- Home
- Member Services
- About VGCSA
- Industry Links
- Carolinas GCSA
- ESAGCS
- GCSAA
- Mid-Atlantic AGCS
- Middle-Atlantic PGA
- Mid-Atlantic Golf Association
- NGCOA Mid-Atlantic
- USGA
- Virginia Chapter, CMAA
- Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Se
- Virginia State Golf Association
- West Virginia GCSA
- Wee One Foundation
- Virginia Turfgrass Council
- Virginia Turfgrass Foundation
- Contact
- Industry Partners
Hankley Wins 2021 VGCSA President’s Award for Lifetime Achievement
Vince Hankley of the Country Club of Petersburg has won the 2021 VGCSA President’s Award for Lifetime Achievement, the association’s highest award.
Vince Hankley grew up in Chesterfield and Henrico County in the Richmond area. When he was fifteen, he began working on the crew at Jefferson Lakeside Club, where his brother Til was the Superintendent. This was Vince’s first introduction to golf and working on the maintenance crew. He decided he would pursue a career in turf management, so he enrolled into the Lake City Community College’s two-year program in Turf Management.
Upon graduating, Vince got an Assistant Superintendent job at Ethelwood Golf Course, which is now known as The Crossings. After a year at Ethelwood, he took the superintendent job at Jefferson Lakeside, where he worked for four years. He then landed the superintendent job at The Country Club of Petersburg. He worked at CCP for four years then moved on to work for the PGA Tour in a golf course construction role. During that time, he worked on TPC Potomac at Avenel Farms in Potomac, MD and TPC Piper Glen in Charlotte, NC.
In 1989 Vince moved closer to home and went back to The Country Club of Petersburg, where he has been ever since. He loves the people and staff at CCP, describing them as truly special. A couple of years ago, a group of guys and former club officers at CCP went to the board and suggested they name the golf course after Vince. The board approved and honored him by naming it the Vince Hankley Golf Course.
Mentors throughout his career include Dave Postlewait, a superintendent under Pete Dye, who did the original construction at TPC Sawgrass and was also the superintendent there. Vince worked under him at Avenel and learned more from him about setting up golf courses than from anyone else in the industry. He is also proud to mention Til Hankley, his older brother. He says they have always been sounding boards for each other, and he would be the first person Vince would call if he had any turf questions, and otherwise.
Vince has been involved with the association for years. He was Secretary/Treasurer on the ODGCSA board for a couple of years and was on the VGCSA board during its formative years.
Vince notes that he is proud of the work he has done putting new golf courses together. He also enjoys working on tournaments. He is proud of the greens renovation done at CCP in 1997. Other projects include maintenance building construction and installation of irrigation. 2021 marked the 100-year anniversary for CCP. A formal dinner black tie event was followed by an exhibition by Vinny Giles, Tom McKnight, Bobby Wadkins and Kenny Clark on the Vince Hankley Golf Course.
Vince is honored to be recognized for this award, especially because he has been in the area for so long and had the chance to promote the game and the profession in Virginia. Being able to encourage the next generation of superintendents as they navigate their career is an honor.