ASGCA Elects Bill Bergin as President
Atlanta-based golf course architect Bill Bergin was elected president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects at its 80th Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Golf
The American Society of Golf Course Architects elected Bill Bergin as its president at the organization's 80th Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee. Bergin, of Atlanta, is a former competitive golfer who founded Bergin Golf Designs in 1994.
Why it matters
Bergin's election places a golf course design professional at the head of the national organization representing golf course architects in the United States. His background spans competitive play and course design, which the society's leadership role draws on.
Bergin qualified for five major championships and 50 PGA Tour events as a player before retiring from competition after 1986. The extraction does not report the election vote count or the duration of his term.
The players
Bill Bergin
Bergin is a golf course architect and former competitive golfer from Atlanta who founded Bergin Golf Designs in 1994 and whose design highlights include Richland Country Club in Nashville.
American Society of Golf Course Architects
The ASGCA is the professional organization for golf course architects in the United States, holding annual meetings and electing leadership for the society.
The details
Bergin was elected at the American Society of Golf Course Architects' 80th Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee. He worked as a club professional before gaining technical design experience under ASGCA Past President Bob Cupp, and he became an ASGCA member in 2013.
Timeline
1986: Bergin missed a 3 1/2-foot putt on the 72nd hole at the Atlanta Classic that would have earned him a PGA Tour card.
1994: Bergin founded Bergin Golf Designs.
2013: Bergin became an ASGCA member.
Recent: Bergin was elected ASGCA president at the 80th Annual Meeting in Nashville.
Big Picture
Bergin's rise through the ASGCA follows a path that runs from competitive play to course design, with Past President Bob Cupp as an earlier mentor in the organization. The election keeps leadership of the national golf architecture society in the hands of practicing course designers.
Golfers and course owners who work with architects may see the society's direction shaped by Bergin's leadership. The extraction does not specify any changes to membership, fees, or standards.
The takeaway
Leadership in golf course architecture often grows out of hands-on experience in both playing and designing courses, as Bergin's path shows. Readers interested in the field can follow how professional societies choose and develop their leaders over time.
Further reading
For more on course design and the sport's professional organizations, see Golf.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Golfdom.
