GOLF
State hall of game golfer Smart dies
Richard L. "Bubba" Smart, a 2002 inductee into the Arkansas State Golf Association Hall of Fame, died Tuesday at his home in Pine Bluff at the age of 90.
Smart won three state amateur championships beginning in 1940 at the age of 15 when he defeated Vincent Allison 1-up at Texarkana Country Club. He defended his title the following year, defeating Steve Creekmore 2 and 1 at Hardscrabble Country Club in Fort Smith, then won 6 and 5 over Hogan Rountree at Country Club of Little Rock in 1946.
Smart won six state amateur golf titles by the end of 1941 and partnered with various players to win more than 20 four-ball championships throughout Arkansas in his career.
Cary Maddox said during his tenure as club pro from 2003-2010 that Smart was a fixture at Pine Bluff Country Club. He said he knew of Smart's amateur success shortly after arriving at the club and thought a name change to one of the state's premier junior events was in order.
"I met the family and told them I would like to name the junior invitational there after him," said Maddox, now the club pro at Maumelle Country Club. "It just seemed right and hoped they would be willing to have his name be a part of it. It was very cool to have him out there to present the trophy each year. He was an outstanding man."
Sports on 03/19/2015