Georgia GCSA names scholarship recipients

Scholarship committee chairman Mike Martin announced that eight students received the 2015 Georgia Golf Course Superintendents Association Legacy Scholarship. The scholarship offers educational aid to children and grandchildren of Georgia GCSA members. The awards, totaling $7,200 this year, are funded by the Georgia GCSA.

Karli Durden won the highest scholarship for the second year in a row. A biology major at the University of Georgia, Durden is the daughter of Joe Durden from Augusta National Golf Club and Augusta Country Club. He has been Georgia GCSA member since 1990.

Martin, from Hampton Golf Village in Cumming, Ga., praised the caliber of applicants for this year's Legacy Scholarships, which he said were among the strongest in the history of the scholarships.

Applications were reviewed independently by the Georgia GCSA scholarship committee. Criteria for selection included: academic achievement, extracurricular and community involvement, leadership and outside employment. Students were required to submit two essays. One or more of the applicant's parents or grandparents must have been a Georgia GCSA member for five or more consecutive years and must be a currently active Georgia GCSA member in one of the following classifications: A, SM, C, Retired A, Retired SM or AA Life. Students must be enrolled full-time at an accredited institution for the next academic year.

This year’s recipients were:

-- Karli Durden: Daughter of Joe Durden, Augusta National Golf Club and Augusta Country Club
-- Ryan Cunningham - Son of Tim Cunningham, CGCS Coosa Country Club
-- Joshua Abrams, son of Mark Abrams, Wolf Creek Golf Club
-- Hannah and Morgan Kepple - Daughters of Ralph Kepple, CGCS East Lake Golf Club
-- Alex Kicklighter - Son of Hampton Kicklighter, CGCS Dublin Country Club
-- Ben Murray - Grandson of Buzz Howell, retired
-- Preston Kell - Son of Lawrence Kell, The Chimneys Golf Course