NEWS

Crall named Senior Director of Golf 2.0 for The PGA of America

By PGA of America
Published on

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Darrell Crall, whose signature accomplishments in the past 15 years as executive director of the Northern Texas PGA Section included guiding the growth of one of the nation's most dynamic junior golf programs, has been named the senior director of Golf 2.0 by The PGA of America. Crall will oversee the execution of The PGA's new strategic plan to grow the game.

Crall, 44, was born in Fort Benning, Ga., and grew up in Ashland, Ohio. He was introduced to golf at age 13 by a PGA Professional, George Valentine, and was immediately inspired by the game. Crall attended Greensboro (N.C.) College for one year, earning NCAA Division III All-America honors. He transferred to Duke University, and competed on the Blue Devils golf team, serving as Captain and graduating in 1989 with a degree in history.

Among Crall's accomplishments with the Northern Texas PGA include the growth of the Section's assets by 15 times; establishing and managing the Deloitte Justin Leonard Scholarship and Fairway to Success programs, which generated $1.75 million for need-based college-bound junior golfers; the Ewing Charity Classic fundraiser, generating $3.2 million for children's charities; organizing the nationally recognized Help-A-Kid Play Golf and Golf In Schools programs, which reached more than 300,000 inner-city juniors at schools and summer recreation centers; and developing a PGA Tour ambassador program with the HP Byron Nelson Championship and Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.

"Darrell Crall's commitment to excellence, leadership and creativity left a resounding positive impact in junior golf in Texas, and The PGA of America is proud to have him guide Golf 2.0, one of the most important endeavors that affect our 27,000 men and women PGA Professionals and our industry partners," said PGA of America Chief Executive Officer Joe Steranka. "This is a critical period to the growth of our sport, and we believe that we have the team that will engage new players, attract new consumers to golf and retain and strengthen the core of all who remain loyal to the game."

Crall began his professional career as a consultant for the National Golf Foundation of Japan in Tokyo in 1989, and through 1990 was a golf school instructor and operations manager for Duke University. From 1990-1995, Crall became one of the most active administrators of the Carolinas PGA Section, with positions as junior golf/tournament manager; director of education and employment and from 1993-95 as director of tournament operations. He joined the Northern Texas PGA Section headquarters in Dallas in 1995, where he was responsible for the daily operation of the Section's 750 PGA Professionals and the Junior Golf Foundation, servicing an active customer base of 29,000 junior golf and associate members.

"It's an honor and extremely humbling to be invited to work with PGA leaders, the CEO, staff and Sections to lead the Golf 2.0 initiative," said Crall, who will assume his new position on July 1. "It is always a challenge when you are launching a major new initiative, but there is a tremendous opportunity knowing that almost 80 million Americans are saying that they are interested in playing golf. That is a major incentive for the industry to join forces and deliver new compelling programs and services along with a roadmap on how and why to become engaged in this great game. Now, it's time to get to work."

Crall is a board member of the Texas Golf Hall of Fame and Texas Organization of Recreation Associations; is serving his third term on the PGA Executive Director Committee; is an advisory board member of the TELOS Fitness Center and C-Prime Sports Performance; is a past board member of The First Tee of Dallas; and from 2007-09 was executive director and consultant of the PGA Foundation.

Crall and his wife, Lane, are parents of a daughter, Sarah Caroline, 9; and a son, Davis, 6.