RDGA to Host Fifth Annual Hall of Fame Induction at Monroe GC on July 14
By DAVE EATON
The Rochester District Golf Association is pleased to announce five honorees who will comprise the Class of 2026 in the RDGA’s Fifth Annual Hall of Fame ceremony, to be held at Monroe Golf Club on the evening of July 14.
Joining the RDGA Hall of Fame this year will be: former Brook-Lea Country Club Head Professional John Calabria; Oak Hill past president and “Chapin Way” namesake William “Bill” Chapin, who helped bring major championship golf to Rochester; successful amateur, then professional, golfer Bob “Bobby” Hill, who later turned to golf instruction and golf course design as a leading ambassador for golf in Rochester; the Ryan Family, including RDGA District Championship namesake John H. Ryan Jr., whose multi-generational contributions to golf in Rochester set the bar for philanthropic commitment; and Christy Rittenhouse Schultz, who has established a superb playing record as both a junior and adult, winning seven WRDGA titles on the local scene and a women’s record nine titles at the State level.
On the evening of July 14, each inductee will receive a special medallion, and all inductees will be introduced by individuals well known to the local golfing community or who have a special connection to the inductee.
Upon announcing this year’s inductees, Hall of Fame Committee Chairman Mark Battle said, “On behalf of the entire RDGA and the RDGA Hall of Fame Committee, we are indeed proud and honored to pay tribute to our Fifth Class of Hall of Fame inductees. We look forward to celebrating the significant contributions to our sport both on and off the golf course by John Calabria, Bill Chapin, Bobby Hill, the Ryan Family and Christy Schultz. I think this is going to be an exciting night again for the RDGA and the Rochester Golf Community.”
The RDGA Hall of Fame Committee nominates candidates and approves them based on the following criteria:
- Contributions made by a candidate that enhance the sport of golf through playing, teaching, coaching, maintaining/managing, educating, writing or advocating for an extended period of time.
- Candidates who exemplify the spirit of the game of golf.
- The Achievements of candidates are sustainable over time.
- Eligibility can also include candidates who have, by virtue of name recognition, brought honor, distinction, and/or have favorable contributions to golf in the Greater Rochester area.
The RDGA welcomes inductees, their families, friends – as well as members of the public – to attend this year’s Hall of Fame Induction Celebration at Monroe Golf Club on Tuesday, July 14. Tickets to attend this event are $50, including hors d’oeuvres and a 1-hour open bar, and go on sale this Friday at RDGA.org.
John Calabria
As John Calabria enters the RDGA Hall of Fame this year, he follows Sam Urzetta, Frank Commisso, Craig Harmon, Jim Mrva and Denny Ferstler as Rochester-area PGA Professionals to be so honored. Born and raised in Rochester, Calabria parlayed a standout junior record into a golf scholarship at Florida State University before returning to Rochester for a career as a PGA Professional. While serving as Head Golf Pro at Brook‑Lea Country Club from 1978 to 1992, members fondly recall his ability to provide meaningful instruction. During his time as a club pro, Calabria played in three PGA Championships (including 1980 at Oak Hill Country Club), three U.S. Opens (1977, 1982 and 1985), two U.S. Senior Opens (1999 and 2000), three Senior PGA Championships (1999, 2001 and 2008 – again at Oak Hill) and two Senior British Opens (1998 and 2000). In 1993, Calabria moved to Naples, Florida, beginning a distinguished run as Director of Golf at Naples National Golf Club, followed by successful tenures at Tuscany Reserve and Fiddler’s Creek. Alongside those roles, he continued to compete at a high level – including a stretch on the PGA TOUR Champions – and enjoyed consistent success within the South Florida PGA Section. Off the course, Calabria took pride in mentoring young pros and staff about their games, career choices and the opportunities and obligations of their vocation – cementing a career defined by excellence both on the course and in his profession
William "Bill" Chapin
The legacy of William “Bill” Chapin is woven into the very entrance of Oak Hill Country Club, where Chapin Way honors the father‑and‑son team that helped bring championship golf to Rochester. While his father, Louis Chapin, was a founding member of Oak Hill in 1901 and served as club president from 1930-33, Bill first earned a reputation as a top amateur golfer, winning the Country Club of Rochester Invitation in 1936, and both the RDGA District Championship AND Oak Hill Club Championships in 1941, 1944 and 1948. He also played in the 1941 and 1942 Times Union Opens at Oak Hill, competing with many of the top professionals in the game at the time, and later won the League of the Iroquois in 1944 and 1955. It was Bill’s leadership as club president in the mid‑1950s, however, that elevated Oak Hill to national prominence. Drawing on his business acumen and his friendship with Bobby Jones, Chapin successfully persuaded the USGA to award the 1956 U.S. Open to Oak Hill, later chairing the championship committee and crafting the event’s business plan. The tournament, modest by today’s standards, became a landmark moment for Rochester, as much for its intimate pre‑Open gathering at the Chapin home attended by stars such as Arnold Palmer, Dr. Cary Middlecoff, and Walter Hagen. After Middlecoff’s one‑stroke victory over Ben Hogan, Chapin continued his influence on the game through service on the USGA Executive Committee, ensuring that major championships would return to Rochester. His vision, initiative, and generosity left an enduring imprint on both Oak Hill and the broader Rochester community.
