Pinnell to be honored by NGCOA for work on Oklahoma Golf Trail
CHARLESTON, S.C. (March 30, 2026) — Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell will be one of our individuals honored by the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) as a 2026 recipient of its NGCOA Champion Award. Each year, the association recognizes the most outstanding members of the past year, as well as the individuals and organizations that have helped preserve the tradition of the game while embracing the challenges and opportunities of the golf business.
The NGCOA Champion Award recognizes individuals or organizations that have successfully advocated for a group of owners, whether locally, regionally, nationally, or internationally, and have achieved notable victories for our members and the industry. Pinnell has been instrumental in the development of the Oklahoma Golf Trail (www.oklahoma.golf).
This year, the NGCOA recognizes these four outstanding golf industry advocates:
• Kevin McDonnell, for his role in exposing merchant processing fraud committed on thousands of golf courses, and his subsequent testimony as a witness in two federal trials.
• Representative Richard Hudson from North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District for his role as co-chair of the U.S. House Golf Caucus and for his support in elevating the American Golf Industry Coalition (AGIC) and National Golf Day.
• Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell, for his leadership in creating and promoting the new Oklahoma Golf Trail. This initiative showcases the state’s public and private golf courses, boosts tourism and celebrates the roots of golf in Oklahoma.
• The Empire State Golf Alliance for its execution, publication and special promotional campaign of the 2025 New York Golf Economic & Environmental Impact Report. The report revealed that the golf industry contributes a total economic output of $12.9 billion, supports nearly 90,000 jobs, and generates $1.03 billion in tax revenue.
These recipients will be honored at the NGCOA Champions Circle dinner taking place during the 2026 National Golf Day in Washington, D.C. The remainder of the 2026 winners were recognized throughout NGCOA’s Golf Business Conference 2026 this past January. Click here to learn more about NGCOA’s annual awards and see a list of past winners.