Headline: Bob Crowley, Bill Flynn, Joe Lazaro, Anne Marie Tobin, Frank Vana, Jr. and Herbert Warren Wind to be Inducted Into Massachusetts Golf Hall of Fame

For Immediate Release: May 17, 2016

Click the image above to read the announcement that appeared in the spring issue of MassGolfer magazine.

Norton, MA — For only the third time in history, a new class will be inducted into the Massachusetts Golf Hall of Fame.

The Massachusetts Golf Hall of Fame was launched 12 years ago in concert with the grand opening of the William F. Connell Golf House and Museum located on the grounds of TPC Boston in Norton.

The inaugural class – Pat Bradley, Fred Corcoran, Francis Ouimet and Donald Ross – are memorialized as part of a metal "Hall of Fame" ring that hangs from the Museum ceiling. The second class was inducted in 2014 and includes Ted Bishop, The Curtis Sisters (Margaret & Harriot), Joanne Goodwin, Paul Harney, Bob Toski and Fred Wright

The third class, representing amateur and professionals whose careers have spanned more than 100 years, features Bob Crowley, Bill Flynn, Joe Lazaro, Anne Marie Tobin, Frank Vana, Jr. and Herbert Warren Wind.

"We are honored and excited to induct a third class of inductees," said Tom Bagley, chairman of the Massachusetts Golf Hall of Fame Committee. "The committee has continued to be impressed by the depth and quality of individuals who have made indelible marks on the sport here in the Bay State. The class of 2016 is no different. Their impact on the game has been felt both on and off the golf course and their individual legacies are second to none."

Here are notable highlights for each new inductee:

Bob Crowley won the MGA Open four times (1957, '62, '66 and '73) and won the NEPGA Championship five times (1959, '61, '62, '63 and '67). In all, the five-time NEPGA Player of the Year won more than 400 tournaments in his professional career.

Bill Flynn spearheaded the restoration of both Franklin Park GC and George Wright GC and helped to develop a state-wide junior golf program in Massachusetts. He won the Vermont Open (1959), the MGA Open (1963) and the NEPGA Championship (1968).

Joe Lazaro won the U.S. Blind Golf Association National Championship eight times (1962, '64, '67, '68, '69, '71, '73 and '74). He also won the USBGA National Senior Championship in 2007, the year he was inducted into the USBGA Hall of Fame.

Anne Marie Tobin won the WGAM Amateur a record seven times (1988, '91, '92, '93, '94, '95 and 2000). The three-time WGAM Player of the Year also was a quarterfinalist in both the 1990 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur and 1991 U.S. Women's Amateur.

Frank Vana, Jr. has won the MGA Amateur twice (2004 and '05) and won the MGA Mid-Amateur a record nine times (1999, 2000, '01, '02, '03, '05, '06, '12 and '13). The nine-time MGA Player of the Year also has competed in 30 USGA events.

Herbert Warren Wind wrote about golf for decades for The New Yorker and was the first golf editor for Sports Illustrated. He also wrote or edited 14 books about golf, including The Story of American Golf and Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf.

The 2016 class will be officially inducted into the Massachusetts Golf Hall of Fame at the Massachusetts Golf Hall of Fame Gala, which is scheduled for October 13 at Andover Country Club. The official announcement about the celebration was delivered at the 2016 Massachusetts Open Championship Media Day, which was held at Worcester Country Club on May 17.

Tickets will be made available for the general public in August. For more information and complete event details, please visit the official Massachusetts Golf Hall of Fame web site at www.massgolfhall.com.

About the Massachusetts Golf Museum & Hall of Fame

In honor of the rich tradition of golf in Massachusetts and the individuals who have shaped the game over the past century, the Massachusetts Golf Museum opened its doors to the public on October 29, 2002.

This facility serves as the sole forum to honor local heroes and events that have made indelible marks on the game of golf and to preserve their legacy for years to come. This first-of-its-kind museum in Massachusetts pays tribute to the people and moments — both past and present — that have created our state's rich golf heritage. The Museum features interactive kiosks, multimedia quizzes, a replica of the Francis Ouimet Library, Hall of Trophies and a video tribute to the game of golf in Massachusetts.

The displays and activities take visitors on a journey back in time to understand and appreciate the contributions made by such local legends as Francis Ouimet, Donald Ross, Pat Bradley and Fred Corcoran. Those four individuals – who also are the first Bay State golfers to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. Presently all current members of the Massachusetts Golf Hall of Fame are honored on the walls of the Golf Museum.