Mike Butz

Senior Managing Director, Open Championships & Association Relations

Mike Butz has served as the USGA’s senior managing director for Open Championships & Association Relations since April 2011. His primary duties are the oversight and advance planning of the U.S. Open, Women’s Open, Senior Open and U.S. Amateur Championships, Walker Cup Match, and oversight of the Merchandise/Licensing Department as well as Handicapping, Course Rating, GHIN, Regional Affairs and Executive Administration.

Butz previously served as interim executive director upon David Fay’s retirement in December 2010, deputy executive director since August 1995 and senior director, Open Championships and Executive Administration since January 1994. 

He joined the USGA in 1980 as manager of Regional Affairs for the Southeastern Region and later that year moved to the USGA’s headquarters in Far Hills, N.J., as the manager of Championship Relations overseeing the organization of the U.S. Open, Senior Open, Women’s Open, Women’s Amateur, U.S. Amateur, Walker Cup and Curtis Cup Matches. He was promoted to director of Championship Relations in 1991 and then to assistant to the executive director and director of Championship Relations in 1992. He also served as general chairman of the 1995 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club.

He began playing golf at age 4 and was a caddie for many years in his childhood. His father was a self-taught, eight-time club champion who introduced him to the "family spirit" of the game. Junior golf, family golf and caddie programs are particular areas of interest to him because "these were a large part of my growing up in the game and I want to see other kids have the same experience."

Butz is a 1978 graduate of the Wake Forest University School of Business. He and his wife, Leslie, reside in Bethlehem, Pa. They have two children, Spencer and Molly.