Shogren Honored with MAGA Highest Honor
Robert A. Shogren Presented with Meritorious Service Award
Bob Shogren, “Shogie” to most, was presented the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association’s highest honor on Wednesday evening, the Meritorious Service Award. Shogren, had a 
successful career with Maritz until his retirement in 1991. It was then, in a chance meeting with a Decisions on the Rules of Golf while sitting in a cart with Jerry Tucker, he became hooked on the Rules of Golf. He studied the Rules and Decisions and scored in the high 90s on his first exam. Around that time he met MAGA Founder Tom O’Toole, Jr. during the early formation of MAGA.
Shogren spent time on the Board of Directors of MAGA and was a committed Rules Official at MAGA Championships and USGA Qualifying Rounds. In retirement, he spent time in Florida and was invited to assist with the PGA of America in their PGA Winter Series where he became a fixture in South Florida events. Shogren would also became heavily involved with the Gateway PGA Section, officiating their Monday events and championships.
Along the way, Shogren assisted and mentored many officials with MAGA, PGA and the St. Louis District Golf Association. His officiating career culminated in 2018 when he served on the Rules Committee at the 2018 PGA Championship in his hometown, at his home club, Bellerive Country Club!
MAGA Founder Tom O’Toole provided the backdrop on Wednesday evening on the journey Shogren’s life has taken as a Rules Official, summarizing it up with this, “I have been pretty well traveled…Bob Shogren was, frankly, one of the world’s leading authority on the Rules of Golf!”
The Meritorious Service Award was created in 1995 shortly after the inception of MAGA and is considered its highest honor. It is not given annually, rather extended to individuals who widely demonstrate their impact and contribution to golf in the St. Louis region and beyond. Shogren joins this illustrious group, with the likes of Jayne Watson, Stan Grossman, Denny Walters and many others (click here for full list) as the most recent recipient of the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association Meritorious Service Award.
Photos by McKnight Place and Westrich Photography
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