Orrin Vincent Honored by the AJGA with its Annual Digger Smith Award
Former board member and tournament chairman was instrumental in developing the AJGA on the West Coast

Orrin Vincent was honored by the American Junior Golf Association Friday, Feb. 20, with the 2004 Digger Smith Award for his more than 20 years of service to the organization in a myriad of roles, including member of the Board of Directors, tournament host, fundraiser and tournament chairman.

2004 AJGA Digger Smith Award recipient (center), with (l-r) AJGA Board of Directors President Gayle Champagne, AJGA Chairman of the Board Digger Smith, AJGA Executive Director Stephen Hamblin and Past President Michael C. Thompson

Each year the AJGA presents the Digger Smith Award to an individual whose service to junior golf goes above and beyond the call of duty. The award is named for AJGA Chairman of the Board J.R. “Digger” Smith, who has dedicated himself to the AJGA and junior golf for more than two decades. Smith was honored as the Golfweek “Father of the Year” in 1995.

“I’ve done it all as far as being a board member, a tournament chairman, a fundraiser,” Vincent said. “Now I’m interested in continuing to provide quality golf facilities to host AJGA tournaments–especially in states that may have never hosted events.”

Vincent’s relationship with the AJGA began in 1980 when he was responsible for bringing the AJGA to Edgewood Tahoe Golf Club near Lake Tahoe, Nev. The tournament was among the first in AJGA history and played a key role in establishing a West Coast presence for the Association. He joined the AJGA Board of Directors in 1982 and served for 16 years, including two stints as the board’s vice president in 1982 and 1985.

“Being from the West Coast,” he said, “I wanted to get some of the attention that was focused on the East and Southest focused instead on our part of the country. I really had to come up with unique ways to expose our players and do well in helping to grow the AJGA.”

Vincent is the CEO and founder of OB Sports, a professional golf course management, development and consultation company based in Scottsdale, Ariz. During the two decades of his involvement, he and his company have hosted AJGA events at ten of their venues across the western part of the country. Through Vincent’s contacts and venues , the AJGA has been able to successfully expand westward. In 2004, the AJGA will run 15 tournaments in the west region of the United States, including two at OB Sports faciliities.

“Orrin has been a tremendous supporter of the AJGA in so many ways,” AJGAExecutive Director Stephen Hamblin said. “Whether as a director of golf, tournament chairman, parent, board member, fundraiser, spokesperson, visionary or a friend and confidant, Orrin has always had the best interests of the AJGA at heart.”