George S. May (June 5, 1890 — March 12, 1962) was an American businessman.
George Storr May was born in Windsor, Illinois.[1] He graduated with a degree from the Illinois States Teacher College. First working as a Bible salesman, following Billy Sunday, he soon turned his natural talent for problem solving to use by becoming a freelance consultant, and efficiency expert.
In 1924 he started his first consulting assignment with Chicago Flexible Shaft Company, today's Sunbeam Corporation.[2] This was the beginning of the George S. May International Company.
George S. May is well known for popularizing the game of golf in the 1950s by turning golf into a spectators sport. He staged a number of tournaments, including the All American Open and the World Championship of Golf, at the country club he owned, Tam O'Shanter Golf Course, located in Niles, Illinois.[3]
He is known for being the first to broadcast the game on television in 1953 at the Tom O’Shanter Golf Course. He was the first to offer big-money tournaments, first to allow club members to use golf carts, first to provide grandstands, and first to use radios to keep spectators up to date about what was happening elsewhere on the coarse.[3] [4]
He was inducted into the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame in 1992, as a golf innovator.[5]
George S. May Company is featured in the History of the PGA, for the years 1949 & 1950. In 1949 [6] the PGA ran a business survey, and in 1950 they implemented the recommendations of splitting the PGA from the tournament Bureau.[6]
George S. May is listed as one of the 100 most influential persons to the game of golf, for being the first to live broadcast a golf tournament.[7]
The All-American tournament held at the Tam O'Shanter golf course, in 1943 was the first tournament in the US, to welcome black golfers to the pro circuit. May is quoted as saying "These tournaments are open to any American who is willing and able to qualify,".[8]