Remembering Brian Stubbs, one of college golf’s biggest supporters

Brian Stubbs, one of college golf’s biggest supporters, died Saturday from natural causes. He was 54 years old.

Stubbs had served as the executive director of the Haskins Foundation for the past 13 years, spearheading the promotion of both the Fred Haskins Award, given annually to the national collegiate player of the year, and the Annika Award, which recognizes the top female collegiate player each year. Both honors are the only awards in college golf voted on by players, coaches and media members.

Prior to his role with the Haskins, Stubbs, a graduate of Berry College in Mount Berry, Georgia, worked as the head golf professional at the Country Club of Columbus, during which he served a term as president of the Georgia PGA.

Last year, Stubbs was named the Georgia PGA’s executive of the year. Longtime Haskins Foundation board member John Shinkle reckons Stubbs would’ve been a hot commodity across the industry but says Stubbs found his niche as the foundation’s tireless and passionate leader.

“He was so happy in this position,” Shinkle said. “I remember after he won that award, him saying, ‘I love my job. I’m doing what I was meant to do.’ … He knew everybody in college golf. College golf is going to miss him.”

Stubbs took over as the Haskins’ executive director shortly before the Annika Award was created in 2014. At the time, Haskins voting was still being done via paper ballots and phone calls. Stubbs led the awards into the modern era, and since taking over had easily quadrupled the number of votes the Haskins received on an annual basis.

“He always wanted one vote more than last year, and he always got it,” Shinkle said.

Golfweek’s Lance Ringler chuckles when he thinks back to Stubbs sitting in media rooms at NCAA Championships as votes for both awards would come in.

“He’d get a vote, say it was a player from Colgate, and sure enough, he’d look up that player’s Instagram and send them a direct message, ‘Thank you for voting,’” Ringler said. “I’d be like, ‘Stubbs, what are you doing?’ He’d tell me he wanted to thank every player who voted. That’s how deeply he cared. … I still remember how excited he’d get when a new school would vote.”

Stubbs was a constate at tournaments – men and women, big and small, far and wide – throughout the season. He’d usually drive to those events, trophy riding shotgun and strapped in with a seatbelt. One time, he trekked from his home in Columbus, Georgia, to Scottsdale, Arizona, for the NCAA Championship.

“The trophies were his babies, and he didn’t trust anybody to ship them,” Shinkle said. “He loved getting in the car and driving. … He probably put 100s of thousands of miles on his car.”

Ben Adelberg, founder of Back of the Range and a Haskins brand ambassador, says one of Stubbs’ favorite pastimes was to stand on the first tee at a tournament and show players the trophy. He was a huge fan of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, but when it came to college golf, he played no favorites.

“It didn’t matter what school you represented or where you were ranked, he cared about them all,” Adelberg said. “One of the things he enjoyed most was placing the Annika and Haskins award trophies on the first tee at tournaments and watching players gather around, studying the names of past winners. He believed every collegiate golfer should have the opportunity to see those trophies at least once during their career.”

Adelberg added that Stubbs’ philosophy was to do whatever he could to make college and amateur golf “bigger and better.”

In the hours after Stubbs’ death was announced, tributes poured in:

LPGA Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam: “Sad beyond words.”

PGA Tour player and past Haskins winner Chris Gotterup: “Brian was the best. Sad news. Thinking of his family.”

Auburn women’s coach Melissa Luellen: “Brian was such a constant in college golf.”

TV producer Brandt Packer: “Just an all-time great guy. Loved the college game and poured his heart and soul into it.”

Former Georgia Tech and South Carolina men’s coach Puggy Blackmon: “Brian was the Haskins and Annika awards. He elevated the prestigious honor to a highly respected achievement. He was everywhere taking it to the highest plateau.”

College Golf World Championships Foundation: “Brian was more than a partner to us–he was a friend who shared our passion for making college golf bigger, elevating the championships, and creating unforgettable, life-changing experiences for student-athletes through the Haskins Foundation. He had a rare gift for connecting people, honoring the game and always keeping the focus where it belonged. Brian was humble, kind and incredibly generous. A true businessman, yet always self-deprecating and genuine in a way that made everyone around him feel valued.”

And with NCAA women’s regionals set to begin a week from Monday, some coaches and players are planning to wear buttons with Stubbs’ famous saying on them: Thank you for voting.

As I write this obituary, I can’t help but think of the many memories I have of Stubbs, including countless phone calls where we’d deliberate over the watch lists for the Haskins and Annika awards. It was just a few weeks ago, too, that I was in Auburn for a video shoot with Jackson Koivun, who is likely to win the Haskins for a second time this year. So that Koivun could have the actual trophy for the shoot, Stubbs drove it over that morning, then I met him on the way home to hand it back off. He was already excited about the upcoming NCAA Championships, particularly the dinners he’d created two years ago to celebrate the finalists for both awards. He was always introducing new ideas, and this year, he was letting Koivun pick the dessert: Chocolate lava cake.

“Feels like he deserves an entire cake himself,” Stubbs texted Koivun’s mother, Megan, after Koivun won his fifth of what is now six spring tournaments. That was Brian; always reaching out to let people know he cared, and doing so usually with humor.

Stubbs is survived by his wife, Catherine, and their children, Hannah and Tyler, who will graduate from college and high school, respectively, this month. Stubbs had planned to leave the NCAA Championship for a few days to attend both.

“Where are you going to meet a guy like that again?” Ringler said. “He’s irreplaceable. What he did – sure the Haskins Award can find someone to do that, but they aren’t going to find another Brian Stubbs. He poured so much energy and passion into that award and getting people to vote.

“He was just a great human being.”

A memorial service is planned for Monday, May 11 at 11 a.m. ET at the First Baptist Church of Columbus, with a reception to follow at CC of Columbus.