Charles DeLucca Jr.
Biography
Hometown: Miami, Florida
Birthplace: Miami, Florida
Turned Professional: 1962
Employment:
2004-Present President/Secretary - DeLucca Enterprises - Manager and Operator of International Links Miami Melreese Golf Course for the City of Miami.
1997-2004 Bunkers of Miami, a Florida Joint Venture - Managing Partner, oversees management, marketing and daily operations for International Links Miami Melreese Golf Course.
1995-1997 Bunkers of Miami, a Florida Joint Venture (renovate, manage and operate the Melreese Golf Course, project manager for the City of Miami during renovation of 18-Hole Championship Golf Course)
1995-Present Bunkers Management Group, Inc. - President
2002 -Present President, The Muirfield Group - Operates the Golf Club of Miami
1972-Present Golf Director - Melreese Golf Course (lease and operate Pro Shop, Restaurant, Lounge and Driving Range)
1988-Present Golf Course Consultant - Professional Course Management, Inc. (“PCM”) Bonaventure Resort & Country Club (36 holes), Presidential, Miami Shores Country Club, Grand Palms Hotel and Country Club.
1991-Present Golf Tournament Management, Inc. - President
Organize and conduct golf tournaments and outings for corporations, charitable organizations and youth groups
1989-Present Charles DeLucca School of Golf - Director
Develop curriculum for instruction of seniors, adults and juniors presented in hourly, daily and weekly sessions.
1969-1971 Director of Golf - Kings Bay Yacht & Country Club
Responsible for all golf operations, not limited to, Pro Shop operation, bag storage, starting times, club repair, Golf Associations, handicapping, tournaments, coordinating and preparation of golf course with course superintendents
1962-1969 Miami Lakes Inn and Country Club (Shula’s Golf Resort) - Head Golf Professional
1959-1962 United States Navy (Active Duty)
1962-1968 United States Navy Reserve
Achievements:
1965-1966 Selected to play in Doral Open
1962 Youngest Head Golf Professional in the United States (21 years old)
1961 All Navy Golf Team
1961 Individual U.S. Navy Pacific Coast Golf Champion
1959-1961 EPDOPAC Navy Golf Team
1957 Florida State High School Golf Champions - Miami Edison High School
Community Service Activities:
2002-Present
In 2002 Charlie conceived the idea for a Florida License Tag and worked timelessly to get it passed in the state legislature. As a result of his endeavors, the bill passed, and proceeds for the sale of this tag are now distributed to junior golf foundations throughout the state of Florida. The sale of this license plate is estimated to generate millions of dollars a year for junior golf statewide.
2002-Present Advisory Board, Florida Sports Foundation
2002-Present Florida Junior Golf Council
2003-2006 Miccosukee Nationwide Tour Championship & Golf Channel Committee Co- Chairman
2003-2006 Ford Championship at Doral PGA Tour, Shotlink Committee Co-Chairman, Responsible for providing over 700 Volunteers from Dade County High Schools to work these events
2003-2006 Doral Ford Championship - Coordinating First Tee Jr. Golf Clinic
2000-2004 Board of Directors, The Word of Life Community Development Corporation
2003 Board Member, South Florida Golf Foundation Responsible for the Ford Doral Open
1997-Present Board of Directors, Dade County Foundation for Intercollegiate Sports
1996-Present Director, Golf Association of Florida
1991-Present Miami “MEGA-CITY” Special Olympics, Conducted golf clinics, instruction and preparation for inaugural golf skills competition for Special Olympics
1995-1998 Member of the Metropolitan Dade County Sports Facility Financing Authority
1991-1995 Member of the Metropolitan Dade County Sports Advisory Council
1993-1999 Advisory Board of Midnight Basketball League - Provides opportunity for Inter-City high school dropouts, juvenile delinquents and jobless by offering a viable alternative to the lures of illicitly street life at night
1993-1996 Board of Directors, Amputee Education Foundation - Provides sports related opportunities for the physically impaired
1991-1992 Member of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau Trustee, Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce
