Dan Burton receives Arnold Palmer Lifetime Service AwardDaniel B. Burton, a past President of the Golf Association of Philadelphia and recent USGA Executive Committee member, received the Arnold Palmer Lifetime Service Award on Wednesday at Waynesborough Country Club. Burton received the Award during the organization’s Pro.-President, Golf & Green Chairman event.
The Arnold Palmer Lifetime Service Award is the highest award of the Golf Association of Philadelphia. It is awarded to individuals from any golf related disciplines, who have exemplified the spirit of the game at its highest level and who have made a substantial contribution to the game at the Philadelphia, national or international level. He is the eighth recipient since the honor’s inception in 1997. Burton, a member of Bent Creek Country Club in Lititz, Pa.; Lancaster Country Club in Lancaster, Pa.; Pine Valley Golf Club in Pine Valley, N.J. and Calusa Pines Golf Club in Naples, Fla., served as Golf Association of Philadelphia President from 2006-08. He, thereafter, was nominated for the USGA Board and began his tenure in 2010, serving as that group’s Vice-President from 2012 until his retirement in 2014. Burton has served the game of golf for more than 30 years, including time on the Pennsylvania Golf Association Executive Committee (1996-2004, Chair of Finance Committee). He also volunteered for both organizations prior and is a founding member of Bent Creek, where he was the initial club president from 1992 until 2001. Burton was on the Golf Association of Philadelphia board from 1999-2009. During his three years as president, he served as a guiding influence for, then, newly named Executive Director Mark Peterson. Burton was the driving force behind restructuring the BMW GAP Team Matches upper brackets to allow all section champions the opportunity to challenge up. Internally, he oversaw changes within the financial structure of the Association to assure its longevity. Burton was the USGA Championship Chairman in 2014, overseeing all the national events. He chaired the USGA Equipment Standards Department from 2011-13, guiding the organization through the difficult groove’s rule transition and anchoring putter change. Burton is widely recognized for repairing the USGA’s once adversarial relationship with the major equipment manufacturers. Burton chaired the Investment Committee from 2012-14 and International Team Selection from 2011-14. Burton, 66, splits residency between Lancaster, Pa. and Naples, Fla., with wife Vicki. A more detailed story will be published in the Golf Association of Philadelphia Magazine Summer Issue.
Arnold Palmer Lifetime past recipients
Golf Association of Philadelphia |
A Walk Through Time
GAP is the oldest state or regional golf association in the country. It started courtesy of a friendly competition – the Team Matches – and has grown into the preeminent golf association in the country. Along the way, golf history has been made.
