Lorne Rubenstein
Lorne Rubenstein has been named the 2012 recipient of the George Cumming Distinguished Service Award by the PGA of Canada. The longtime golf journalist and author will be recognized next month at Canada Night during the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla.
"For more than 35 years, Lorne has contributed to the game of golf through his passions as historian, journalist and author," said Gregg Schubert, PGA of Canada President. "He's also been a very strong PGA of Canada supporter over that time as well, with his wonderful stories about the likes of Moe Norman, George Knudson, Ben Kern and countless others."
Born in Toronto in 1948, Rubenstein was curator for the Royal Canadian Golf Association's museum and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame from 1976-1982 before become the first editor of SCOREGolf magazine from 1981-1983. He has also written a golf column for The Globe and Mail since 1980. He has won four first-place awards from the Golf Writers Association of America, one National Magazine Award in Canada, and, most recently, he won the award for the best feature in 2009 from the Golf Journalists Association of Canada.
His 12 books include The Natural Golf Swing, with George Knudson (1988); A Season in Dornoch: Golf and Life in the Scottish Highlands (2001); Mike Weir: The Road to the Masters (2003); and most recently Moe & Me: Encounters with Moe Norman, Golf's Mysterious Genius (2012).
Rubenstein is also a member of the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame, the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and was honoured with the Canadian Sports Media Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009.
"Being honoured with the George Cumming Distinguished Service Award certainly comes as a surprise," Rubenstein admits. "But I'm certainly humbled and honoured to be recognized by the PGA of Canada."
Considered the "Dean of Canadian Professional Golfers," George Cumming's teachings as proprietor of the Toronto Golf Club's golf shop launched the career of many of Canada's most revered golfers.
The Distinguished Service Award is designed to recognize outstanding individuals who display leadership and humanitarian qualities, including integrity, sportsmanship and enthusiasm for the game of golf.
Dick Grimm was presented with the inaugural George Cumming Distinguished Service Award last December and Rubenstein says he's proud to be following in his friend's footsteps.
"Dick and I are quite close and we probably see each other over coffee at least once a week," Rubenstein says. "So to follow him in receiving this award is really something."