September 28, 2024
The NCGA lost a former icon Friday with the death of former longtime Director of Rules and Competitions Roger Val.
Roger assumed leadership of the tournament program in 1982 under then Executive Director John Zoller. He supervised one employee at the then-NCGA office located at Spyglass Hill and served as the coordinating staff member at each NCGA event.
During Roger’s tenure, the next three decades witnessed a dramatic expansion in the tournament program and membership as the associate and eClub membership options were developed and Poppy Hills and Poppy Ridge opened. Roger’s ability to adapt and excel administratively allowed him to succeed under seven different NCGA executive directors.
The NCGA today runs the largest tournament program in the country with offerings encompassing scratch, net, associate club, eClub, women, junior and senior golfers. Roger’s sensitivity and passion for the net golfer ensured that the venues and administration of their events were to the same standards as the California Amateur.
Roger helmed the program for a number of years before passing it off to Ryan Magee., Later, Val’s protégé Ryan Gregg, the current COO of NCGA Operations took the helm. Other employees who began their career under Val’s tutelage and have since moved into golf management roles include current USGA West Region Director Mike Sweeney.
Roger attended San Jose State and received a degree in Recreation Administration. His first job was with the City of San Mateo as a director at Beresford Recreation Center before going on to a job with the City of Santa Clara as the first Director of the city’s Central Park Center.
The avid San Francisco Giants baseball fan was the tournament director of the Nabisco Championship in 1988 (now the Tour Championship), and was a Rules official for eight U.S. Amateurs and the 100th U.S. Open held at Pebble Beach Golf Links in 2000.
Today, the NCGA's Four-Ball Championship trophy is named the Roger Val Trophy.
“Roger Val is what I would call the perfect combination of a tough administrator with attention to detail and a passionate and caring person who is always fair and equitable,” NCGA Hall of Famer Randy Haag once said. “Roger has been the guy behind the scenes who makes the NCGA the No.1 regional golf association in the world. In more than 30 years of active participation in NCGA events, I can say that NCGA events are run as well as any USGA or other national or local association. There is one very little known reason for this, and it’s simply Roger Val.”
He will be missed.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you please donate to Youth on Course or the Leukemia/Lymphoma Foundation