It’s still hard to believe that Jeff Babineau is no longer with us.
When the PGA of America announced that Babs would posthumously receive the 2026 PGA Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism, it felt both entirely fitting and deeply bittersweet. The award will be presented April 8 at the 52nd annual ISPS Handa GWAA Awards Dinner in Augusta, Georgia, where his wife Jane and sons Derek, Keith and Luke will accept the honor on his behalf.
For those of us who knew Jeff, this recognition captures something essential about the man. Yes, he was an exceptional golf writer. But what truly set him apart was something you couldn’t measure in bylines or tournament coverage. It was the way he made everyone around him feel valued.
A Career Built on Passion and Excellence
I first met Jeff in the early 2000s when he was at Golfweek Magazine. My younger brother Graham worked with him as a scoreboard editor and writer, and through that connection, I got to know Babs. Even after Graham left Golfweek to become an elementary school teacher, Jeff remained someone I could lean on when I became curious about getting into golf writing myself. He was always open to giving advice, always willing to share what he’d learned…