Facility or Affiliation
Uplands Golf Club
Why did you become a PGA of Canada Professional?
I became a golf professional because of my love for the game. When I stopped competing, I wanted to find a way to stay in the industry and help others achieve their goals. I had my first golf job at 17 and I remember on my first day Bill Kelly told me how it would be hard as a woman in the golf industry and how I needed to make sure I stood up for myself. It set a fire in my heart to prove to myself and to everyone else that I could do anything I wanted and to never let anyone get in my way.
What is the most rewarding part about being a member of the PGA of BC?
There are always new learning and growth opportunities and ways to keep moving forward. You get great opportunities to meet other like-minded professionals and learn and grow together.
At which golf facility did you first begin working within the industry, and who was the PGA Professional?
I first started at Glacier Greens Golf Club in Comox, BC working for Bill Kelly
Who has influenced your career the most, and how?
The support I have received over the years from other golf professionals I work with is unmatched. Starting me in the industry was Bill Kelly and I would not be here as a teaching professional without him, he encouraged me from the start that I could do anything I set my mind to. He was my first coach, first boss and biggest influence. Ian Stone has been my biggest supporter, encouraging me to reach for the moon and helping me accomplish any goals no matter how ambitious.
What career path led you to where you are today?
I started in the industry at 17 years old at Glacier Greens, working in the Proshop and helping with clinics. I then moved to Victoria and started at Uplands Golf Club. In 2016 I decided to turn pro after graduating college and started teaching but something was missing. When I got the opportunity to coach at the BC Summer Games in 2018, I found my calling and decided to pursue coaching!
Which significant accomplishments are you most proud of?
This year was a great one! I was an Assistant Coach for a winning Team BC at the North Pacific Junior Ladies Match Play in Washington. I was Head Coach for Zone 6 at BC Summer Games in Prince George and we came home with Team Silver and two individual Silvers. I was the manager for Team BC at Canada Summer Games and we brought home team Gold, both male and female gold and a female silver. Every event was amazing and the wins were just a bonus to the amazing humans I got to work with.
If you had to share one piece of advice with a new member of our Association, what would it be?
Explore all the avenues of the industry, there is a place for everyone whether it be coaching, instruction, managing or sales, there are so many options and you have to find the right place for you!
What is your most cherished golf memory?
I still remember the first time I broke 90, I started golf later than most (15), I was playing a high school tournament with a very young Mark Valliere and he was keeping my score. I was so nervous playing the event I didn’t even pay attention to what I was shooting and when he asked ‘so I got you for 83’ I just laughed and said he must have added it wrong. Turns out he didn’t, and that day really was my breakthrough moment in my golf journey.
What is your favourite golf course in British Columbia, and why?
Storey Creek will always be my favourite, the environment, the nature walk and the overall feel while on the golf course have always stood out to me. I love the fact that on every hole you feel like you have the golf course to yourself, the tree line creates a privacy screen between holes. It's a beautiful property with a good amount of challenge!
What is a common misconception that golfers make about what your job entails?
People seem to think that teaching golf is just about the technical swing, but most days I spend a lot of my lesson talking through mental and emotional aspects of the swing and game more than the actual technique.
What is an interesting fact about yourself that doesn't involve golf?
I am the vice-president of my local Victoria Crohn's and Colitis Chapter. I run support groups and help raise funds every year for research for a cure!