Professional Activities:
National
1989-Present Golf Digest Course Ranking Panel Committee - Determine best golf courses in the United States
1975-Present Member, United States Golf Association (USGA) Public Links Championship Committee - Conducts regional qualifying for men and women’s National Public Links Championship
1982-Present Executive Director - Doral/Publix Jr. Golf Classic -
Over 2.0 million tourism dollar impact to Miami
International
1995-Present Board of Directors - U.S. Cuban/American Golf Association - Direct annual 72-hole Latin American Team Championship
1987-1993 Board of Directors - Tournament of the Americas
State
1977-Present Founder and Member of the Board of Directors - Jr. Golf Association of Florida
1990 & 1992 Sunshine State Games Golf Committee, Introducing golf to the Sunshine State Games (Florida Olympics - Statewide)
Local
2002-Present President and Executive Director - First Tee Miami
1968-2002 President and Executive Director - Dade Amateur Golf Association Dedicated to the progress of amateur golf among Dade County residents to promote, educate and encourage the youth of our community to become knowledgeable of and proficient in the game of golf To stress to the youth the importance of scholastic achievement and obtaining an education To promote, encourage and foster good fellowship and friendly competition among the members To promote and encourage better understanding among the members and the general public as to the proper use of golf facilities, both public and private To promote and encourage the pursuit of mental and physical well being of its members To promote, encourage and educate its members and the public in the principles of fair play and golfing etiquette To promote, encourage and conduct golf tournaments, local, state, national and international One of the nation’s best Junior Golf programs can be found in Miami, where the Dade (County) Amateur Golf Association (DAGA) conducts a year-round series of clinics, group and individual instruction and tournaments for all ages, culminating in the Doral/Publix Junior Classic. The event annually attracts more than 500 junior golfers worldwide.
Board Member - South Florida Golf Foundation (Ford Doral Open)
1994-Present Tournament Director - City of Miami Golf Classic - Benefits Programs for Persons with Disabilities - Raised over $200,000 for the City of Miami Parks and Recreation Department – Sandra DeLucca Development Center
1972-Present Executive Board - Miami LeJeune Men’s Golf Association
1994 Contributing Editor - South Florida Golf Published by the Miami Herald Publishing Co.
1988-1991 Committee Member - Metro Zoo Classic
1991 Committee Member - Corporate Challenge Cup In conjunction with the PGA Tour, Golf Club of Miami
1987-1988 Advisory Board - Gus Machado Sr. Golf Classic
1967-1981 Founder of Skipper Chuck Golf Tournaments
Raised over $60,000 for Muscular Dystrophy Telethon - Jerry’s Kids
1972 Chairman of Y.M.C.A. Golf Committee and “Youth We Care About”
Golf clinics for juniors of the Model/Inner City Program
Tournaments:
International (Directed)
1992-Present International Four Ball Championship
1991-Present Doral/Publix Jr. Classic
1987-1993 Tournament of the Americas
1990 Chippie Challenge Qualifying (qualifying for 5 boys and 5 girls to represent the United States in France)
1988-1990 Doral/Ryder Jr. Classic
1982-1987 Doral Jr. Classic
National
1975-2002 United States Golf Association (USGA) Public Link’s Championship Qualifying-Men
1975-1988 United States Golf Association (USGA) Public Link’s Championship Qualifying- Women
1992-Present United States Challenge Cup
1977-1996 Pat Bradley Ladies Inter-Collegiate Invitational
1980-1990 Florida International University Collegiate Sun & Fun Golf Tournament, 23rd Annual National Football League Super Bowl Classic Golf Tournament
State
1971-Present Tri-County Jr. Golf Championship
1994 Florida Cup Junior Golf Challenge (played in Tampa and Miami)
1992 Heather Farr Benefit Golf Tournament (LPGA Pro-Am Tournament)
1989-1991 Miami Golf Connection Golf Tournament
1988 Held Qualifying to send representatives from the United States to compete in England
Local
