Senior PGA Professional National Championship Notebook

PGA Life Member Bob Dickson of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., said that he entered the North Florida PGA Senior Section Championship "on a lark," Sept. 9-10, and surprised both himself and his wife when he finished runner-up.

Dickson, 65, who won both the 1967 U.S. and British Amateur Championships, made his first appearance in the Senior PGA Professional National Championship, Oct. 29 -- Nov. 1, at Port St. Lucie.

Through 72 holes, Dickson looked like he would have a momentous debut.

He recorded his 13th career hole-in-one in the third round to post a 70, but three-putted his 72nd hole for a 73 to tie for 33rd at 4-under-par 284. He then failed to clinch one of 35 berths in the 2010 Senior PGA Championship after a five-way playoff for two spots late Sunday afternoon.

"I had not played hardly any golf in five years, but wanted to see if I could compete again," said Dickson. "I can't complain with the way I played this week. I came close. I look back upon what Lee Trevino said about competing on the Champions Tour -- he called it 'one of life's great mulligans.' I got the bug to get back and I want to give it a try."

Dickson's 1967 magical summer left him sharing history with three others who have won a U.S. and British Amateur in the same season -- England's Harold Hilton (1911); the legendary Bobby Jones (1930) and Lawson Little, who remarkably accomplished the feat twice -- in 1934 and 1935.

The USGA presented its highest award to Dickson in 1968 ? the Bobby Jones Award, "for distinguished sportsmanship in golf." Dickson was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.

Dickson turned professional in January 1968. He won a couple of PGA Tour events over the next 10 years before retiring. His best finish in a major championship was a T-17 at The Masters in 1973.

Dickson was hired by the PGA Tour as the director of marketing for the Tournament Players Club in 1979, and was also a Rules Official on the Champions Tour from 1986--1989. He was appointed as the Tournament Director for the NIKE Tour (now Nationwide Tour) in 1989 and was instrumental in its initial development.

After reaching the age of 50 in January 1994, Dickson began playing on the Champions Tour. His sole victory in this venue came at the 1998 Cadillac NFL Golf Classic in a playoff with Jim Colbert and Larry Nelson.

Olympics Golf a Boost to PGA Teacher of the Year Mike Bender

PGA Teacher of the Year Mike Bender of Lake Mary, Fla., was not pleased with a pair of 75s, which left him missing the cut by seven strokes.

"There is no one in the field this week that has played less golf than me the past five years," lamented Bender.

What does make Bender smile is his teaching business, which has taken him overseas to Asia and also has been buoyed at home in Florida where he started the Lake Mary Prep school for juniors.

"The Olympics bringing back golf [in 2016] is great and it affects my business very much," said Bender. "I work a lot in Europe and Asia and there will be more and more countries now funding national programs for their juniors. You'll see more government programs starting and that means job opportunities for PGA Professionals."

Bender, who will be presented his PGA Teacher of the Year Award at the PGA Merchandise Show in January, said that he has been overwhelmed by well wishes by friends, associates and his students.

"The biggest feeling of accomplishment is that you can say that you helped someone to play better, whether it is for fun or for making a living at golf. I know that I wish I had the amount of information that is out there for young people when I was growing up. I was basically teaching myself and I didn't get any formal coaching until I was on the Tour, and I was 32 at the time."

Aces in All Places

In addition to Dickson's hole-in-one, there were two other players enjoying aces -- each coming on the Dye Course in the opening round of the Senior PGA Professional National Championship. Jeff Hunter, PGA director of golf at The Club at Sonterra in San Antonio, Texas, posted his eighth career hole-in-one on the 158-yard No. 6 hole, using an 8-iron; and Doug Perry, PGA head professional at City Park Nine Golf Course of Fort Collins, Colo., pocketed his second career ace by using a 7-iron on the 165-yard No. 13 hole.