Applications for 2008 Southern Texas PGA Foundation scholarships now available

The Southern Texas PGA Foundation, which has distributed $263,000 in scholarships to 118 students since 1999, has made applications for its 2008 scholarships available. At least a dozen scholarships with a total value of $21,500 will be disbursed this year.

Applications for the scholarships can be secured here or by stopping by the STPGA office at Cypresswood Golf Club in Spring (21604 Cypresswood Dr., Spring, TX 77373).

Applications for all 2008 STPGA Foundation scholarships must be submitted to the STPGA office by Apr. 2, 2008, to be considered— winners will be announced on May 16, 2008.

“Our scholarship program has grown by leaps and bounds over the past eight years and it’s something I think we can take great pride in,” said Doug DeSive, head golf professional at Corpus Christi Country Club and chairman of the STPGA Scholarship Committee. “We have dedicated ourselves to providing financial aid to as many deserving students as possible and continually seek new means to secure funds that will assist our scholarship efforts. Personally, I think it is one of our most important and rewarding causes, and I’m sure our members feel exactly the same."

The scholarships to be awarded by the STPGA Foundation in 2008 (as of Mar. 2, 2008) include:

The Nicholas Battle Scholarship, named after a junior golfer who passed away in an accident, is valued at $3,000 and is available to applicants throughout the Southern Texas PGA’s geographical territory.

Three Tommy Aycock Scholarships, named after the late PGA Professional who won the STPGA Section Championship six times, will be presented in 2008. Valued at $1,000 each, the Tommy Aycock scholarships will be awarded to students residing in the five-county area (Nueces, San Patricio, Aransas, Kleberg, Wells, Bee and Refugio counties) around which Aycock spent much of his career.

A $2,000 Hardy Loudermilk Scholarship, named for a long-time San Antonio golf professional who earned national PGA Golf Professional of the Year honors in 1968. The Hardy Loudermilk Scholarship will be presented to a student who resides in Bexar County, Comal County, Guadalupe County, Kendall County, Atascosa County, Medina County, Wilson County or Bandera County.

The Joe Finger Scholarship, valued at $2,000, was created in 2004 by the members of Riverhill Country Club in Kerrville, and Mark Caldwell, the club’s head golf professional. It is named in honor of the late golf course architect, Joe Finger— Riverhill is one of many course designed by Finger. The scholarship will be awarded to a resident of Kerr County.

The Byron Nelson Scholarship was created in 2004 by members of Riverhill Country Club— Mark Caldwell, Riverhill’s head golf professional, heads up fundraising efforts for the scholarship. The scholarship is named for the record-setting Hall of Fame professional golf, who teamed with Joe Finger to design Riverhill’s golf course. The scholarship, valued at $2,000, will be presented to a resident of Kerr County.

The Joe Moore Scholarship, valued at $1,000, is available to all STPGA Foundation Scholarship applicants. It is named for and was created by a San Antonio golfer whose history includes two San Antonio Amateur Championships and a role on a late-1940s NCAA Championship team at Louisiana State University. Moore, a member at San Antonio’s Woodlake Country Club, was the head golf professional at Lackland Air Force Base’s golf course when he retired in the 1980s and played on the PGA Tour for several years.

A pair of George Hannon Scholarships, valued at $2,500 each, will be presented to students whose primary residence lies with the Austin area (Travis County and the counties contiguous to Travis County). The George Hannon Scholarships are named for the former University of Texas golf coach who served as the president of the Southern Texas PGA in 1972-73 and was twice honored as the STPGA Golf Professional of the Year. Hannon is a member of the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame.

Established this year, the Ross T. Collins Scholarship, is valued at $1,000. It was created by the members of Kerrville’s Riverhill Country Club to honor Ross Collins, the 1972 PGA of America Golf Professional of the Year. Collins spent the last six years of his career as the head golf professional at Riverhill and retired in Kerrville. The Ross T. Collins Scholarship will be awarded to a resident of Kerr County.

The new Bill Sitton Sr. Scholarship, valued at $2,500 annually and renewable for up to four years, is available to all STPGA Foundation scholarship applicants. It was created to “assist aspiring college-bound students with furthering their educations.” Billy Sitton Jr., the managing director of Club Corp’s international office, said the scholarship honors “a hard-working guy who enjoyed golf and introduced me to it.” The Bill Sitton Sr. Scholarship is available to all applicants.

To be eligible for scholarship consideration, applicants must reside within southern Texas. Applicants must have completed high school or be enrolled in a certified college or university by Sept. 1, 2008. A grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale is also a requirement, as is the ability to demonstrate plans for enrollment as a full-time student at an accredited two-year or four-year institution within the United States.

For additional information, please click here.