Maryland Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2024: William K. Smith

William K. (Bill) Smith was born in Peoria, Illinois, and was introduced to golf at 12 when he began playing golf at a public golf course near his home.  Bill graduated from Bradley University in 1963 with a degree in Civil Engineering and moved to Timonium, Maryland, in 1974 to open an office for the consulting engineering firm he was employed with in Hillsboro, Illinois.

He joined Hillendale Country Club in 1974, and in 1985, Mr. Smith was elected to the Maryland State Golf Association Executive Committee, serving as a Vice President. In 1994, he was elected President of the MSGA for one term. In 1992, he asked to serve on the Regional Affairs Committee of the United States Golf Association, and in 1995, he was invited to join the USGA Rules Committee.

In 1996, he was asked to rejoin the MSGA Executive Committee for one year to fill a vacancy created when a Vice President resigned.  After serving the one-year term, he was requested to stay on as the Secretary of the Executive Committee due to the resignation of the current Secretary.  He remained as Secretary through 2000, at which time long-time treasurer Dawson Stump resigned, and Bill became the new Treasurer, working with Executive Director Jack Emich till 2001.  Due to Mr. Emich’s declining health, Bill was hired as Executive Director in 2001.

During the next twenty (20) years under Bill’s steadfast leadership, the MSGA migrated from a volunteer organization to a professionally organized and operated Association with full-time employees.  Many changes took place with the modernization of the MSGA, including online tournament credit card registration for competitors and live online scoring of events.  During his tenure, the MSGA introduced a discount golf program, Player of the Year Awards, an Outstanding Achievement award, an electronic magazine, academic scholarships, and a junior golf discount program: “Youth on Course.”  He also oversaw the search, fundraising, purchase, and construction of the new MSGA headquarters office known as Emich House.

Bill served the MSGA for over 35 years, including as Executive Director from 2001 to 2020.  William K. Smith was inducted into the Middle Atlantic Golf Association Hall of Fame in 2011, received the 2014 Golf Leader Award from the National Golf Course Owners Assoc., received the Isaac B. Grainger Award from the USGA for his dedicated service as a USGA volunteer in 2017, and received the MSGA Dawson Stump Outstanding Achievement Award in 2018. The MSGA named the Past President event and trophy in his name, and most recently, he published the book “Maryland State Golf Association, Celebrating 100 Years”.