Northern Texas PGA Announces Creation of Byron Nelson Foundation | Northern Texas PGA Hall of Fame
Eight Named to Inaugural Class
Frisco, TX (October 1) – The Northern Texas PGA has announced the creation of the Byron Nelson Foundation | Northern Texas PGA Hall of Fame. This newly created hall of fame honors individuals, both PGA Members and non-Members/Ambassadors, whose careers, character, and contributions reflect the highest standards of service to the PGA Member, advancement of the game, and lasting influence on the Section and/or Foundation.
The inaugural class consists of eight people, including PGA Members Joe Black, Ross Collins, Ronny Glanton, David Price, and Randy Smith, as well as non-Members/Ambassadors Dr. Bill Blair, Fin Ewing III, and Jerry J. Ransom.
“We are thrilled to begin our own Hall of Fame with the support of the Byron Nelson Foundation. We have so many worthy professionals and ambassadors for the game who have done wonderful things for our Section, its Members, and our Foundation that to be able to honor them in this way going forward will be very special,” said Northern Texas PGA Executive Director Kelly Gilley, PGA.
On Thursday, October 30, the Northern Texas PGA staff will host a celebration luncheon for the inductees and their guests at the Home of the PGA of America. Following the luncheon, there will be an unveiling of their names on the Byron Nelson Foundation | Northern Texas PGA Hall of Fame at the Jerry J. Ransom Northern Texas PGA Golf House.
Learn more about each of the inaugural class inductees:
Joe Black, PGA
Joe Black has dedicated his life to the game of golf, beginning as a young caddie in Snyder, Texas, and later playing collegiate golf at Hardin-Simmons University, where he helped win a national championship. After a short stint on the PGA TOUR, he transitioned to a leadership role, serving as a tournament supervisor and becoming a respected authority on the rules of golf.
Black spent 20 years as head professional at Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas and played a pivotal role in forming the Northern and Southern Texas PGA Sections, later serving as president of the Northern Texas PGA. He was elected president of The PGA of America in 1980, where he helped solidify the organization’s business foundation and strengthen its relationship with the PGA TOUR.
Honored through the annual Texas Joe Black Cup Matches, Black is a member of the PGA of America Hall of Fame (2005), the Hardin-Simmons University Sports Hall of Fame, and the Texas Golf Hall of Fame (1982). He is widely respected for his lifelong impact on all aspects of the game.
Dr. Bill Blair
Dr. Bill Blair is a Dallas native whose career has spanned finance, medicine, and philanthropy. After graduating from Highland Park High School and the University of Texas at Austin, he earned his medical degree from the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, Ireland. He went on to train in anesthesiology and later specialized in pain management, practicing across the U.S. and Canada until his retirement in 2009.
An avid golfer, Blair joined Royal Oaks Country Club in 2010, where he developed a lasting friendship with Randy Smith, PGA. In 2022, the Northern Texas PGA honored their partnership by naming its Growth of the Game Pavilion the Randy Smith & Dr. Bill Blair WHO’S NEXT Pavilion.
Blair has pledged the largest planned gift in NTPGA Foundation history, one that will endow scholarships, expand junior golf opportunities, and support interns for years to come.
Ross Collins, PGA
Ross Collins was a prominent figure in Texas golf, serving as President of the Texas PGA Section (1961–62) and later the Northern Texas PGA (1977). Before his golf career, he was a successful athlete and coach, winning multiple amateur titles including the Arkansas Open (1951) and the National Lefthanders Championship (four times).
He began his career as a golf professional in 1954, holding head professional roles at Dallas Athletic Club, Lakewood Country Club, Dallas Country Club, and Riverhill Country Club until his retirement in 1986. A pioneer in golf education, Collins launched the Section’s first programs in 1959 and mentored 17 future PGA head professionals. He was named PGA of America’s Golf Professional of the Year in 1971.
Born in Mingus, Texas, Collins earned 10 varsity letters at North Texas State (now UNT) and served as a Navy pilot in WWII, earning the Navy Cross and three Air Medals. He was inducted into multiple halls of fame, including the PGA of America Hall of Fame (2005) and the Texas Golf Hall of Fame (1984).
Fin Ewing III
Fin Ewing has become a key figure in North Texas golf through decades of support for the NTPGA, even as a non-PGA professional. In 2006, he partnered with the NTPGA Foundation, helping grow the Ewing Automotive NTPGA Junior Tour into a program with over 4,000 members and 450 tournaments annually. His support has helped shape countless junior golfers, including his own sons, who went on to play collegiate golf.
Beyond junior golf, the Ewing Charity Classic, a standout pro-am event, raises funds for the NTPGA Foundation’s growth of the game initiatives.
Ewing grew up in the car business, eventually taking over the family dealership in 1985. Today, his son carries on the legacy. Known for his humor, storytelling, and generosity, Ewing was named the first honorary Northern Texas PGA Member in 2016. He is also a member of both the Texas Golf Hall of Fame (2019) and the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic Hall of Fame.
