Special Announcements

Eddie Merrins

Eddie Merrins, the ‘Little Pro’ who had an enormous influence on golf in LA, dies at 91

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette   Eddie Merrins was known as “The Little Pro” because of his 5-foot-7 stature, certainly not his influence on golf. The longtime pro at Bel-Air Country Club touched everyone from U.S. Open champion Corey Pavin to Fred Astaire and even Mikhail Baryshnikov.   Mr. Merrins died Wednesday in Los Angeles at age 91 after a long illness,...

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Eddie Merrins

Appreciation: Eddie Merrins, the ‘Little Pro’ and a giant of golf, dies at 91

Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times   Eddie Merrins, the beloved teaching pro at Bel-Air Country Club and longtime UCLA golf coach, famously distilled the complicated motion of striking a golf ball into one thought:   Swing the handle.   Don’t worry about the club head, he advised his pupils. Control what’s within your grasp — the club handle — and the...

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Eddie Merrins

Friends of Golf (FOG) Releases Statement of the Passing of Golf Icon and Co-Founder Eddie Merrins

World Golf Teachers Hall of Famer, Former UCLA Men’s Golf Coach and Bel-Air Country Club Teaching Professional Co-Founded Non-Profit Organization   The Eddie Merrins Statue Annually Awarded to Golf’s Top Players   Los Angeles, CA (November 23, 2023) Friends of Golf (FOG), the non-profit organization co-founded by World Golf Teachers Hall of Famer, former UCLA men’s golf coach and...

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Tom Addis III, Venturi Award

Friends of Golf (FOG) to Honor Former PGA of America President Tom Addis III With the Ken Venturi “Spirit of Giving” Award

FRIENDS OF GOLF (FOG) TO HONOR FORMER PGA OF AMERICA PRESIDENT TOM ADDIS III WITH THE KEN VENTURI “SPIRIT OF GIVING” AWARD   Addis Joins PGA Star Max Homa and LPGA Hall of Famer Juli Inkster as Honorees at FOG’s Upcoming 43rd Annual Charity Tournament   Emmy Award-winning Sportscaster Jim Nantz to Present Awards/Interview Honorees at Bel-Air Country Club...

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Friends of Golf Tournament

PGA Tour Standout Max Homa & World Golf Hall of Fame Juli Inkster to be Honored at 43rd Annual Friends of Golf (FOG) Charity Tournament

Tournament Presented by Konica Minolta Set for October 16 at Bel-Air Country Club   Non-Profit Started by Golf Legend Eddie Merrins Has Donated Millions to Local & National Colleges, High Schools and More   Los Angeles, CA (June 28, 2023) Friends of Golf (FOG) will honor PGA Tour standout and Southern California native Max Homa and LPGA star and...

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Ami Gianchandani

Yales’ Ami Gianchandani Awarded 2023 Dinah Shore Trophy

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., June 9, 2023 – The LPGA Foundation today announced that Ami Gianchandani of Yale University has been awarded the 2023 Dinah Shore Trophy, cementing her status as one of the top collegiate female players who has made an impact on the course through her leadership and on society through charitable endeavor.   The Dinah...

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