In late January, the Pacific Northwest golf community lost one of its most dedicated and passionate volunteers. MG Davis was a longstanding and extraordinary volunteer of golf, specifically the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA), and The Home Course in DuPont, Washington.
MG’s golf roots run deep. He started playing golf when he was in high school, competing on the varsity team at Chief Sealth High School in Seattle, and also caddied for golf professionals in the Seattle and Portland Opens. In the late 1970s, MG turned professional and worked as a PGA Assistant Golf Professional at Progress Downs (now RedTail Golf Center) in Portland. He went on to work at McNary Golf Course in Salem, then got his first PGA Head Professional job at Oak Knoll Golf Course in Salem.
MG made a career change out of the golf industry in the early 1980s, but it was just a few years later that he became involved as a volunteer with the PNGA. In 1988, MG and his wife Liz became PNGA Club Representatives from Royal Oaks Country Club in Vancouver, Wash., and MG’s loyalty to the PNGA and amateur golf took off from there.
MG served on the PNGA Board of Directors from 1992-2009, and served as President from 2005-2007. A highlight of MG’s service was in 1994 when he served as the Chairman of the PNGA Men’s Amateur Championship at Royal Oaks Country Club. MG recruited a very young Tiger Woods to play in the prestigious regional amateur championship. MG was the referee of the final match, and witnessed Tiger dominate and win the championship. Tiger went on to win the U.S. Amateur that same year.
Along with many other PNGA Directors, MG held a longstanding dream for over 20 years for the PNGA and Washington State Golf Association (WSGA) to one day cooperatively acquire, own, and operate a golf course that would serve as the home for Northwest Golf House, future permanent offices for the PNGA, WSGA and Allied Associations. In 2007, while MG was President of the PNGA, that dream came true and the associations opened what is now The Home Course in DuPont, Wash. MG was instrumental in the naming of the golf course and many of the golf hole names. He dedicated himself to The Home Course from the day it opened. You would often see him driving around the course in a cart with his dog KP and a bucket of sand and seed, filling divots throughout the course. I believe the only thing MG loved more than The Home Course was his wife Liz, son Camden, and KP.
MG made selfless contributions to the game of golf in every fashion. He treated anyone associated with the game as his best friend. His contributions to the golf industry have resulted in the PNGA and The Home Course achieving a level of excellence and respect within the golf community that would otherwise not have been possible. On a personal note, I will be forever grateful for his support, wisdom, and friendship. He has impacted many lives and he will not be forgotten, but he will be missed dearly.
Troy Andrew, CEO
PNGA, WSGA, The Home Course
