Brookfield, Wisconsin, United States: Bill Bergin has been elected President of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA).

A St Louis native, Bergin is a business graduate of Auburn University. One of the nation’s top collegiate golfers, Bergin qualified for five Major championships and 50 PGA Tour events. Today, his focus as a golf course architect is to make the game available for everyone.

Speaking in the wake of his appointment at the organisation’s 80th Annual Meeting in Nashville, Bergin said: “Having worked on several First Tee and Youth golf facilities, the goals of inspiring and building better people through golf resonates with my personal experience and presents an opportunity, as ASGCA President, to take that message even further.

“The innate tenets of golf are valuable to all, not just to those exposed to the game. Golfers represent better citizens through the lessons the game teaches, and golf courses provide green space, recreational opportunities and environmental benefits, which have a positive impact on the entire community. My aim is to support and expand on that message.”

In 1986, a missed 3½-foot putt changed the course of his life. Had he made the putt on the 72nd hole at the Atlanta Classic at Atlanta Country Club, Bergin would have earned a PGA Tour card. “As I look back, I am convinced it worked out exactly the way it was supposed to,” he said.

Bergin soon retired from competition and began to gain an understanding of club operations and the abilities of everyday players as a club professional before acquiring technical design experience under ASGCA Past President Bob Cupp.

He recalled: “As a player, I enjoyed mapping golf courses before yardage books were readily available. I was fascinated by how the ground, hazards, angles and strategy all worked together. I was a good student, learning the nuances of design from a player’s perspective.

“I was incredibly fortunate to learn from some great people at Cupp Design – including ASGCA members Billy Fuller, David Johnson and John Fought – and Chris Brands, Mike Riley and many others.”

Since founding Bergin Golf Designs in 1994, he has combined his strategic instincts and extensive design experience with the latest technology and a dedication to detail in project management. Along with his design associates – including his son, Matt, and Justin Killingsworth, both ASGCA members – Bergin offers design and construction supervision services for new layouts, renovations and practice facilities.

In 2017, Golf Inc Magazine named Bergin one of the Top 10 Most Innovative People in Golf for his work with the Longleaf Tee Initiative, which provides additional tee options and encourages golfers to play from tees based on how far they hit the ball, rather than their age, gender or handicap.

Bergin now brings a lifetime of golf experience to his new role, heading ASGCA and its membership for the next year.

He said: “One of my favourite things about being an ASGCA member is our shared experience. We know what it’s like out there. We know the joy of landing a new project. We know the disappointment of not getting one. We know the fulfillment of taking a project from start to finish and seeing people enjoy what we have been part of creating.”

Bergin became an ASGCA member in 2013. He and his wife, Mary, live in Atlanta. They have two children and four grandchildren.