JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Jan 22, 2024) – The Missouri Golf Association Board of Directors has named John Richards from West Plains, Missouri as the newest MGA President. Richards will serve in this position through the end of 2025.
“It is a great honor to be elected president by the Board of Directors,” Richards said. “To have their trust to lead this organization is a privilege I look forward to.”
Richards has several years of experience with the MGA, having served on the Board of Directors since 2004.
“Over my 20 years of serving on the board of the MGA I have seen it evolve from just running men’s championships into an organization that is growing the game for women, juniors and golfers of all abilities in the state of Missouri,” he said. “I look forward to working with the board, [MGA Executive Director] Scott Hovis and the MGA staff and all golfers in the state of Missouri to help promote and grow the game we all love.”
Richards is succeeding past MGA President Wayne Fredrick, who served from early 2022 through 2023.
Richards has played competitive golf for decades, and has participated in MGA events in the past.
“As with many others, I was introduced to golf at an early age by my father, Ed Richards. He was an avid competitive golfer and played in several Missouri Amateur Championships,” he said. “Most of my competitive golf was through the junior golf ranks, playing with and against many of the fine Missouri golfers such as Stan Utley, Ben Wilson, the Godwin brothers and many others who I still see on a regular basis at many of our MGA events.”
Richards has great passion for the game of golf and will demonstrate that in his presidency.
“What was instilled in me by both my father and my golf coach Ken Lanning was love of the game and the bonds that golf can create and the friendships you develop,” Richards stated. “Throughout the years, I have been able to compete in a few of the great MGA events we offer. Although my game isn’t at the level of challenging the leaders, it is still a thrill to put the ball on a tee and compete to the best of one’s ability with the championship players.”
Richards’ term will end at the MGA winter board meeting in January 2026.
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ABOUT MGA:
The Missouri Golf Association is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to promote the best interests and true spirit of the game of golf throughout the State of Missouri. The Missouri Golf Association was started in St. Louis in 1905 to run the Amateur Championship. Four founding clubs would be the ones in existence in St. Louis in those early years – St. Louis Country Club, Algonquin Golf Club, Glen Echo Golf Club and Normandie Golf Club. Four years later, the invite-only Missouri Amateur was held in Kansas City at Evanston Club. 1911 marked the real organization of the MGA with Bonner Miller as Secretary and Executive Director. Ever since then, the MGA has striven to provide tournaments and spaces for Missouri golfers to sharpen their skills and enjoy the game.
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