1995-Present City of Miami Golf Classic benefiting Programs for Persons with Disabilities
2001 Bruce Fleischer Classic benefiting Cystic Fibrosis
1990-Present Police Officer’s Assistance Trust Golf Tournament
1988-Present Corporate Cup Challenge
1987-Present Mayor’s Cup Challenge
1985-Present Urban League of Miami Golf Tournament
1985-Present Greater Miami Hotel & Motel Association Transplant Foundation Golf Tournament
1972-Present Assist American Cancer Society in organizing annual golf tournament
1968-Present Dade Amateur Golf Championship
1987-1999 American Cancer Society Donors Tournament
1982-1996 Pat Bradley Celebrity Pro Am
1994 City of Miami WTMI 7th Annual Golf Classic to benefit Programs for Persons with Disabilities
1990, 91, 92 Tournament Coordinator - Hillary McCabe Golf Tournament
1991-1992 Hispanic Heritage Golf Tournament
1975-1992 Steve Clark Florida International University Links Club Tournament
1987-1991 Duffettes Golf Tournament to introduce golf to women
1991 Little Havana Kiwanis Club Charity Golf Tournament
1987-1990 American Heart Association “Heart to Heart” Tournament
1968-1990 Jimmy Burns Scholarship Golf Tournament
For University of Miami Men’s and Women’s Golf Teams
1980-1981 NFL Players Association March of Dimes Celebrity Classic
1966 Miami Dolphin Celebrity Golf Tournament
1965-1966 First Annual Hialeah/Topical/Gulfstream Golf Tournament
Since 1963 Direct and organize golf clinics for City of Miami /Dade County Senior Citizens have organized and directed weekly/monthly junior golf classes and golf tournament for thousands of youths in our community.
Community Honors:
Community Service Awards from the following:
City of Miami Programs for Persons with Disabilities
Hialeah-Miami Springs Northwest Dade Area Chamber of Commerce
The Mailman Center for Child Development
Sunrise Community for the Retarded
Police Officer Assistance Trust
Longest Day of Golf
March of Dimes
American Heart Association
South Florida Transplant Foundation
Muscular Dystrophy Association
Awards:
2004 Community Commitment Award, Dade Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc.
2003 South Florida PGA Hall of Fame - Charlie was elected in 2003 to the South Florida P.G.A. Hall of Fame. This honor was awarded to Charlie by his peers for his outstanding contributions to golf and junior golf throughout his professional career. He joined Jack Nicholas, Julius Boros, Dr. Gary Wilson, Laurie Hammer, Rodger Kennedy and Johnny La Ponzina and many other notables, as a recipient of this prestigious award.
2003 Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation Directors Community Leadership Award
2001-2002 Dade County Schools Sports Program for Students with Disabilities
2002 Legends Award - Teens on the Greens
1999 Humanitarian Award - “Mr. Golf” inspiring role model to Youth and the Special Olympics - The Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation Community Council
1999 Individual Winner Award for Outstanding Junior Golf Programs from Golf Digest
1998 American Cancer Society Honoree of the Year
1997-1998 Marlin Grigsby Award - Special Olympics of Florida
1995 Inducted in the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Sports Hall of Champions
1985 Florida International University - The Link’s Club Sportsman of the Year
1977 Named Florida Golf Executive of the Year
Award of Appreciation - Variety Children’s Hospital
Certificate of Appreciation - American Cancer Society
Certificate of Appreciation - Boys Club of Miami
Certificate of Appreciation - WTVJ - Jerry Lewis Telethon
Citation - Variety Children’s Hospital
Certificate of Appreciation for Contribution and Support - The U.S. Maccabiah Committee
Willing Hands and Giving Heart Award for Outstanding Coordination of the Theodore R. Gibson Ethnic Unity Golf Tournament - The Greater Miami Urban League
Certificate of Appreciation for Dedication to Our City’s Youth (City of North Miami)
Award of Appreciation - Jim Jensen & Av-Med in Battle Against Cystic Fibrosis
Certificate of Appreciation - Miami Mega-City Special Olympics
Elijah Walker Inner City Golf Academy - Service and Continued Support to Inner City Kids of Atlanta, Georgia (36 kids have received college golf scholarships and one Nike tour player)
