Richter Named 2011 PAGA President
Dr. Peter G. Richter was elected President of the Pennsylvania Golf Association at its recent fall meeting. "I can't remember a time in my life when some aspect of the game of golf was not front and center," he says. Early on he captained the golf team at the University of South Carolina and more recently served as the President of the Harrisburg District Golf Association. In the mid-eighties he began work as a volunteer with the USGA. In this capacity since 1985 he has served on their Boys Junior Championship Committee where he assists in running both the local qualifying and national championships. For the last twenty plus years he has served as a Rules Official for the USGA annually working at the US Open, the US Senior Open and the US Amateur as well as many other championships.
"This volunteer activity allowed me to referee for Arnie, Jack, Tiger, Gary and just about all the players we golfers identify by first name only,” Richter says. "It has truly been wonderful to experience the ultimate in golf in this way."
In central PA he conducts Rules of Golf workshops for interested players as well as high school and college students. And for the last 8 years he has been a member of the Pennsylvania Golf Association’s Executive Committee where he assists in officiating tournaments across the state. "Working with this group has truly been an honor for me. It has allowed me to meet and get to know both players and spectators. It is also very rewarding to watch all of the members of this committee tirelessly devote so much time and energy to the tournaments we sponsor.”
Pete is a retired dentist and lives in Mechanicsburg with his wife Pat. Nearby is his son Chip, the golf professional at Carlisle Country Club. He is a member of the Hershey Golf Club, The Bay Hill Club in Florida and the Royal and Ancient in St. Andrews, Scotland.
"I have big shoes to fill following Chuck Dannenberg, our most recent past President," he says. "But working with a staff that is unequalled at PA Golf will be the secret to getting the job done." Some of our successes last year included the inaugural Father & Son Championship, another very respectful finish in the USGA State Team Championship, and Nathan Smith winning his third USGA Middle-Amateur Championship.
This year’s State Open will be held at Moselem Springs GC and the PA Amateur at Lancaster CC, the site of the USGA's Women’s Open in 2015. In addition, the association will sponsor the PA Junior at Hershey CC, the PA Senior Amateur at Edgewood CC, and the Middle-Amateur at Williamsport CC, as well as many other competitions across the state.
"Actually, there's a tournament for almost anyone willing to tee it up," he says.