TAMPA, Fla. – The FSGA is proud to announce the 2024 Hall of Fame inductees: Joe Alfieri, a four-time Amateur Player of the Year, Diane Lang, a three-time U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Champion, and Andy Bean, an 11-time PGA Tour winner. Each of these remarkable individuals have made significant contributions to the game of golf both in Florida and at the national level. They will join an esteemed group of legends in the FSGA Hall of Fame.
The 2024 class will be inducted into the FSGA Hall of Fame at the FSGA’s Annual Awards Banquet in February of 2025. The Annual Awards celebrates the best players in the state, tournament volunteers, board members, and many other important individuals involved in the game of golf in Florida.
Joe Alfieri
Joe Alfieri embodies the true essence of an FSGA phenom. His extensive list of achievements with both the FSGA and USGA reads like a scroll. Alfieri claimed the title of FSGA Amateur Player of the Year five times in 1999, 2001, 2015, 2016, and 2021. In 1999, Alfieri, at 30 years old, captured the Mid-Amateur Championship, 22 years later, he would raise the trophy again during the 40th Mid-Amateur Championship. This goes to show not only his true passion for the game but his dedication to the sport year after year.
Alfieri was handed a golf club at the age of two but as he grew up was also passionate about baseball. It wasn't until he turned 15 that he
decided to put down the glove and dedicate himself entirely to golf. Alfieri stated “I switched to golf because I could, you know, there's not nine players on the field. It's one player, and I controlled my own destiny.”
Destiny behold, Alfieri has represented himself at the national level multiple times, notably competing in the U.S. Amateur in 1988, 1999, 2001, 2018, 2021, and 2022. He has also participated in the U.S. Mid-Amateur, with numerous appearances including 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2016, reaching the Round of 32 in each of those years.
Reminiscing about some of his favorite memories, he highlighted the 2016 Concession Cup, where he proudly represented the United States. The Concession Cup, modeled after the Ryder Cup, features the top Mid-Amateur and Senior golfers competing from the U.S. and Europe. During the 2016 Cup, the U.S. team emerged victorious, notching another victory for Alfieri.
When asked what his induction meant to him, he remarked “It’s an extreme honor… I've played professionally, but I can tell you that I have so much more enjoyed playing amateur golf than professional golf and it’s much more rewarding.”
Despite his abundant accomplishments, Alfieri is still making waves. In August, he was named Captain of the North Team for the 15th Florida Cup, set to take place October 7-8, 2024 at Old Memorial Golf Club. This will be his sixth appearance, holding a record of 8-4-3. He is also trying to qualify for the U.S. Four-Ball Championship with his son, Cade, who is following closely in his father’s footsteps.
In his closing remarks, when Alfieri was asked about who he’d like to thank for his abundant career, he expressed “I would start with the FSGA because if the FSGA didn't exist, none of this would have either.” With every added accomplishment, Alfieri remains a testament to the enduring spirit of amateur golf.
Diane Lang
Diane Lang, originally from Jamaica, has a distinctive story that embodies a deep passion for golf. At just 20, she journeyed from Jamaica to Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton on a golf scholarship. Lang recalls “When my Dad first put a club in my hands at age 13, I know that neither of us ever imagined the places this game would take me. Who knew that a girl from Jamaica, with no real golf coaching, could play golf with some of the greats - both professionals and amateurs.”
After college, Lang pursued mini-tours and tried to qualify for the LPGA, starting her attempts in 1984. Although she took a brief hiatus from
the sport when she became pregnant with her first child, her love for golf remained strong, and her departure was only temporary. “My journey has enabled me to learn the value of friendship, and how to handle adversity with a smile on my face. Sportsmanship was a cornerstone of my Dad's lessons to me - never to brag, but to be humble because whenever you think you own this game, that's when you are taught that it's impossible to do that,” Lang remarked.
Lang made a triumphant return to golf in 2002, confessing that she fell in love with the sport all over again. Just three years after reimmersing herself in the game, she clinched the title at the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship. At 51, she became the seventh golfer to win back-to-back USGA Senior Women’s Amateur titles with her victory in 2006. Not stopping there, Lang went on to secure her third title by winning the 2008 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur.
During this period, Lang was honored as the FSGA Amateur Player of the Year in both 2005 and 2006. Her achievements continued to grow with age, as she won the FSGA Senior Amateur Championship in 2006, 2010, and 2011. These successes earned her the title of Senior Player of the Year in 2008 and 2010.
When asked what being inducted into the FSGA Hall of Fame meant to her, she stated “This award means the world to me. I've never been one to look back at my accomplishments so when Jeff at the Florida State Golf Association sat down with me and started listing them off, I really had no idea who he was talking about,” Lang went on, “It wasn't until the very end of the conversation when he listed the three U.S. Senior Amateur wins that I realized it was me! I cried like a baby.”
In her final remarks, Lang expressed “I know I'm coming to the end of my competitive career, so this award is the cherry on top of the cake and one that I will always cherish.”
Andy Bean
For nearly thirty years, Andy Bean left a significant mark on the world of golf. The 11-time PGA Tour winner, who passed away on October 13, 2023, will be inducted into the FSGA Hall of Fame, where he will be celebrated as one of the sport's greats—a fitting tribute to his remarkable career.
His passion for golf began at a young age and would last a lifetime. Bean attended the University of Florida, where he played alongside other golf talents like Gary Koch, Woody Blackburn, and Phil Hancock. Together, they led the Gators to victory in the 1973 NCAA Championship. Bean would later achieve 18 professional wins, including 11 on the PGA Tour.
In honoring his memory, his wife, Debbie Bean, reflected, “Andy grew up on Jekyll Island, where his dad was the golf pro. His love of golf began at an early age.” When discussing Andy's greatest achievements, Debbie mentioned, “ I believe one of his fondest accomplishments was being selected for two Ryder Cup teams. The game of golf certainly gave him opportunities to develop friendships with both people inside the rope and outside. He was grateful that his golf career overlapped that of [Arnold] Palmer, [Jack] Nicklaus, and [Gary] Player whom he highly respected and admired.”
Bean also shared three daughters with his wife Debbie, Lauren, Lindsay, and Jordan. “Our dad would be greatly honored to be inducted into the FSGA Hall of Fame. He was always so appreciative of all of the volunteers, people who helped run the tournaments, the Tour, and fans that came out to watch.”
As his daughters were growing up, they were able to witness firsthand the profound impact he had—not just on the game of golf, but on everyone around him. “I also think about the camaraderie he had with so many players and the friendship that developed over the years. It was a brotherhood, a family and he loved being part of it.”
Bean leaves an unforgettable legacy in the world of golf. His induction into the FSGA Hall of Fame serves as a lasting tribute to the profound impact he had on everyone around him. This honor ensures that his contributions to growing the game and nurturing relationships with all who crossed his path will live forever.
