Ocean Pines welcomes new Golf pro

(Sept. 27, 2022) Ocean Pines Association has announced the hiring of Bob Beckelman as the new Golf pro for the Ocean Pines Golf Club.

Beckelman grew up in Annapolis, Maryland and West Chester, Pennsylvania, and studied aerospace engineering at Penn State University. He’s been a Professional Golfers' Association member for 25 years and has lived on the Eastern Shore for the last 35 years.

Beckelman started his professional golf career at the Ocean Pines Golf Club, first from 1992 to 1997, and then returning from 2000 to 2007.

“I was hired here originally as an assistant under Buddy Sass, and then left to help build the Deer Run Golf Club, and then came back as the head golf professional in Ocean Pines,” he said.

Beckelman said “a phone call” brought him back to Ocean Pines for a third time.

“Honestly, when I first got into the golf business, I loved it and I enjoyed it so much,” he said. “I had been around Ocean Pines for a while already. When I was in college, I was working summers at the club, and waited tables and I bartended. I just got to know the people and really loved the community, and I had a lot of friends and built a lot of relationships here.

“Once I started at the Ocean Pines Golf Club, I enjoyed the golf community so much, I planned on working my way up the ladder and eventually finishing my career here,” Beckelman continued. “There’s been some changes along the way, but it’s still my plan – I started here, and I want to finish here.”

Ocean Pines General Manager John Viola said he’s happy to have Beckelman back.

“I reached out to the Golf Advisory Committee and the golf community, and they all told me this was the right guy for the job,” Viola said. “He obviously, knows the club and he knows the community. We’re happy to welcome him back and I think he’s going to be a great addition to the team.”

For more information on the Ocean Pines Golf Club, visit www.oceanpinesgolf.org.