by: Arthur Utley
*The article first appeared in the July/August 2026 issue of Virginia Golfer Magazine
Butch Liebler is in a class by himself.
Literally.
Come March 2027, when the man whose name is synonymous with anything golf in the Tidewater region is officially inducted into the Middle Atlantic PGA section Hall of Fame, he will be the 64th member and sole inductee in the Class of 2027.
Butch Liebler is a storyteller. He likes to answer questions by telling a story.
For example: What does entry into the Hall of Fame mean to you? Response: “Do you mind me dragging this out a little bit? It’s a story.”
His first story dovetailed with another later in the interview and produced the answer: “This is the one thing I wanted to accomplish in my life because I wanted my children to be proud of me when I’m gone. I wanted to get to the top.
“If you want to be successful at anything, you have to be committed,” Butch continued. “I loved what I did. How many people in life get to take their hobby and make it their business? I’m so blessed. It wasn’t lucky. God had a plan, and he’s still giving me that plan.”
His son Matt, the head PGA professional and director of golf at Princess Anne Country Club in Virginia Beach, noted, “I know personally how much this means to him and to be able to join a lot of his colleagues and friends who came up through the ranks with as a member of the Hall of Fame.”
A FAMILY TRADITION
The story of Butch’s entry into the world of professional golf includes graduation from Churchland High School and attending Elon College and Old Dominion University before a two-year stint in Vietnam.
He came back from Vietnam “scarred. I’m still scarred,” said Butch, who is 83 and has dealt with PTSD for 60 years. His service dog, Sergeant, is his faithful companion.
His father, Alan, a member at Elizabeth Manor Country Club, introduced Butch to golf when he was three years old. Although he won two Portsmouth City Championship golf titles, Butch said his younger brothers Lloyd and Steve and his father were better players.
Butch began his professional career in 1970 at Cedar Point Country Club then filled the head job at Elizabeth Manor (1970–76). He was elected to PGA membership in 1975 prior to becoming head PGA Professional at Cavalier Golf & Yacht Club in 1977. He retired from there in 2000.
“My dad was a rock star. He was the mayor of Cavalier Golf & Yacht Club,” said Matt, who’s in his 19th year on the Princess Anne staff. “It was almost like he had this celebrity status which made him this bigger-than-life type persona. And who doesn’t want to be part of that?”
Butch was recognized as the 1998 MAPGA Golf Professional of the Year, the section’s highest award. He was named 1990 Merchandiser of the Year – Private category, and he received the 1985 MAPGA Professional Development Award.
He was president of the Virginia Chapter (1982–83) and on the MAPGA Section board. “Butch Liebler has made an incredible impact on the Middle Atlantic PGA, and not just through his early years in the Virginia Chapter and Section Board governance.
Butch developed an incredible stable of PGA protégés, including his two sons, to influence
the business of golf,” said Jon Guhl, whose 31-year run as MAPGA executive director
recently ended. “He helped the Buy.com tour event in Virginia Beach grow and succeed, and he helped the Payton Invitational become a renowned junior golf event,” Guhl said. “Lastly, as an instructor, he helped a handful of players reach the various tours and countless amateurs improve their game. Butch is the epitome of a PGA professional who has excelled in the business and the game of golf.”
MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT
Relationships are central to Butch’s teaching philosophy. The Xs and Os are one thing, but Matt said, “[What] I learned most from him was the most important thing you can do is make somebody feel good about themselves … he always taught with such positivity, such encouragement, and he kept it light and kept it fun. He’s one of a kind and that would always show in his lessons.”
Matt’s brother, Brian, is a golf professional, but he works on a different side of the business as southeast regional sales manager for Mid-Atlantic Golf Cars of Virginia.
“I always felt like I would be part of golf in some way. I pretty much always thought that was the only thing I knew. I loved trying something different. I know how to talk to golf professionals because I am a golf professional. That comes from my dad,” Brian said. “How to deal with people, how not to deal with people, having that overall sense when you walk into a room in Virginia because of your family and who you’ve known—it helps to have that confidence to get people to open up to you. All that comes from my dad because we all know how to talk.”
Brian is glad to see his dad has a place in the MAPGA Hall of Fame. “Butch did so much for golf professionals and the MAPGA, just anything having to do with golf for so long,” he said. “He was so well known. I’m super excited for him. He needs this. I think it’s a good thing for him.”