By Greg Johnson, GAM.org
2023 Inductees are Jerry Faubel, Doug LaBelle and Jean Murray
Gerald “Jerry” Faubel was the superintendent at Saginaw Country Club for over 35 years and a national turfgrass leader. Doug LaBelle II was a golf professional that played on the PGA Tour, as well as other professional tours around the world. Jean Murray was a standout player, Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) volunteer and high school golf coach. These three join the other 137 members enshrined into the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame (MGHOF).
The MGHOF, founded in 1982, also presented just a sixth Historical Special Award to the Michigan Section PGA, which in 2022 celebrated 100 years as one of the 41 sections of the PGA of America.
Jerry Faubel, who passed away at home in Arcadia in December of 2022 at the age of 81, was a native of Iowa who came to Michigan for the superintendent’s job at Saginaw Country Club in 1969. He was the first president of the Mid-Michigan Turf Association and was a board member for seven years with the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA). Faubel also traveled around the world to promote turfgrass studies and research, served with United States Golf Association (USGA) committees in multiple roles, helped found Executive Golf Search Inc. to aid superintendents in job placement, and with legendary golf course architect Robert Trent Jones created a scholarship endowment fund.
Doug LaBelle II, 48 and a real-estate broker in Mount Pleasant, played tour golf for 16 years, including four on the PGA Tour and eight on what is now the PGA’s Korn Ferry Tour. He collected 96 PGA Tour starts including a pair of U.S. Opens and a British Open, plus he played in 150 Korn Ferry tournaments. He won over $2.4 million combined and collected two Korn Ferry wins. At the University of New Mexico, he was a two-time All-American and won three individual titles. In 1998 he was a prestigious Palmer Cup selection for Team USA. While growing up he won multiple junior golf titles, was an all-state selection in high school and in the 1996 Michigan Amateur Championship was the runner-up to legend Pete Green.
Jean Murray, 85 a former GAM Governor and now Honorary Governor, continues to volunteer, won the inaugural GAM Senior Women’s Championship in 1997 and four times was in the top 10 on the GAM Honor Roll. She won multiple Michigan Women’s Golf Association titles and was the Mount Pleasant Country Club’s Champion 22 times. In 2009 at age 71 after two hip replacements, she won the prestigious Spring Lake Invitational. She also coached the girls’ golf team at Mount Pleasant High for 10 years, winning a state title in 1978 and leading four state runner-up teams. She also served the Mid-Michigan District Women’s Golf Association and the Saginaw Valley Women’s Golf Association.
The Michigan Section PGA received the Special Award to honor its history and the work of over 800 members. PGA Professionals not only compete, but teach the game, direct golf facilities and are involved in various philanthropic efforts like Project Hope and Folds of Honor supporting military veterans, the Midnight Golf Program in Detroit and grow-the-game junior golf initiatives like PGA Junior League and Drive, Chip & Putt.
The MGHOF is a heralded collection of portraits, plaques and memorabilia that commemorate its 137 members, including Walter Hagen and Chuck Kocsis and Al Watrous, and more current notables Meg Mallon, Dan Pohl and Kelly Robbins. The collection is housed and displayed in the Ken Janke Sr. Golf Learning Center, which is named in honor of the MGHOF co-founder.
For more information and to learn about the current members of the Hall of Fame, visit mghof.org.
