Updated with memorial service information and link to obituary.
Clyde Luther obituary [icon name="file-pdf-o" class="" unprefixed_class=""]
The Virginia State Golf Association mourns the passing of Clyde Luther, a past VSGA president, Virginia Golf Hall of Famer, celebrated Rules official and Joe Dey Award winner. Luther died on the evening of Friday, March 30 at the age of 88.
A celebration of Luther's life will be held on Monday, April 9 at 11 a.m. at Springfield Golf & Country Club.
Luther was born on Sept. 11, 1929 in Hooper, Neb. A longtime volunteer Rules of Golf official who worked more than 100 USGA championships, Luther served as president of the VSGA from 1985-86. He also is a past president of Springfield Golf & Country Club (his home club), the Middle Atlantic Golf Association and the Virginia Club Association.
But Luther made his reputation on his strong knowledge of the Rules of Golf. In 2002, the USGA rewarded Luther with its highest volunteer honor: The Joe Dey Award, given annually in recognition of meritorious service to the game.
That was not the only honor Luther received. In 1999, he earned the VSGA’s President’s Award. In 2001, the Middle Atlantic PGA presented Luther with the David Wortman Citizen of the Year Award. Luther was an honorary MAPGA lifetime member. In 2007, he was recognized with GOLF magazine’s “Innovator Award.” In 2008, the USGA presented Luther with the Ike B. Grainger Award for 25 years of service to the organization.
The Middle Atlantic Golf Association inducted Luther into its Hall of Fame in 2003, and Luther was one of six members of the Inaugural Class of the Virginia Golf Hall of Fame, inducted in May 2016.
It was that last honor that humbled Luther the most.
“It was a real surprise, I can tell you that,” he said at the time. “It’s really an honor to be selected, just incredible. I’ve received a number of nice awards over the years, but this is the tops when you’re being installed with guys like Curtis Strange, Vinny Giles, Lanny Wadkins, Sam Snead and Chandler Harper.”
Not only was Luther an ardent Rules official, he was a teacher of the Rules as well. He ran numerous joint USGA-PGA of America Rules seminars and taught at various regional workshops.
Luther also had a special connection with the college game. He served as NCAA Division I’s head Rules official for more than a decade and was the head rules official for the Atlantic Coast Conference for a number of years. Luther was also a longtime volunteer at Virginia High School League championships, and in 2002, the VSGA named the trophy given to the winner of its Junior Match Play Championship the Clyde Luther Trophy.
Luther, a former pilot in the U.S. Air Force, who worked as a commercial pilot from 1956 until his retirement in 1989.