Bob "Bobby" Hill
Bob “Bobby” Hill emerged as one of Rochester’s premier amateur golfers of the 1950s, building a career that blended competitive excellence with lasting contributions to the region’s golf landscape. Born in Rochester in 1929 – the same year that the RDGA was founded – Hill won his first RDGA title at age 18 in the 1947 Junior Championship, then added back‑to‑back RDGA District Championships in 1952 and 1953 – an achievement matched by only a select group of players. His talent carried him to a golf scholarship at the University of Alabama, where he won the 1952 SEC Individual Championship, and later to six years on the PGA Tour. After returning home, Hill served as Head Golf Professional at nearby Seneca Falls Country Club and at Happy Acres (now Webster) Golf Club before turning his attention to course design. In 1962, he partnered with architect Peter Craig to create Salmon Creek Country Club, and the pair later collaborated again on Craig Hill Golf Club, now Deerfield Golf & Country Club. Hill also became a familiar presence on local airwaves as the producer and host of regular golf programs on Rochester television. His passing in 2014 at age 85 marked the loss of a gifted competitor, an innovative course designer, and a dedicated ambassador for golf in the Rochester community.
The Ryan Family
For more than five decades, the name Ryan has been inseparable from the growth and spirit of golf in Rochester. At its heart stands John H. Ryan Jr., one of the region’s most gifted young players, whose RDGA Sub‑Junior titles in 1975 and 1976, Junior Championship in 1979, and back‑to‑back RDGA District Championships in 1981 and 1982 marked him as a rising star. His life and promising career were tragically cut short later in the summer of 1982, and the RDGA honored his legacy by naming its premier championship the “RDGA District Championship John H. Ryan Jr. Memorial.” John Jr.’s passion reflected the values of his parents, John H. Ryan Sr. and Sheila Hopkins Ryan, whose philanthropy and leadership strengthened the Rochester golf community for decades. John Sr., a respected builder and longtime member of Oak Hill Country Club and the Country Club of Rochester, devoted his later years to supporting the creation and growth of what is now the RDGA Foundation. Sheila continued that commitment throughout her life, extending the family’s tradition of service. That legacy endures through Chuck Ryan, John Jr.’s brother and current RDGA Foundation Board President, and his sons Joe, a 1998 RDGA Junior finalist (and Foundation Board member), and John Ryan II, the 2002 RDGA Sub-Junior Champion. Together, they represent the second and third generations of Ryan family dedication to the game. In recognition of their extraordinary, multi‑generational contributions to golf in Rochester, the RDGA proudly welcomes the Ryan Family into the RDGA Hall of Fame.
Christy Rittenhouse Schultz
Christy Rittenhouse Schultz stands as one of the most accomplished players in New York State women’s golf, building a record of sustained excellence that spans nearly three decades. A seven‑time WRDGA Champion between 1998 and 2007, Schultz quickly expanded her dominance to the state level, capturing the NYSGA Women’s Amateur titles in 2004, 2007, and 2008. When the NYSGA introduced the Women’s Mid‑Amateur Championship in 2009, she immediately claimed the first two editions, then remarkably added her third and fourth Mid‑Am titles more than a decade later in 2021 and 2022. Combined with her Girls’ Junior victories in 1996 and 1997, Schultz holds a women’s record nine NYSGA championship titles, a benchmark matched only by the nine Senior crowns won by Rochester’s Jean Trainor. With her competitive fire still burning and her résumé already historic, Schultz remains a perennial contender and a defining figure in Rochester and New York State golf.