The golf world has lost an industry icon. OB Sports Golf Management founder Orrin Vincent passed away October 25 at his home in La Quinta, California. He was 76.
Vincent was one of the true visionaries and leaders in the field of golf course management. Since 1972, he had been involved in the management and development of some of the nation’s finest facilities and built OB Sports into one of the industry’s more highly respected and innovative management firms. Troon acquired OB Sports in 2019 and has fully integrated it into its management team and portfolio of courses
“On behalf of the entire team at OB Sports and Troon, we are so grateful for the time that we all had with this amazing friend and mentor,” said C.A. Roberts and Phil Green, Vincent’s longtime partners at OB Sports. “Words cannot appropriately capture the charisma, enthusiasm, motivational spirit and genuine compassion for others that Orrin provided to everyone he touched, both in and out of the golf industry.”
Born March 2, 1945, Vincent was instrumental in too many golf projects to name. Some of his more notable fingerprints can be found at Edgewood Tahoe, Angel Park, Langdon Farms, Washington National, Gamble Sands and the recently opened Dumbarnie Links in Scotland.
In addition to his accomplishments with OB Sports, Vincent’s impressive background and specialties included playing on the PGA Tour; coaching and mentoring numerous aspiring junior, collegiate and professional golfers; golf course design; golf course construction; premium facility maintenance; innovative marketing and brand development; retail sales; and growing every component of the game and business he loved.
Vincent received numerous personal awards for his expertise in golf. He was twice named the PGA Professional of the Year, was honored as PGA Merchandiser of the Year seven times, and won both the Bill Strausbaugh Award and the prestigious Presidents Plaque. He was also a seven-time SNPGA Player of the Year and was inducted in the Seattle University Hall of Fame.
Vincent always had a keen interest in junior golf, serving as a U.S. Junior World Cup team captain. He was also a founding board member for the American Junior Golf Association, who awarded him the Digger Smith Award for his lifetime achievements and support of junior golf. Just this past summer, he co-founded Coachella Youth Golf and was focused on promoting the game in the Coachella Valley and his beloved Pacific Northwest.
Vincent is survived by his wife, Barbara; their three children, O.D., Sheridan and Jenifer; and six grandchildren.