Grand Haven Mens Golf Assoc.

Bob Malone (Robert M Malone Jr) was born in Brewton, AL while his military father and mother were traveling through Brewton on their way back to Jacksonville, AL where they lived. At the age of 6, his parents moved to Birmingham, AL where Bob attended Lincoln Elementary School and A. H. Parker High School. Upon graduating from high school, he attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia for one year before dropping out to join the US Air Force. After eight years in the Air Force including tours in Germany, Hampton, VA, Vietnam and Dolphin Island, AL, he received an honorable discharge and went back home. After working one year as a teletype operator, he decided it was time to finish his education. He applied and was accepted to Miles College (a historically black college) in Birmingham, AL. Three and a half years later he graduated and went on to the University of Alabama (Roll Tide) where he received his Master’s Degree in Social Work in May of 1974. Immediately upon graduation he accepted a job as a social worker at the VA Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, AL. In 1982 he accepted a direct commission as Second Lieutenant in the US Army Reserve. Up until this time he had no time for sports, besides he was too small and too short for the major sports, and golf and tennis were not offered in black schools in the south, at that time. Bob spent 12 years in the Army Reserve and retired as a Major. In his other life, Bob spent 33 years with the VA (Department of Veterans Affairs) during which time he began to dabble in golf. He was self-taught and only played one or two weekends a month. During his VA career, he moved 13 times and changed career fields three times. His moves with the VA took him to Vancouver, WA, Los Angeles, CA(3 times), Oakland, CA, Baltimore, MD (2 times), Tuskegee, AL, Asheville, NC, Birmingham, AL, Clarksville, WV, Topeka and Leavenworth, KS. His last assignment was back at the VA Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, where he retired after having served as a Medical Center Director (Chief Executive Officer) at his last three VA Medical Centers. Bob’s career was interrupted for a brief period (approximately 6 months) when he suffered a stroke in April of 1999. Through rehab and speech therapy he has made a remarkable recovery.

While in the Air Force he had two unsuccessful attempts at marriage, however he did have two wonderful children (one from each marriage) Rochelle Malone and Bobby (Robert M Malone III). His current, very successful marriage of 31 years to Sandra B Kinney (Sandy) awarded him with another child, Lauren Malone, and a wonderful step-daughter, Holly. He now has, in addition to the four children, four grandchildren of which he is very fond. His children and grandchildren live in different parts of the country (Birmingham, AL, Los Angeles, CA, Chicago, IL and Washington, DC). Visiting them once a year keeps Bob and Sandy on the go.

Sandy retired in 2006 and Bob followed in 2007. The plan to move to Palm Coast had been put into motion several years prior to their retirement. In 1987 they bought a time-share here at Harbor Club, currently Legacy Resort. In 1997 while staying in the time-share, they visited the planned construction site of what is now Grand Haven. Already having fallen in love with Palm Coast, they decided to purchase a lot with the intention of retiring here. Bob’s last assignment with the VA in Tuscaloosa, AL (Roll Tide) was only about a nine hour drive from Palm Coast.

They had already begun building their house in September of 2005 and now, since they were close, they could oversee the last year of the building of the house and make a gradual transition to their new home. After moving down to Palm Coast in July 2007, Bob decided it was time to start taking golf seriously. He came here a 25 handicapper. In February, 2010 he talked Dane Winger, Asst. Pro, into taking him under his wing and teaching him about the basics of golf. When Dane saw him hit the ball for the first time, he told Bob that he was going to need a lot of work. They then sat down and drew up a plan that included drills for increasing his flexibility in order to make Bob a better golfer. HE IS STILL WORKING AT IT!!! In addition to taking lessons, Bob was looking for someone to play golf with, but found it hard to get into any groups (due to his handicap), so he joined the GHMGA. He soon became a part of the group and began to receive invitations to play with various other groups as he improved. The Bagnoli Silver Boys Group even wanted to change his name to MALONEY, to make it easy for the Italians to pronounce his name. Bob has said that moving to Palm Coast (Grand Haven) was the best retirement decision he made. Bob says the GHMGA is fantastic and that the ladies and men of the golf club are wonderful. He has made a lot of friends since he has been here. He likes playing the different games that the Men’s Association play, but his favorites are the individual games because, if he is having a bad day, it only hurts him as opposed to hurting a team that may need him. He loves the Shootout and the challenges it offers, and his goal is to win one very soon. Bob is very proud of the support his wife, Sandy, has given him throughout his career including his stroke and all the moving around, and now showing patience when he spends a lot time on golf in his attempt to be a good golfer. Bob’s #1 goal is to stay healthy and in love with his wife, and his #2 goal is to become a single digit handicapper.

During the 2012 season Bob won 1st place gross in the Club Championship, Silver Division and recently shot an even par round of 72 in an MGA event. Dane expressed his pride in Bob’s enthusiastic determination and points to his handicap index drop of more than 11 since they began working together, and predicts Bob will shoot his age soon if stays away from new fangled inventions like JumboMax grips!

Please join us in congratulating Bob on his many accomplishments and on his very deserving recognition as our Spotlight Golfer!