The purpose of the award, the PGA states, is “Celebrating exceptional service to the game of golf.”
Jim spent the majority of his career in northwest Colorado at Meeker Golf Course, serving as head professional from 1993 to 2005 and again from 2009 through 2013.
Between that time, he served as an assistant golf professional at Aspen Glen Golf Club at Carbondale, where he currently works.
While at the 9-hole Meeker facility, Cook not only served as head professional but mowed greens and did whatever else needed to be done.
Who is Noble Chalfant? In honor of Noble Chalfant’s exemplary work in establishing the Colorado Section of the PGA, the board of directors has created the Noble Chalfant Award for Career Achievement.
The award is to honor those Colorado Section PGA Members who have served as an ambassador to their section, their golf facility and the game of golf.
“For their career achievements, serving as ambassador to the section, their golf facilities and the game of golf, the Colorado Section of the PGA is proud to honor those listed as the Class of 2014 Noble Chalfant Award Inductee,” the PGA officials stated. The only other Noble Chalfant Inductee is Greg Jones, a PGA professional at Sand Creek Golf Course in Colorado Springs.
Cook was joined at the ceremony by is wife, Debbie, and their two daughters, Jennifer and Wendy.
“I was quite surprised surprised by the honor; I had no idea it was coming,” Cook said. “It is a real honor when an award like this one is given to someone on the Western Slope as few such awards have gone to people on this side of the state.
“The highlight was that my family was there to help me share the honor.”
A native of Torrington, Wyo., Cook has been named the 2008 West Chapter Senior Champion and the 2013 Wet Chapter Warren Smith Award winner.
In addition to these honors, Jim excels at being the unofficial historian and photographer of the West Chapter, the PGA-Colorado stated.
I am a 1st cousin to Jim Cook. I was surfing the web and thought of seeing if my cousin was still affiliated to the Meeker, CO Herald Newspaper and found no he isn’t. But using the same search engine I typed in Jimmy’s name and this wonder awards story plus a color family picture of my cousin Jim, his wife Debbie and daughters, Jennifer and Wendy. Congratulations on such a prestigous award!