ELMSFORD, N.Y. (June 6, 2016) — The Metropolitan Golf Writers Association will honor longtime Metropolitan Golf Association Executive Director Jay Mottola with its Distinguished Service Award at the 65^th National Awards Dinner on Monday, July 25, 2016 at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown, New York.

The MGWA’s Distinguished Service Award honors individuals as well as organizations for their contributions and service to golf, and for inspiring others who love this great game.

Mottola’s career with the MGA began in 1977 when he served as a member of the Association’s Tournament Field Team. He joined the staff full time in 1980 as the Deputy Executive Director, and was promoted to Executive Director just two years later. During his 34 years in the position, the Tuxedo, N.Y., native has guided the Association through perhaps its most prolific period in history—years highlighted by growth and an expansion of services. The launch of The Met Golfer (1983), the development of a property and casualty insurance program offered to member clubs (1983), the creation of the MGA Foundation (1992), and the building of “Golf Central” as home of not only the MGA but also a number of other area golf organizations (1994), have all unfolded during Mottola’s tenure.

Mottola’s service to the game also extends to the national level, he has worked closely with the USGA on a number of important projects and in 2009 he was honored with the USGA’s Ike Grainger Award in recognition of his 25 years of volunteer service to the Association. Mottola has been a member of several USGA Committees, and chaired the Handicap Procedure Committee from 1999 to 2004. He was also instrumental in the creation and growth of the USGA’s GHIN service and in the effort to bring the U.S. Open to Bethpage Black in 2002.

He has also been active on national boards, serving on the Board of the National Club Association and the Executive Committee of Golf 20/20, and is also a past president of the International Association of Golf Administrators. Mottola is currently an officer with The First Tee of Metropolitan New York, and played a lead role in establishing the chapter in 2001 with the MGA Foundation as a founding partner. He is also a long time member of the Westchester Caddie Scholarship Fund and MGWA Board of Directors.

Mottola is a graduate of The Wharton School and Lafayette College where he played collegiate basketball and golf. He lives in Tarrytown, N.Y., with his wife Patty and has four daughters.

Other MGWA award recipients this year include Davis Love III (Gold Tee Award), Tim Rosaforte (Linc Werden Golf Journalism Award) and Century Country Club (Club of the Year).  Additional award recipients will be announced in the coming weeks.

Since 1952, the MGWA has recognized the game’s greatest players, contributors, and organizations at its National Awards Dinner – the longest-running and often the largest golf dinner in the U.S. each year. A special video celebrates the six decades of the Dinner: https://vimeo.com/63849701

Long-time MGWA member Jim Nantz says, “There is no dinner in America that celebrates golf like this one.”

Golf’s leading organizations – PGA of America, PGA TOUR, LPGA, USA, MGA and top companies – Rolex, MetLife, and KPMG support the National Awards Dinner. The MGWA has raised more than 1.5 million dollars for Caddie Scholarship programs in the metropolitan New York area; the MGA Foundation; and the Dave Marr Journalism Scholarship at Columbia University.

For tickets or additional information, please contact:

Kate Keller (914) 347-4653, kate@metgolfwriters.org
Bruce Smith (914) 944-4445, BruceSmith@sportybear.com