PGA CHAIR HOLDERS

George Will
1988-1993

John Halliwell
1993-1997

Willy Vanbegin
1997-1999

Chris Morton
2000-2005

Frank Dhondt

2006-2009

Phillip Harrison

2010-2011

Philippe Vanderstricht
2012-2015

Sophie Leten

2016-2019

Tom Blanckaert

2019-

Looking back...

The Professional Golfers’ Association of Belgium was founded in 1988 by the Scottish golf professional George Will, a Ryder Cup Team Member in the 1960’s. The game of golf was booming in Belgium at the time and many new developments were emerging.

Before 1988, a few golf professionals were running an unofficial association with much good will and the best of intentions. There are even documents going back to 1927. Unfortunately, no legal proof of existence was found.

George, who arrived in Belgium in the early 1980’s to coach the national amateur teams, recognized the need to restructure and professionalize the association in this rapidly changing environment.

On 14 March 1988, George led the inaugural meeting of the PGA of Belgium as it now exists. Of the 42 professionals who were working in Belgium at that time, 36 attended the meeting and elected George as their first Chairman.

George Will left Belgium in 1993 to return to the UK and John Halliwell (Royal Antwerp GC) was elected to replace him as Chairman. In the following year, the PGA of Belgium joined the PGAs of Europe and was thus in a position to offer the educational program of the British PGA to new, young Belgian members. At this time, the PGA of Belgium had 87 members and 9 trainees.

Today’s ChairmanTom Blanckaert was elected in 2019. Currently there are 229 Effective and Associate Members.