RIP Mr. Ed Hoard
 

I know there are many folks here from Atlanta, including Yoda. I'll bet many of you have met Mr. Ed Hoard. He was a complete gentleman, if you met him, he was your friend, and I am very sad to hear of his untimely death. I respected Mr. Hoard as one of the most knowledgeable professionals in the area of the rules of golf.

He was a very good man.

Ed Hoard, 1999 PGA Golf Professional of the Year, Dies at 63

Ed Hoard, the 1999 PGA Golf Professional of the Year, passed away Monday night of an apparent heart attack. He was 63. Mr. Hoard, a PGA member since 1973, was the 1996 Horton Smith Award recipient and chairman of the PGA of America Rules of Golf Committee from 1995 to 2000.

Mr. Hoard was most recently employed as a PGA instructor at the University of Georgia Golf Course in Athens. He previously served as PGA director of golf at Long Shadow Golf Club in Madison, Ga., and was employed at Athens (Ga.) Country Club, holding positions as PGA head professional, PGA director of golf and PGA director of instruction.

He is survived by his wife Kathy.

Friends of Ed Hoard are invited to a visitation, Thursday, Sept. 3 from 5 p.m.-8 p.m., at Bernstein's, 3195 Atlanta Highway, (706) 543-7373.

Funeral services will be held Friday, Sept. 4, at 11 a.m., at First Baptist Church, 355 Pulaski Street, (706) 548-1359. Graveside will be conducted at Oconee Hill Cemetery on East Campus Road near UGA.

I was fortunate to have worked with Ed for the past year at UGA. I met him when I moved to Athens in 1997 but really got know him recently. I love to hear stories and Ed had many to tell. If you had a question on the rules of golf he would give it to you, as well as the history of that rule and several situations it occurred in real life. He was the "supreme court justice" of the Rules of Golf.

Ed's passion for golf was unmatched. He truly enjoyed being a golf professional and worked tirelessly to help others enjoy it as well.

I will be one of many PGA professionals and friends to pay their respects to Ed and his family on Thursday and Friday. His passing was untimely but his spirit will live on. It is not often you meet a legend, let alone get to know one. I was fortunate to have been able to do both. We will all miss Ed Hoard but forget him we will not.