Ronny Glanton, PGA
Ronny Glanton has been the head professional at Sherrill Park Golf Course in Richardson, Texas, since 1985. The only PGA professional in Northern Texas PGA history to serve two terms as Section President (2006–07, 2018–19), Glanton helped usher in the announcement of PGA Frisco as the new home of the Northern Texas PGA.
A three-time Northern Texas PGA Golf Professional of the Year (1999, 2007, 2019), he was also honored nationally in 2020 as the PGA of America Golf Professional of the Year. Over his 40+ years of membership, Glanton has been a dedicated mentor to fellow professionals, serving as District 12 Director on the PGA of America’s Board of Directors and chairing multiple national committees.
His legacy is celebrated at the Northern Texas PGA’s Frisco campus, where the Ronny Golf Park introduces juniors to the game through fun, year-round programs. Glanton will be inducted into the PGA of America Hall of Fame later this year and is a member of the Texas Golf Hall of Fame (2022).
David Price, PGA
David Price was a golfing standout at Odessa Permian High School and the University of Texas. At Texas, he played alongside Ben Crenshaw and Tom Kite on back-to-back national championship teams in 1971 and 1972. After graduating with a finance degree, he pursued a career in golf with guidance from coach George Hannon.
Price served as PGA head professional at Oak Hills Country Club in San Antonio (1973–1985) and then at Bent Tree Country Club in Dallas, where his expertise in handicapping and tournament operations played a key role. He helped author the PGA’s first tournament manual and was instrumental in modernizing scoring systems.
In 1987, he joined the PGA of America Rules Committee, later serving as Chairman and officiating at major championships including The Masters, Ryder Cup, and U.S. Open. He also contributed to the 2016 rewrite of the Rules of Golf.
He is a mentor to many; 21 of his assistants have become head professionals. Price was named PGA Golf Professional of the Year in 1995 and has also been inducted into both the PGA of America Hall of Fame (2000) and the Texas Golf Hall of Fame (2012).
Jerry J. Ransom
Jerry Ransom is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and civic leader. He has been a steadfast supporter of the Northern Texas PGA Foundation since 2016. Inspired by its mission to impact the community through golf, he became the lead contributor to the capital campaign for the NTPGA’s campus at PGA Frisco, where the Jerry J. Ransom Northern Texas PGA Golf House now bears his name.
He also helped create two signature events: the Jerry J. Ransom Pro-Junior-Am, which raises funds for the Foundation and awards scholarships, and the Jerry J. Ransom Shootout at the Oaks, designed to thank PGA professionals for their dedication to growing the game.
A graduate of the University of Oklahoma and Southern Methodist University, Ransom built a successful career as founder of OmniSYS, Inc., a leading healthcare technology company. Beyond golf, he has given generously to education and local causes, serving his community as a Greenville City Council member and currently as mayor.
Randy Smith, PGA
Randy Smith is one of the most influential PGA professionals in Northern Texas PGA history. For nearly 50 years, he has shaped the game through elite instruction, leadership, and philanthropy.
Based at Royal Oaks Country Club since 1977, where he became head professional in 1980 and now serves as Golf Professional Emeritus, Smith has coached top players including Justin Leonard and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.
He founded the Great 108 fundraiser in 1983, which has raised over $2.2 million for the NTPGA Foundation. He also helped forge key partnerships with supporters like the Ewing family and Dr. Bill Blair.
A past president of the Northern Texas PGA and a member of both the Texas Golf Hall of Fame (2011) and PGA of America Hall of Fame (2005), Smith holds a record 18 national PGA of America awards, including Professional of the Year and Coach of the Year.
To many, Randy Smith
is Royal Oaks and a pillar of the Northern Texas PGA.
To be considered for the Byron Nelson Foundation | Northern Texas PGA Hall of Fame, candidates are held to the standard of the Byron Nelson quote, “Be good to the game and give back.” Additionally, for PGA of America golf professional inductees to be considered, they must have demonstrated excellence across four core pillars:
- Leadership/Service
- Achievements/Awards
- NTPGA Foundation Support/Growth of the Game Initiatives
- Impact/Legacy
Byron Nelson Foundation | Northern Texas PGA Hall of Fame nominations and selections will be made in odd years only, with the inaugural class beginning in 2025.
All nominees must be at least 50 years of age. It is recommended that PGA Members have been in the Section for a minimum of 10 years (time at which their impact was made), and they must be a PGA Member in good standing (if nominated in the PGA Professional category).
The Byron Nelson Foundation | Northern Texas PGA Hall of Fame is managed by a committee that is currently chaired by Jake McCullough, past Northern Texas PGA president and current PGA head professional at Odessa Country Club. The complete committee can be found here.
