Looking back...

The Royal 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.  The Royal Palace approved the year of founding in 1937.

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 Chairman Tom Blanckaert was elected in 2019.  Currently there are 249 Effective and Associate Members.