Dicky Pride ’92 Earns Success in PGA and Philanthropic Work
ORLANDO, FL – MARCH 22: Dicky Pride plays a shot during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge on March 22, 2012 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
It’s more than a snack of biscuits and honey that Dicky Pride ’92 remembers from his time at the DKE house. “Being a DKE taught me to work hard, be strong, and don’t quit. If you keep doing the right thing, eventually you will succeed.”
This practice has been evident throughout Dicky’s career as a professional golfer, beginning with his entry into the University of Alabama’s golf team. “My first year of college, as a newboy, I had quit playing golf. I had traveled the entire summer before my freshman year playing golf and got to the point where I didn’t want to play.”
“After my freshman year, I decided I wanted to play again. I walked on to the golf team at Alabama my sophomore and junior years. Like I said, work hard and don’t quit. I really applied myself and began to play well enough to travel for the Universities golf team. After my junior year, I was given a partial scholarship and did not have to walk on again.”
It was just after graduation that Dicky turned pro at a mini tour event at the Palm course at Disney World. At the 1992 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, he qualified and played as an amateur. “The first day I was last to tee off at 3:33 p.m. I had trouble getting the tee in the ground on the first hole. I half topped a 3 wood in the fairway and my playing partners, Jim Kane and Robert Huckstable, both gave me a high five.”
It wasn’t long afterwards that Dicky made a name for himself, winning the 1994 Federal Express St. Jude Classic. A life-changing experience, Dicky says, “Looking back, I didn’t really comprehend what was happening. I was so focused on what shot I was trying to play that I never thought about what it would mean to win. It was a great feeling. The best part was my wife, father [Dick Pride ’59], mother, and sisters, were all there.”
Since then, Dicky has had competitive appearances, with several top five and 10 finishes, including a second place finish last year at the Byron Nelson Classic.
Beyond his success in golf, Dicky has made an impact in the lives of those affected by the 2011 tornado that hit his hometown of Tuscaloosa by actively raising funds for tornado relief. He and golfers Jason Bohn and Kevin Streelman hosted a pro-am at Indian Hills Country Club in Tuscaloosa, which raised $175,000.
“Several Psi DKEs, in particular, Patrick Morris ’12 and Jonathan Brayman ’12, volunteered and helped. It was nice to get to know some of the DKEs in the house at the time.”
Dicky crosses paths with DKEs of his era while on the road, both at corporate tents on the PGA tour and in the course of a tournament. “I have had several Psi DKEs that were in the house while I was there come up and find me during tournaments. It’s always fun when you see a brother unexpectedly. I am usually concentrating on golf, looking down, ignoring everything going on around me and I look up and it’s like hey what are you doing here? It has been nice to get reconnected with guys I haven’t seen in a long time.”
When not traveling for golf, Dicky is home in Orlando, Florida, with his wife of 19 years, Kim, and their children, Isabelle and Fletcher.