The Legacy Award was created to supplement the SOPGA Hall of Fame. The award honors a Past President or prominent SOPGA Member who has shown exemplary devotion and commitment to enhancing the well-being of the Southern Ohio PGA. The Legacy Award recognizes moments from our history that helped pave the foundation of the Section or promoted the game of golf in an extraordinary manner.
John Marchi, PGA was elected to the Southern Ohio PGA Hall of Fame class of 2004. Golf ran in the Marchi family. John’s father, Italo Marchi, ran Marchi’s Golf Center, his uncle Frank Marchi was the head professional at Miami Valley Golf Club for 30 years, and his uncle, Gene Marchi, was a member of the inaugural SOPGA Hall of Fame class of 1997. His career began by working at Marchi’s Golf Center from 1966 to 1968. Following his time there, John went on to caddy and work on the maintenance staff at Miami Valley Golf Club from 1968 to 1971.
After spending some time working at golf facilities, John knew that he wanted to become a PGA Professional. In 1981 he took over as Head Professional at Cliffside Golf Course. Following his time there, he went to NCR Country Club to take a position as their First Assistant for a year in 1983. Shortly after, the Head Professional job at Cassel Hills Golf Course became available. John became the head professional at Cassel Hills in 1984, where he would spend the next 33 seasons before retiring in 2016.During his time serving the golf community of Southern Ohio, John always worked to continue to grow as a PGA Professional, becoming a PGA Master Professional in 1990.
John also had an accomplished playing career within the section. He was the SOPGA Senior Player of the Year in 2003, qualified for the 1987 PGA Professional National Championship, was a member of the 2003 Ohio Cup Team, and received chapter awards as the Player of the Year in the apprentice division, main division, and senior division as well as being a match play champion.
Throughout his career, John was able to achieve some of the highest honors that Southern Ohio PGA members can receive. He was awarded the SOPGA Golf Professional of the year on three separate occasions, first in 1990, then in 1992, and finally in 1998. John also received the Professional Development Award in 1991 and the Bill Strausbaugh Award in 2008. In addition to these awards, John served two terms as the President of the SOPGA, first in 1996-1997 then again in 2000-2001. Congratulations to John on his fantastic career.