FRANKLIN, Tenn. --- Tusculum College golf coach Bob Dibble has been selected as the 2015 recipient of the Tennessee PGA Distinguished Career Award.

The Distinguished Career Award recognizes current or former Tennessee PGA Section members who have had outstanding careers as PGA Professionals based on service to his or her club, course or employer, service and leadership to the Association, community service, professional playing record and teaching ability. The Distinguished Career Award acknowledges these Tennessee PGA Professionals as vital and significant contributors to the game of golf.

Past recipients of this honor include former PGA Tour players: Gibby Gilbert, Loren Roberts, 1970 U.S. Open champion Lou Graham and Dr. Cary Middlecoff, two-time U.S. Open Champion (1949 & 1956) and 1955 Masters Champion.

For the past quarter of a century, Dibble has directed the golf fortunes at Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tennessee. Dibble, a native of Peoria, Illinois has coached the men's team for 25 years and started the women's program in 1997.

While at Tennessee's oldest college, Dibble's teams have captured seven conference titles and two region championships during his tenure. He guided the TC men's squad to five consecutive national tournament appearances from 1993-1997. In the women's inaugural campaign, the Pioneers placed 13th at the NAIA National Tournament. In all, he has guided the Tusculum golf programs to an amazing 45 team tournament titles during his tenure.

He has been honored by his peers as conference coach of the year on nine occasions during his career, including the 2011-2012 campaign as he was named the South Atlantic Conference Women's Golf Coach of the Year for a second time (He earned the inaugural SAC Coach of the Year accolade during the 1999-2000 season). He led that team to a berth to the NCAA Division II Tournament as his team finished third or better in six of its 11 events, including two tournament titles.

Dibble has mentored three All-Americans, 45 All-Conference players, four conference players of the year and three SAC Freshmen of the Year. He has coached eight players who qualified for NCAA Division II region play, including three-time All-Conference standout Rachel McFarland who advanced to the 2003 NCAA II National Championship where she finished 16th individually.

This past fall, Dibble was inducted to the Tusculum College Sports Hall of Fame.

Dibble's players have also excelled in the classroom as 24 players have garnered All-America Scholar Athlete recognition, while five of his squads have captured the SAC Team Academic Award. He has also coached five SAC Scholar Athletes of the Year.

Dibble served as head professional at Link Hills Country Club in Greeneville from 1978 to 2000. He turned pro in 1957 and became a Professional Golf Association member in 1964. Dibble also squeezed in a stint serving in the United States Marine Corps.

Dibble served as Midwest PGA President from 1971-73 while living in Missouri and was a club pro in Florida as well. A veteran of the PGA Winter Tour, Dibble has qualified for the PGA National Club Pro Championship on three occasions. Junior golf has been Dibble's passion for over 20 years. He has built one of the state's strongest youth programs at Link Hills. Dibble has been honored on four occasions with the Tennessee PGA Junior Golf Leader of the Year Award. In 1982, he won the Tennessee PGA Horton Smith Award for his contributions to the game of golf.

Dibble played his collegiate golf at Central Missouri State in Warrensburg, Missouri. He also attended the University of Missouri at Kansas City where he lettered on the basketball hardwood for the Kangaroos.

Dibble has been married to his wife Cindy for over 50 years and the couple has three grown children: Sandy, Tim and Chris. His son, Chris, is the head golf professional at Holston Hills Country Club in Knoxville. The Dibbles are also the proud grandparents of nine grandchildren.

Tusculum College, located in Greeneville, Tennessee, is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, USA and is a NCAA Division II member of the South Atlantic Conference. Tusculum, the oldest college in the State of Tennessee, sponsors 16 intercollegiate sports, including women's lacrosse, which will be competing in its first season during the 2014-2015 academic year.

Tusculum, the 28th oldest college in the nation, is a liberal arts institution committed to providing a liberal arts education in a Judeo-Christian and civic arts environment, with pathways for career preparation, personal development and civic engagement. Approximately twenty-one hundred students are enrolled on the main campus in Greeneville and three off-site locations in East Tennessee. The academic programs for both traditional-aged students and working adults served through the Graduate and Professional Studies program are delivered using focused calendars.

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