Ronny Glanton (left) and Mark Blackburn (right)
In the game of golf, there are many people who have dedicated their careers to helping golfers of every level, skill and ability enjoy the game more. In fact, the PGA of America has close to 29,000 members who have made this their mission.
And each year the PGA of America recognizes a few members within their ranks at their National Awards. This year, we were beyond excited to learn that a couple of Titleist Staff professionals, Ronny Glanton and Mark Blackburn, were named the 2020 PGA of America Golf Professional of the Year and the 2020 PGA Teacher & Coach of the Year, respectively.
(You can explore Mark's library of video tips on the Titleist Instruction Center.)
We wanted to take this opportunity to congratulate both Ronny and Mark, and to thank them for their dedication to this game we all love.
Ronny and Mark will be recognized at the PGA of America’s Annual Meeting in October in Hartford, Connecticut along with other national award winners.
In the meantime, keep reading below to get to know Ronny and Mark a little more.
Again, congratulations guys!
About Ronny
Ronny Glanton, PGA, a 35-year PGA Member in the Northern Texas Section and Head Professional at Sherrill Park Golf Course in Richardson, Texas, since 1985, has demonstrated a passion and commitment to training and mentoring fellow PGA Professionals throughout his career. He has served the Association as the District 12 Director on the PGA of America's Board of Directors from 2010 to 2012 and also chaired multiple PGA of America Committees including the Associate and Tournament Committees. He has served on several other national committees and currently serves on the Membership Committee.
Glanton is also the Honorary President of the Northern Texas PGA Section after having served as President. He previously served as the Section's President in 2006 to 2007 and is the only Northern Texas PGA Section President to have served multiple terms. The most notable accomplishment under Glanton’s leadership, in 2018, was the announcement of PGA Frisco and a new home for the Northern Texas PGA. Groundbreaking for the new headquarters will begin later this year.
Receiving a Golf Professional of the Year Award is not a new feat to Glanton, however. In 2019, he was chosen as the Northern Texas PGA Section Golf Professional of the Year, and is the first PGA Member in the 52 year history of the Section to win the award three times. He previously won the Section’s highest award in 1999 and in 2007.
“I am humbled and incredibly honored to be named the Association’s 67th Golf Professional of the Year,” Glanton said of the honor. “Ross Collins, David Price, Randy Smith and so many others have paved the way as mentors and set a high standard for the Northern Texas PGA. I would personally like to thank the City of Richardson and also the late Buster Creagh, former PGA Head Professional at Sherrill Park Golf Course, for believing in me all those year ago. I look forward to proudly representing the Northern Texas Section when I accept the award later this year."
About Mark
Mark Blackburn, PGA, a 14-year PGA Member in the Alabama-NW Florida Section and Director of Instruction at Greystone Golf & Country Club in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized for his “outstanding services as a golf teacher, innovator and coach.” A decorated PGA Member, Blackburn is a four-time Alabama-NW Florida Section PGA Teacher of the Year (2008-‘10, ‘15) and two-time Alabama-NW Florida Section PGA Professional Development Award recipient (2011, ‘18). He is also one of GOLF Magazine’s Top 100 Teachers and one of Golf Digest’s 50 Best Teachers in America. His Blackburn Golf Academy develops and coaches juniors, club golfers, elite amateurs, college and professional clients from around the world. Among the many PGA Tour golfers taught by Blackburn are Charley Hoffman, Chez Reavie, Kevin Chappell, and Mike Weir.
A native of England, Blackburn came to the United States in 1994 on a golf scholarship to the University of Southern Mississippi, where he was a letterman and team captain. Following college, he had aspirations of playing professionally, but inconsistencies and injuries led him down a new path, studying the golf swing, teaching theories and coaching philosophies. Those findings transitioned into Blackburn’s “Coaching Codification” which applies a holistic, sport-science approach to teaching and coaching golfers. He founded Blackburn Golf in 2000, and continues to work with golfers of all levels, focusing on each student’s unique movement patterns to develop an efficient and repeatable technique for their desired ball flight. In conjunction with coaching, Blackburn is a passionate educator, keen to share knowledge while presenting to PGA Sections and International Federations around the world.
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