Brian Stubbs, a key figure in college golf and executive director of the Haskins Foundation, passed away at 54. His contributions to the sport and personal connections with players and coaches left a lasting impact.
Key points
Brian Stubbs passed away on May 2 at the age of 54.
He served as executive director of the Haskins Foundation for 13 years.
Stubbs was a significant supporter of college golf.
He was a graduate of Berry College and a member of its golf team.
Stubbs was named Georgia PGAâs executive of the year last year.
Mentioned in this story
Haskins FoundationGeorgia PGAAugusta National Golf ClubBerry College
Country Club of Columbus
Brian Stubbs stood by the first tee at Augusta National Golf Club with his son, Tyler, last month. It was a perfect Monday morning at the Masters, one millions of parents dream of sharing with their kids. For Stubbs, not only was he spending the morning roaming the hallowed grounds with his son but also plenty of his closest friends.
Every year during Monday's practice round at the Masters, Stubbs was there, along with the coaches and teams from the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational tournament, a men's college golf event hosted the weekend before at nearby Forest Hills in Augusta. One of the perks of the tournament was earning those Monday practice round tickets, but for Stubbs, he made sure to hang around the first tee, trying to find every coach and player he could to thank them for being a part of his tournament and telling them to enjoy the day.
Stubbs, who served as executive director of the Haskins Foundation for the past 13 years, died May 2 from natural causes. He was 54. Stubbs is survived by his wife, Catherine, and their children, Hannah and Tyler.
With his loss, college golf loses arguably its biggest supporter, and thousands of people in the sport lost a friend.
A graduate of Berry College, where he was a member of the golf team, in Mount Berry, Georgia, Stubbs worked as head professional at the Country Club of Columbus, home of the Haskins Foundation. He also served a term as president of the Georgia PGA. Last year, he was named Georgia PGAâs executive of the year.
College golf lost someone very special today. Brian Stubbs was more than just a guy who worked in college golf. He was perhaps college golfâs biggest fan. He was also a friend. He will be missed in so many ways! He is irreplaceable. đ˘
I will miss you dearly
However, Stubbs' focus in the last decade-plus has been promoting the Fred Haskins Award, given annually to the national collegiate player of the year and known as the Heisman Trophy of college golf, and the Annika Award, which recognizes the top female collegiate player. The awards are voted on by players, coaches and media members.
And Stubbs took no shortcuts â literally â in making sure those in the college golf world knew they were the ones who selected the winners of the awards.
Q&A
What was Brian Stubbs' role in college golf?
Brian Stubbs served as the executive director of the Haskins Foundation, significantly supporting college golf for 13 years.
How did Brian Stubbs contribute to the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational?
Stubbs was instrumental in organizing the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational, fostering connections between players and coaches during the tournament.
What awards did Brian Stubbs receive during his career?
Brian Stubbs was named Georgia PGAâs executive of the year last year and served as president of the Georgia PGA.
What was Brian Stubbs' background in golf?
Stubbs was a graduate of Berry College, where he played on the golf team, and later worked as head professional at the Country Club of Columbus.
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Whether it was the best tournaments in Division I or fields featuring low-major teams, Stubbs puts hundreds of thousands of miles on his car driving from Columbus, Georgia, to tournaments across the country. Stubbs kept a list of how many college golf teams he had seen in person and was constantly trying to go to tournaments to see coaches and programs he hadn't yet met.
He believed every player should have the opportunity to see the Haskins Award or Annika Award trophies on the first tee. Stubbs understood the history behind those awards, and he wanted to continue celebrating them while giving athletes something to aspire to achieve, whether they played for a powerhouse or a mid-major in the middle of nowhere. Stubbs, an avid Georgia Tech fan, had no favorites when it came to college golf. His only bias was toward the people, making friends with as many of them as he could. And nothing lit up his face like watching players study the trophies before teeing off.
His two busiest weeks were typically during the NCAA Championships, as votes for the Annika and Haskins Awards rolled in. In typical Stubbs fashion, for every vote that came in, he would reach out to the coach or player with a simple message, "Thank you for voting," that became his catch phrase. Last year, Ben Adelberg, founder of The Back of the Range and a Haskins brand ambassador, made shirts with Stubbs' caricature on them and the phrase printed beneath.
Brian Stubbs (left) and Ben Adelberg, founder of The Back of the Range and a Haskins Brand Ambassador.
Even in the quietest of media centers, Stubbs could be heard saying "Thank you for voting" into his phone, sending another message to those who were supporting the awards. If you've ever voted for the awards, chances are Stubbs reached out.
His work didn't stop there. When he wasn't at the golf course during the national championships, he was back at the "Haskins House," often sitting at his computer, counting up votes and trying to figure out which teams had not yet voted. From there, he usually enlisted the help of Golfweek's Lance Ringler to get more votes. His work was always centered around boosting the Haskins and Annika Awards, but more importantly, the relationships with those in the sport.
To show how far Stubbs' reach went, I was chatting with PGA Tour star Chris Gotterup at the Houston Open in late March when Stubbs came up in conversation. Gotterup's face lit up, and he told me to tell Stubbs hello and hoped he was doing well. After a quick text message, Stubbs responded two minutes later, "He is the best. Thank you."
A mentor, a fellow Berry College Viking, but most importantly, a friend. We will miss you Stubbs. Thank you for everything you did for College Golf. Until we meet again friend, rest easy. pic.twitter.com/vw8OiOE8MB
When news of Stubbs' death came, the college golf community was quick to offer tributes. Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam, who worked closely with Stubbs, said "Sad beyond words." Gotterup, the 2022 Haskins winner, said "Brian was the best, sad news. Thinking of his family." Julie Crenshaw, wife of three-time Haskins winner Ben Crenshaw, added: "Such awful news! So sad to hear."
All of the messages told a similar story: Stubbs was the man with the infectious smile who hauled trophies across the country to see as many coaches and players as he could.
The last time I saw Stubbs was by that first tee at Augusta National. We shook hands and he introduced me to Tyler. During our conversation, multiple people walked past who Stubbs recognized, and he stopped and said hello with that contagious grin that hardly left his glowing face. As we parted, Stubbs and I agreed we'd be in touch plenty before reconnecting at NCAAs, discussing the watch lists for the Haskins and Annika Awards, the dinners he'd created for the 10 finalists in recent years and just chatting about college golf.
We said our goodbyes, and he and Tyler began their trek down the first fairway, planning to spend the day walking the first nine at Augusta National. I take solace knowing the last time I saw Stubbs, he was getting to make memories with his son at the Masters. Little did he know the thousands of memories he helped college golfers make over the last decade thanks to his dedication and persistence in sharing the history of the sport.
Stubbs always took time to thank those who supported his passions. If only we could've thanked him one last time for giving his everything to college golf.
A memorial service is planned for 11 a.m. ET Monday, May 11 at the First Baptist Church of Columbus. A reception will follow at the Country Club of Columbus.
