GSCAA (Golf Course Superintendents Association of America) recently announced that former LPGA Tour pro Dottie Pepper will be awarded the 42nd Old Tom Morris Award. The most prestigious honor by GSCAA recognizes talents who have significantly contributed to promoting the game.

Pepper joins the elite list of former golfers such as Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Gary Player, Dinah Shore, Annika Sorenstam, and Nancy Lopez by winning this award. The 58-year-old is only the seventh woman in history to win this award. But what does the Old Tom Morris Award celebrate, and why was Pepper selected for it?

All you need to know about the 50-year-old prestigious award

Through this award, GSCAA recognizes people who have promoted the game of golf and contributed to the profession in some way or another from outside the greens. Pepper, aside from being a stellar golfer, also enjoyed a successful stint as a broadcaster for almost two decades. Incidentally, the first award was presented to Arnold Palmer in 1983, recognizing his contribution to the game.

GSCAA celebrates Old Tom Morris’s legacy through this award. The 19th-century golfer was one of the best in his era and was also a four-time winner of the British Open. Morris was also a professional greenkeeper associated with the St. Andrews Links Trust Golf Club for over 35 years, revamping the course completely that earned it the moniker ‘Home of Golf’. Hailed as one of the greatest golf architects of the past era, Morris’s legacy of giving something back to the game is celebrated by GSCAA through this award.

However, it is important to remember that it is presented to anyone whom the GSCAA deems fit, not just golf course architects or former golfers. Selected by the board of directors, the award is presented at the GSCAA Conference. Pepper will receive the Old Tom Morris award next year at the Sunrise Celebration on January 31 at Phoneix. GCSAA CEO Rhett Evans said in an official statement, “(S)he also has a deep appreciation for what all goes into making the game happen and the work that superintendents do, which is why Dottie Pepper is an ideal recipient of the Old Tom Morris Award.”

A two-time major winner on the LPGA Tour, Pepper set a record during her second major victory at the Mission Hills Country Club. 34-year-old Pepper’s 19-under-par performance in 1999 at Nabisco Dinah Shore (now known as The Chevron Championship) is still a statement of the prowess she exerted with the club. 24 years later, it is yet to be broken by any LPGA Tour pro. The 17-time LPGA Tour winner also had a garlanded Solheim Cup career with an envious 13-5-2 record from six appearances. Her 4-0-0 win at Muirfield Village in 1998 is still one of the most shining moments in the USA’s Solheim Cup history.

Read More: Dottie Pepper Reveals Heartening Details About Bonding With Her Mentor: ‘I Became the Child for Him That Was Living in Town’

Dottie Pepper is on cloud nine

The former LPGA Tour pro was taken aback by the announcement. Writing on X (formerly Twitter), the 17-time LPGA Tour winner wrote, “Thought the GSCAA was contacting me to record a video for the award winner. What an absolutely amazing surprise. Thank you!” It is quite natural for her to think that she might be asked to record a video, as she has enjoyed immense success outside the greens as well.

Aside from her career that’s dotted with 25 professional victories, she enjoyed a spectacular time as a commentator. Not without her fair share of controversy, though. Her off-the-green stint with NBC and Golf Channel went on until 2012. Moreover, she was also selected as an assistant captain for the US team in the 2013 Solehim Cup. Three years ago, Dottie Pepper created history by becoming the first walking reporter at the Masters.

Her commentary has resonated with millions of fans worldwide. And as the Old Tom Morris Award shows, the directors of GSCAA noticed it as well.

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