Doug MacDonald, the Emeritus Professional at Desert Forest Golf Club, and long time Southwest Section PGA member received the AGA’s 2010 Dr. Ed Updegraff Award.

Established in 1990, the award is the AGA’s highest honor given in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. The award seeks to recognize a person who emulates Updegraff’s spirit, his personal qualities and his attitude toward the game and its players as the inscription reads, “To those who by their actions or accomplishments exemplify the Spirit of the Game.” It was presented March 4th at the AGA’s Annual Spring Meeting at Phoenix Country Club.

“I’m overwhelmed,” MacDonald said when advised of the award. “To think I am considered worthy, and that Dr. Updegraff agreed, is beyond my imagination. A number of my good friends have won this in the past and it’s just incredible to be included with them.”

During his illustrious career, MacDonald has had only two head professional positions, a remarkable achievement that exemplifies the strong roots he was able to establish with the clubs and their members. His first job spanned 17 years at Ahwatukee Country Club beginning in 1973 that was followed in 1990 when he moved to the famed Desert Forest Golf Club, which he calls his “dream job.”

An active member of the SWSPGA, he was on the board from 1977 – 1986 and was named the PGA Professional of the Year in 1981. He held the position of secretary in 1980-1981, treasurer in 1978 and was the delegate to the national meeting in 1980 and 1981, along with participating on a variety of committees, holding numerous chairmanships and competing on several Goldwater Cup teams.

Considered a “Pro’s Pro,” MacDonald’s philosophy has been to simplify the game of golf for his students and to ensure the element of fun remains.

While attending ASU, he worked as an assistant professional under long-time Arizona Country Club professional Gene Lesch and credits him for teaching him how to be a golf pro. He also cites Jim Mooney for teaching him how to play.

With teaching as a passion, MacDonald enjoys the mentoring of his assistants that have gone on to head professional jobs and the relationships he has formed with his students over the years. He has modeled his teaching philosophy on Ernest Jones, who was popular in the 1920s and 30s and known as the “The Pro from Fifth Avenue.” Jones’s instruction book, ‘Swing the Clubhead’ is MacDonald’s favorite and often loans a copy to his students.

By his side during most of his professional career, has been his wife of 43 years, Tricia. Together they worked at both clubs, working in the golf shop and sharing the experiences as a committed husband and wife team. MacDonald and his wife have two children, a daughter, Christa and son, Ryan, and five grandchildren.