The Graffis Award is the National Golf Foundation's top annual award, named in honor of our founders, Herb and Joe Graffis, and recognizes outstanding contributions to the game and business of golf.
In addition to keeping alive the memory of the Graffis brothers and their commitment to golf, the award reinforces the NGF’s position as the organization that’s been helping golf businesses succeed since 1936, as well as its mission to foster the growth and vitality of the game. The honor has been awarded, in different forms, dating back to 1970.
The first Graffis award, named in honor of brother Joe Graffis and meant to recognize excellence in golf education, was presented in 1970.
In 1977, the Herb Graffis award was added to recognize overall contributions to golf. That same year, Herb Graffis was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame for his extensive contributions to the business of golf and advancement of the game.
Both awards were presented annually thereafter until 1992, when they were combined into a single award recognizing “outstanding contributions to the game of golf” in the tradition of the Graffis brothers. Discontinued for a time in 2004, NGF’s Graffis Award was reestablished in 2018.
Past recipients of NGF’s awards include high profile golfers (Arnold Palmer, Patty Berg); equipment company CEOs (Karsten Solheim, Ely Callaway); golf administrators (Judy Bell, Deane Beman and Tim Finchem); and golf educators/teachers (Peggy Kirk Bell, Bob Toski).
Most recently, longtime Golf Digest editor-in-chief Jerry Tarde received the 2023 Graffis Award.
The honorees are recognized at the NGF's annual Golf Business Symposium.
