Richard Shanley was a multiple first flight champion and one of the original members of the South Haven Golf Club.

For all four years of his son's high school career, he drove the team to its matches and, later in life, until his death at 88 in June of 2005, he continued to help with his son's high school team at Lawton. He was also a wise advisor and volunteer for The CENTURY.

Despite hip and aortic valve replacements, he shot a 52 for nine holes the summer before his death while using a cart and a walker.

During his golfing prime, he twice made a spectacular shot on the final hole to win his club's first flight championship. Once, on the final hole, he sank a putt that actually went a full inch beyond the cup before backing up and in to win, despite the green being relatively flat. In another victory, he drained a 60-foot putt on the 24th hole - the sixth hole of sudden death - to win again.

Therefore, in his honor, The CENTURY is inaugurating a new award and trophy for the most spectacular shot of the event each year. When players turn in their scorecards to the scorer's tent, they will be asked to describe the most spectacular shot of the day in their group.

Richard Shanley III, Richard's grandson, will then select the winning shot at the end of the tournament and award the trophy.

Barry Shanley
Tournament Founder/Director

Barry Shanley founded The CENTURY State Junior Golf Championships in 2003 and has served as tournament director since the beginning.

His commitment to and interest in junior golf sparked the creation of the event and, thanks to his tireless work, The CENTURY continues to evolve as one of the state's premier junior competitions.

Shanley also serves as the head boys' golf coach at Lawton High School, a post he's held since 1996. He's also served as the head girls' golf coach at Hackett Catholic Central in Kalamazoo since 2004.

At Lawton, where he's coached since 1996, Shanley has led the Blue Devils to five consecutive appearances in the MHSAA state finals. His teams also captured conference titles nine out of the last 11 years, including 2006. He has been named Regional Coach of the Year twice - in 2000 and in 2004 - and in the fall of 2006 was appointed to the Michigan High School Athletic Association Golf Rules Committee.  His career record at Lawton is 717-201.

Contact Barry
269.501.2676
bgshanley@comcast.net