Tex Noble

Robert H. (Tex) Noble was a golf instructor, a military officer, a management consultant, and an educator. While running a business management program at Toronto’s Humber College he helped the CPGA launch its first week-long business schools in the late 60s. When he retired from Humber in 1978, he joined the staff of the CPGA as its education consultant and took over as General Manager in 1981. As a young man, Tex worked in the golf shop at the Calgary Golf & Country Club and spent his winters teaching golf in California and Texas, hence the nickname Tex.  During the Second World War, he was in Britain with the Royal Edmonton Regiment where he rose from private to the rank of major in the intelligence services with stints in Germany as an intelligence officer before retiring in 1966. As an experienced army officer and just retired from teaching people how to manage, Tex brought to the CPGA a new era of management discipline. He proposed the association cut the size of the board of directors in half and double annual membership dues which helped put the CPGA on a solid financial footing that served the association well for years to come. 

Tex had a very full life with several interesting careers. From his roots in Oxbow, Saskatchewan he became an assistant golf professional at the Calgary Golf and Country Club working winters in El Cajon, California. In 1933 he went to London as a management trainee for Zellers. When the war started he joined the Canadian Army and worked his way up the ranks to become an intelligence officer. He achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel through his smarts, inquisitiveness, and energy. He had numerous duties after the war including debriefing a section of Germany on behalf of the British and Canadian governments.
 
When he returned to Canada he started the first Canadian School of Military Intelligence. It was as a writer and educator that he came across the Canadian PGA (as it was called then). In the ’60s and ’70s, he worked with the National Office to create the first formal education program for aspiring professionals. His wit and charm endeared him to many people both inside and outside the association. His ability to organize things using other people’s talents was legendary. He was also instrumental in organizing the Berkeley Street office in downtown Toronto. When the need arose he stepped up to run the office when the association was between EDs. Completely devoid of ego but full of humor, Tex was the “go-to” guy in those days.
 
Along with Ken Tarling, Bob Beauchemin and others Tex also helped to organize the first Canadian Professional Golf Tour. 
 
He was a friend and mentor to many professionals, head pros, assistants, and tour players including Ben Kern and Sam Young. He never lost his boyish enthusiasm right up until the end.
 
Personal recollections, John Simmonds

This piece is from Humber College where Tex started his career as an educator. Check out pages 6 and 7.