History

The Birth of Del Val
69 years ago – in 1954 – a group of golfers from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, led by
Founder Dr. Al Gaskins, Founder Dr. Nate Copeland and Founder Philadelphia Real
Estate Baron, Ted Ramsey, known as the “Del Val” golf club – contacted several of
their form er Howard University classmates who live d in the Washington DC
Metropolitan area and expressed an interest in engaging in some friendly golf
matches – area against area.
This very intriguing idea caught the fancy of nine Washington DC golfers who
decided to form a golfing group, with a name. The original group included Mark
Brown, Otho Ferguson, Sewell Horad, William Hyde, Hugh Jackson, Mordecai
Johnson, Leon Willis, William “Buster” Lofton, and John “Buster” Rector. Sewell
Horad was chosen as leader (president) of the group. They set up Matches every
year and the Del Val / Washington DC rivalry was launched! Del Val ruled this union
and DC could not compete with the Del Val sharp shooters!
So, every year we kick DC’s butt, it’s in tribute to our Founders!! They wouldn’t want
it any other way!!

Del Val was also a major and vital factor in the development of the Pro
Duffers USA organization.

PRO-DUFFERS GOLF CLUB
The Pro Duffers had its beginning with the DC Group. It was several months after
the first Del Val / DC encounter, DC Members Robert Smith and Sewell Horad met a
fellow golfer at Northwest Park Golf Club who identified himself as a “professional

duffer.” The next time they m e t with the DC group, they proposed the name “Pro-
Duffers” as a suitable title for the DC golfers. The idea was accepted unanimously,

and the group became the PRO-DUFFERS GOLF CLUB.
But like now, Del Val used to whup up on the DC group on a regular basis. It soon
became obvious to the DC PRO-DUFFERS that in order to match the size and skill of
the dominant De l Val Club (like now), DC needed to expand their own membership.
The recruiting began. Even with the increased membership, our success in
defeating the Del Val Club did not change drastically. Del Val thoroughly and
continually mastered the DC group. So the search began for even ore skillful
golfers. The DC group gradually got better but Del Val was their “Gold Standard!”