(May 16, 2024) - Just six months after inducting nine players into its inaugural class the Berkshire County Golf Hall of Fame has announced its Class of 2024. The second class will include Ed Schopp, Paul Daniels, Dick Rivers, John Wells, and Eleanor “Ellie Persip.
Ed Schopp joined Wyantenuck Country Club in 1988 where he had a decorated career both locally and nationally. Schoop captured the club's 1990 Four-Ball title, the first of his two, to go along with seven club championships. In 1991 Schopp qualified for the U.S. Amateur at the Honors Course in Tennessee.
The 1991 U.S. Amateur was the first year that Tiger Woods competed and Schopp when talking about the event told The Berkshire Eagle's Richard Lord, "I shot a 77 and he had an 81 which I let my kids hear about."
Paul Daniels has been a staple of the Berkshire golf scene for decades. As a high schooler he won the 1974 state championship for Pittsfield High School before spending 26 years at Wahconah Country Club first as an assistant professional for three years then for 23 years as the head professional.
Daniels left Wahconah CC in 2009 but by then he had amassed better than 24 victories in Berkshire County to go along with two Northeast New York PGA Player of the Year awards.
Dick Rivers will enter the Hall of Fame as a contributor. A longtime member of Skyline Country Club, Rivers helped launch in 1973 the Monday Junior Series.
Rivers was recruited by Gene Andrews, the president of the Allied Association and Berkshire Hills Country Club to begin what became a country-wide junior program. This was just the beginning of Rivers work and impact on Berkshire County golf.
John Wells, who was inducted into the Northeastern New York PGA Section last spring, was one of the most dominant high school players in the history of the area never losing a match during his four years at Lee High School in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
In 1964 Wells turned professional and briefly held his PGA Tour card. After his touring pro career, he turned his focus to teaching focusing on sports camps, and becoming the head professional at Cranwell Golf Club while also owning Baker's Golf Center.
In 1980 Wells won the NENY Stroke Play Championship and Player of the Year honors. Four years later in 1984, Wells found he had advanced glaucoma and was legally blind but to this day he still plays golf with his family.
Eleanor “Ellie Persip won the 1966 Pittsfield Women's City Championship and would win six Women's Allied titles to go along with six club championships at Wahconah Country Club.
Editors Note: Information for this article was provided by The Berkshire Eagle. For the complete story click here and here.
Hero Image features John Wells (The photo was provided to the The Berkshire Eagle)
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