Debi Rolfing

 

Debi Rolfing

Mark and Debi Rolfing feature in Embrace - The Lifestyle Magazine for Kapalua Resort December 2018 (PDF)

Debi's Biography Under Refinement

 

Mark Rolfing

Mark Rolfing

Mark has resided at Kapalua on the island of Maui with his wife Debi for 42 years. Together they created the Mark and Debi Rolfing Charitable Foundation which has served to better the lives of children in need since 1999. In addition to supporting numerous other children’s charities, the Rolfings are licensed foster parents in Hawaii and Montana to provide “cradle care”. They have provided care for 28 “Angel Babies”, some medically and critically fragile, from their birth to adoption placement or reunification with their birth families.

On November 2, 2017, Mark with his wife, Debi, were awarded with the PGA Distinguished Service Award for their shared passion for growth-of-the-game initiatives that have served as a platform to establish one of the country’s most inspiring foster parent networks. They were honored for their endeavors that have given back to others and helped grow the game of a lifefime

Mark Rolfing, one of the most versatile TV golf personalities, has spent more than 35 years promoting the sport. USA Today labeled him "TV sport's best on-course golf reporter," and for good reason. Mark’s rise to the top of network golf television is a unique and intriguing story.

Born in Evanston, Illinois and raised in DeKalb, Rolfing is a Chicago Sports Enthusiast. He graduated from DePauw University in Greencastle, IN in 1971 and earned a Master’s Degree from Northern Illinois University in 1973.

ESPN discovered Rolfing in 1986. After a two-year stint with golf's number one cable network, he became NBC’s Ione on-course commentator in 1988. After four years with NBC Sports, Rolfing signed with ABC in the fall of 1991. He was an integral part of ABC Sports' golf team for six-years before returning to NBC in 1998 where he is at home today.

In 1997, Rolfing signed a multi-year contract with NBC Sports to cover its prestigious 15-event golf schedule, including The Players Championship, The United States Open, and The Ryder Cup.

In year’s past, it took a major championship victory to land a position as a network golf analyst. Rolfing has never won a major championship or a PGA TOUR event, for that matter. In fact, he never even qualified for the PGA TOUR. However, his knowledge and love for the game, his ability to play at the club professional level and his magnetic personality made him the exception.

Mark is an on-course reporter and tower announcer for Golf Channel on NBC’s Sports tournament coverage for the PGA Tour. In addition to his live tournament work, he is a contributing analyst on the network’s Live From programming, airing on-site from golf’s major championships, as well as a guest analyst on Morning Drive, Golf Channel’s daily news and lifestyle show.

Mark biannually serves as host for NBC Sports Group’s Road to the Ryder Cup series featuring indepth conversations with golf’s most influential Ryder Cup players and captains. As a part of the NBC Sports golf team he shares an Emmy Award for Best Live Series.

Mark's television show, "Golf Hawaii," a highly successful weekly television show aired for three seasons on ESPN. As the program's host, Rolfing has entertained such guests as Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Tiger Woods, Ben Crenshaw, Davis Love III, Fred Couples, Greg Norman, Michael Jordan and many others. Beginning in January of 1999 "Golf Hawaii" found its new home on The Golf Channel, where it aired 12 seasons of shows highlighting life in the Hawaiian Islands.

His very successful "Global Golf Adventure" aired on NBC Sports and showcases venues around the globe such as: Bermuda, Wales, The Bahamas and the famed Pebble Beach Golf Course.

In August 2015, Rolfing faced a potentially career-ending diagnosis of stage IV salivary gland cancer. He took a leave of absence for surgery at the University of Chicago to remove the rare malignancy from his left cheek area, to be followed by proton therapy treatment at MD Anderson. By January 2016, he was back on the job at the PGA TOUR's Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Maui. After two years of routine follow up, Mark and his wife Debi are overwhelmed and thankful for each report of No Evidence of Disease (NED).

Mark’s clean bill of health renewed his vision to make a difference. Traveling to golf’s most famous venues, the hometown calling in Chicago fascinates him the most. It is here that Mark concurs with golf industry experts who described South Shore and Jackson Park as “the golf project with the most potential in more than 25 years, due to the unique urban location and diversity of gender, ethnicity and age on the golf course.” With Mark as the Founder and President of the Chicago Parks Golf Alliance(CPGA) he supports this grass roots initiative with a mission to promote affordable and accessible public golf with expanded youth programs, while restoring the historic recreational assets the 100+ year old courses at South Shore and Jackson Park provide to the entire community.

Today, in addition to his television responsibilities and CPGA vision, Mark heads Rolfing Sports, Inc., a sports management and consulting company. He has served as a Governor's appointee on the Hawaii Tourism Authority, where he was the Chair of the Events Marketing Committee. Marks successful efforts to develop Kapalua’s renowned Plantation Course and host the PGA Tour’s Tournament of Champions earned him induction into the Hawaii Golf Hall of Fame in 2000.

There is little doubt that Mark Rolfing has carved a niche for himself in the world of golf and television sports. His popularity with the public and the media has and will continue to propel him into the spotlight. Rest assured Mark will always be up to the challenge.

 

 HILuxury Mark Rolfing Cover Story
 
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Contact: debi@rolfingusa.com