The Ohio Golf Association has announced its Class of 2023 for the Ohio Golf Hall of Fame, and on that list are two accomplished players from Northern Ohio: Club Walden head PGA Professional Mitch Camp and lifelong Parma Heights amateur Ken Kinkopf.
Mitch Camp
Mitch Camp became a member of the PGA of America in 1986. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Mitch’s family moved to Orrville, Ohio where he graduated from Orrville High School in 1976. Mitch won the Ohio High School Athletic Association AA Individual Championship in 1975.
Mitch was a member of The Ohio State University Men’s Golf Team. In 1980, Mitch was named a 2nd Team All-American and won the Les Bolstad Award for Low Stroke Average in the Big Ten.
Before accepting the Assistant Golf Professional job at Fairlawn CC in 1983, Mitch played the Space Coast Golf Tour. In 1989, Mitch became the Director of Golf at Club Walden and has held that position since.
Mitch has enjoyed a wonderful playing career on top of being the consummate Professional for the members of Club Walden and through the golf community of Northern Ohio. Mitch is a two-time Champion of the Ohio Open (1985 & 1993, three NOPGA Section Championships (1989, 1993, and 2014), the 2009 Ohio Senior Open, and the 2012 & 2021 Toledo Open Senior Championship. In addition, he was named NOPGA Merchandiser of the Year (Private) as well as NOPGA Junior Golf Leader of the Year four times.
Mitch served as a board member of the Northern Ohio PGA from 1994 to 2002 and was a member of the NOPGA Junior Golf Committee from 1989 to present.
In addition to the Ohio Golf Hall of Fame, Mitch is also a member of the Northern Ohio PGA Hall of Fame, the Wayne County Sports Hall of Fame and the Orrville High School Sports Hall of Fame.
Ken Kinkopf
Ken Kinkopf has been a lifelong Amateur in the game of golf. Growing up in Parma Heights, Ohio, Ken began to learn the game at Ridgewood GC, host of the 1927 USGA Amateur Public Links Championship. He played for The Padua Franciscan High School golf team and finished Runner up to Upper Arlington in the Ohio State High School championship in 1978. As an individual he finished 10th.
Entering his college years Ken decided to focus his efforts on building a career in business and not pursue collegiate golf. He earned his Finance and Accounting degrees from The Ohio State University and an MBA from Cleveland State University.
During his early years of his Investment Management career, he earned the designation of Charted Financial Analyst (CFA). Eventually he went on to become an entrepreneur and built and sold several successful businesses. The game of golf was with him every step of the way helping him build relationships that were essential to his success.
Ken’s achievements on the golf course really began in 1995 when he qualified for the US Amateur Championship at Newport CC in Rhode Island. Since then, he has qualified for eight more USGA Championships, two US Open Sectionals and one British Mid-Amateur.
Ken has won four Ohio Golf Association Championships with the 2019 Ohio Senior Amateur Championship at Elyria CC, being the most recent. Previously, Ken has won the 2018, 2011 and 2009 Ohio Two Man Best Ball Championships. In the 2009 and 2011 Championships he partnered his son Michael.
After turning 55 years old, Ken’s success ramped up. In a twelve-month span during 2019-2020 Ken won six National Senior Amateur Championships and vaulted to 607th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and was the 3rd ranked WAGR Senior player in the world. Since 2019, Ken has added three other National Senior Amateur Championships. In addition, Ken was the 2019 Golfweek Senior Player of the Year and Society of Seniors Player of the Year.
Ken now splits his time between Dublin, OH and Jupiter, FL with his wife Carole who he has been happily married to for 36 Years. He is also a proud father of his three sons, Michael, Matthew and Jonathan.
In addition to Camp and Kinkopf, Southern Ohio PGA member Steve Groves and former Columbus District Golf Association and Ohio Golf Association Executive Director James M. Popa round out the Ohio Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2023. Details on their careers can be found here.
About the Ohio Golf Hall of Fame
The Ohio Golf Hall of Fame strives to recognize outstanding achievements of Ohioans who play or support the game of golf. The Hall of Fame was founded in 1992 and its members include Jack Nicklaus, Bob Hope, Tammie Green, John Cook and Ben Curtis among others.
The induction ceremony will be held at Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio on Thursday, September 14. This event is open to the public with limited tickets to be sold at www.ohiogolf.org.
— press release courtesy of the Ohio Golf Association
