
championships than anyone else I've had the pleasure to work with in the past 10 years."
Dr. Kuchler also has a prominent affiliation with the United States Golf Association, serving on
its U.S. Junior Championship Committee.
“Al is the consummate volunteer whose contributions to the NJSGA are immeasurable,” said
Mike McAneny, NJSGA Director of Tournaments and Media Relations, said: “Between the countless
hours he has spent as a rules official at NJSGA (and USGA) competitions, creating Rules of Golf
educational presentations and serving as a mentor to numerous committee members, Al's
contributions directly shaped and enhanced NJSGA Championships. More importantly, Al's
knowledge, friendly demeanor, and commitment to the NJSGA perfectly typify the spirit of the
Honey Gantner Award.”
An avid golfer, Dr. Kuchler was a member at High Mountain Golf Club in Franklin Lakes, which
closed in 2014, and more recently at the Basking Ridge Country Club.
The NJSGA’s Honey Gantner Award is the first such award in the history of the NJSGA to be
named after an individual, the late Honey Gantner of North Jersey Country Club, and is
presented each year in her honor at the NJSGA Annual Meeting.
“Al is the Rules Doctor. He gave classes for new NJSGA officials and otherwise has done a lot for
the organization,” said former president Frank O’Brien.
