| Birth date | May 31, 1893 |
|---|---|
| Birth place | Logansport, Indiana, US |
| Death date | February 13, 1989 (aged 95) |
| Death place | Fort Myers, Florida, US |
| Occupation | Journalist, golf administrator |
Herbert Butler Graffis (May 31, 1893 – February 13, 1989) was an American golf writer and administrator. In recognition of his efforts to promote the sport, he was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1977.
Life and career
Graffis was born in Logansport, Indiana, on May 31, 1893. He wrote for the Chicago Sun-Times and founded the magazines Chicago Golfer in 1927, Golfdom in 1927, and Golfing in 1933.[1][2][3] He collaborated with Tommy Armour on three instructional books and in 1975 he published a history of the PGA of America.[4]
Golf organizations
Graffis was also founder of a number of golf organizations: the National Golf Foundation,[5][2] the Golf Writers Association of America, the Golf Course Superintendents Association, the Club Managers Association.
He published the first U.S. Open program in 1928 and held various official positions with the PGA of America and the United States Golf Association, including the presidency of National Golf Day.[4]
Death
Graffis died in Fort Myers, Florida, on February 13, 1989, aged 95.[4]
Awards and honors
In 1977, Graffis was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.[4][6]
References
- ^ "Herb Graffis, 1st Writer In The Golf Hall Of Fame". Chicago Tribune. 1989-02-14. Retrieved 2026-03-30.
- ^ Jones, Seth & Gannon, Grant (2018-01-26). "Memories of Mr. Golf". Golfdom. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
- ^ Brooks, Jim (2018-01-26). "Mr. Golf's magazine through the years". Golfdom. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
- ^ "Herb Graffis". World Golf Hall of Fame. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
- ^ Jones, Seth (2025-04-02). "A closer look at the 2025 Graffis Report". Golfdom. Retrieved 2026-03-23.
- ^ Myers, Alex (February 13, 2014). "Hall-of-Famer Herb Graffis had a unique window into professional golf". Golf Digest. Archived 2025-10-08 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2026-03-23.