54 Strong - Kudos to the Lady Pros Acknowledged for Growing the Game of Golf

We’ve come a long way baby! 

This fall Golf Digest released their biennial “Best Teachers in State” list.  While I’m honored to be acknowledged on any of the golf industry “lists” I find the Golf Digest list particularly unique.  Rankings of golf instructors are comprised in different ways depending on the organization behind the list.  Some organizations have a panel or board that evaluates applications.  This may contain individuals that span across the golf industry from higher ups with the PGA, the LPGA, the Golf Channel, Golf Digest, Golf Magazine, education research specialists,  and even some club or equipment manufacturers. Such is the case with the prestigious LPGA Top 50 Teacher in the World list.  Other organizations may just have a few people on their own company board that rate the applicants.  Applications can require a bio, a resume, stats on your teaching business, letters of recommendation, awards, students’ successes, and so on.  And then there is the Golf Digest List…

The Golf Digest Best in State List is unique in that it is comprised of votes by your peers.  That’s right, every other year golf teachers fill out a ballot and rank their fellow teachers within their state.  What a huge honor it is to be recognized and respected by those working in your own field! Women in particular have come a long way in being acknowledged for their teaching skills and success.  For decades women have been integral in helping grow the game by helping golfers get better themselves.  ​

The LPGA Teaching Division (the largest membership of women golf professionals in the world) began in 1959 with the sole purpose of helping grow the game by teaching people across the country how to play.  The LPGA’s research -based golf education has provided it’s members state-of-the-art education methods and tools to help golfers learn efficiently and easily.  Programs like the LPGA Girls Golf Program with 415 locations and 70,000 girl members has had a big affect on raising the number of juniors that enter the game. Female instructors aren’t just adept in influencing women and juniors to play and improve either.  When you talk to LPGA pros, a lot of them will tell you that the majority of their clientele is male.  For me personally it has always been around 70% which makes sense since about 70% of all golfers are male. 

The LPGA consists of 1705 members (all female) with 1516 of those being USA members. The PGA of America has 28000 members when you also count their apprentices and 1194 of those are women.  Let’s now look at the numbers on the Golf Digest List.  First and foremost,4 women made the Top 50 Best Teachers in America List.  That’s 8% and falls right in line with our 9% of all golf professionals statistic.  This year 54 women in total made their top in state list out of 571, so that’s 9.5 % and again right in line with the industry.  This is actually an amazing number though, when you consider women make up approximately 9% of golf professionals nationwide . When you look at the fact that 91% of all pros are males, it’s actually quite amazing and shows that males in the industry are really dishing out some respect to their female counterparts and voting them into this select group.

Take it from someone who is deeply humbled every time she receives an award or recognition from the LPGA and even more taken back when she attends a seminar to see her fellow ladies in action.  These women are amazing.  Their talent, knowledge, energy and desire to improve spans throughout their life, not just golf.  They set the bar high and it’s what keeps me on my toes and pressing forward.
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Congrats to all the women who made the list.  What an achievement! ​

ALASKA
Peggy Gustafson GolfTec Anchorage, Alaska

ARIZONA
Pia Nilsson, Vision 54, Scottsdale, AZ (also Top 50 Best Teacher)
Lynn Marriott, Vision 54, Scottsdale, AZ (also Top 50 Best Teacher)
Sandy LaBauve, Westin Kierland Resort & Spa, Scottsdale, AZ
Tiffany Yager Vision 54, Scottsdale, AZ
Susie Meyers, Ventana Canyon Golf Academy, Tuscon, AZ
Tina Tombs, Arizona Biltmore G. C., Phoenix, AZ

CALIFORNIA
Katherine Marren, Quail Lodge & G.C., Carmel CA

COLORADO
Elena King, Common Ground G. Cse., Aurora, CO
Susan Sanders, Castle Pines, G. C., Castle Rock, CO

CONNECTICUT
Suzy Whaley, TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, CT
Kammy Maxfeldt, Birchwood, C. C. , Westport, CT
Jessica Carafiello, Innis Arden, G.C., Old Greenwich, CT

DELAWARE
Becky Dengler, Ed Oliver G. C. , Wilmington, DE

FLORIDA
Cheryl Anderson, Mike Bender Golf Adacemy, Lake Mary, FL (also Top 50 Best Teacher)
Stefanie Shaw, Boca Raton Resort and C., FL
Renee Trudeau O Higgins, The Biltmore, Coral Gables, FL
Kellie Stenzel, Kellie Stenzel Golf Academy, Boca Raton, FL

GEORGIA
Gale Peterson, Sea Island Golf Club, St. Simons Island, GA

ILLINOIS
Louise Davis, Cog Hill G. &C.C., Lemond, IL
Carol Rhoades, Cog Hill G. & C.C., Lemont, IL

MARYLAND
Trillium Rose, Woodmont C. C., Rockvillem MD

MASSACHUSETTS
Sue Kaffenburgh, Bayberry Hills G.Cse., West Yarmouth, MA
Jane Frost, Sandwich Hollows, G.C., East Sandwich, MA

MICHIGAN
Lynn Janson, Hastings C.C., MI

MINNESOTA
Sheryl Maize, Crystal Lake G. Cse, Lakeville,  MN
Dee Forsberg, Brookview G.Cse., Golden Valley, MN
Stacey Christensen, Minnesota Valley C.C., Bloomintong, MN

MISSOURI
Helen Kurtin, St. Louis Golf Academy, MO
Maria Palozola, St. Louis Golf Lessons, St. Louis, MO

NEVADA
Jan Usher, Montreux G.C., Reno NV

NEW JERSEY
Gia Bocra Liwski, Hamilton Farm, G.C., Gladstone, NJ (GolfExperiencesforHer.com)
Kathy Hart Wood, Fiddler’s Elbow, Bedminster, NJ

NEW YORK
Debbie Doniger, Glen Arbor G.C., Bedford, NY
Eden Foster, Maidstone C., East Hampton, NY
Alana Swain, Atlantic G.C., Bridgehampton, NY
Kate Tempesta, Urban Golf Academy, New York City, NY
Sara Dickson, Quaker Ridge G.C., Scarsdale, NY

NORTH CAROLINA
Julie Cole, Dana Rader Golf School, Charlotte, NC

OKLAHOMA
Tracy Phillips, Flying Tee, Jenks, OK

SOUTH CAROLINA
Dana Rader, Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head Island, SC (also Top 50 Best Teacher)
Carol Preisinger, Kiawah Island C., SC
Krista Dunton, Berkeley Hall, Bluffton, SC
Patti McGowan, Converse College, Saprtanburg, SC

TENNESSEE
Sarah Dant, Harpeth Balley G.C., Nashville, TN
Nancy Quarcelino, Gaylord Springs G. Links, Nashville, TN

TEXAS
Carol Mann, The Woodlands C.C., TX
Christy Longfield, Spanish Oaks G. C., Austin, TX
Deb Vangellow, Riverbend C.C., Sugar Land, TX
Kaylin Skovron, Dallas, TX

VERMONT
Libby Smith, Links at Lang Farm, Essex Junction, VT

VIRGINIA
Erika Larkin, Larkin Golf Learning Community, Gainesville, VA
Kandi Comer, Kandi Comer Golf at Old Trail, Crozet, VA

WASHINGTON
Erin Menath, GolfTec Bellevue, WA
Kathy Gildersleeve-Jensen, Indian Canyon G. Cse., Spokane, WA