Ann Finke was home with the flu last month when she received a call that considerably brightened her day.
A candidate for the PGA of America’s national Junior Golf Leader award, Finke remembered a conversation she had about the honor. “Someone told me if the (PGA of America) president calls, you get it,” Finke said in a phone interview this week. “So when Jim Remy called and said who it was, I said, “˜Trust me, I’m very aware of who you are.’ He said, “˜This ought to cheer you up a little.'”
Remy informed Finke, the director of instruction at the Country Club of Colorado in Colorado Springs, that she was one of nine winners of various national PGA of America awards who will be honored Jan. 27 in Orlando, Fla., during the PGA Merchandise Show.
Finke (at center in photo) will be the 13th member of the Colorado Section PGA to receive a national PGA of America award, as well as the fourth in the last four years, joining Danny Harvanek (2007 Junior Golf Leader), Clayton Cole (2008 Bill Strausbaugh Award for mentoring fellow PGA professionals) and Kyle Heyen (2009 President’s Plaque for player development). In addition, Finke is the third national Junior Golf Leader from the Colorado PGA in the last 13 years, along with Harvanek and Alan Abrams (1997).
But what really sets Finke apart is that this award makes her the first female member of the Colorado PGA to receive one of the major national honors from the PGA of America.
“That’s kind of cool,” Finke said. “It’s a big deal to me. I was the first woman member of the (Colorado) Section. But I look at myself as more of a role model for my players. I believe in working hard and earning things that come your way. Doing that is more important than being a woman (winning the award). But don’t misunderstand me; it’s a nice thing to be that.”
Finke, 54, has been a professional since 1979 and a member of the Colorado PGA since 1985. That’s when she moved to Colorado Springs — and the Country Club of Colorado — from western Nebraska, where she grew up. In 2008, Finke celebrated her 25th anniversary of being a full member of the PGA of America, becoming just the ninth woman to reach that milestone.
Nowadays, Finke spends about 35 percent of her instruction time working with junior players, but that’s only officially speaking. She also spends countless time “off the clock” following her students as they play and compete. It’s not unusual for her to devote part of Saturday — an “off” day for Finke — observing her junior golfers as they play to determine with what parts of their game they need most help.
“I don’t think of myself as extraordinary,” she said. “I’m dedicated to the kids’ growth in the game. You have to follow them around to see what the pitfalls are and what they need to work on. I do a lot of that (following them). I don’t see a lot of other folks doing that. It’s nice for the kids to feel support. And I think I’m a pretty good communicator. Teaching kids keeps you young.”
Finke’s leadership ability regarding junior golfers has taken shape over the years, but it has its roots in her own experiences as a player. She was taught the game by her grandmother and became the first female in her high school to earn an athletic scholarship — as a golfer to the University of New Mexico. But she’s the first to admit that her experience as a UNM player wasn’t very positive; the regimentation took much of the fun out of the game for her.
“The coach at UNM told me I had to know my own swing,” Finke said. “I’m like, “˜I want you to know to tell me what to do.’ You want independent players, not dependent ones. (The experience) was invaluable to me. It all happens for a reason.”
Finke, who competed just one season at New Mexico, later transferred to the University of Nebraska, where she played her senior year. But her time at New Mexico taught Finke useful lessons when she went on to instruct junior golfers — namely, patience and the determination to give kids the fundamentals for their golf swings.
Finke has had an impact on thousands of junior golfers over the years — not just from the club, but from all around southern Colorado and even Denver and Wyoming — so much so that an area at the Country Club of Colorado has long been dubbed “Finke Hill” by her students. Finke gives roughly 1,000 junior lessons each year and does almost 50 hours of golf clinics, according to the PGA of America.
Perhaps the most recognizable junior player to have been taught by Finke was Tom Glissmeyer, who grew up playing the Country Club of Colorado and went on to qualify for the U.S. Open as a 16-year-old in 2003. Glissmeyer had a successful career at the University of Southern California and this year finished third in the HealthOne Colorado Open.
Finke also has taken a very active role in the Pikes Peak Junior Golf organization, including serving as president from 1991 through 2002. PPJG has awarded more than $175,000 in scholarships in its history.
So why does Finke find so much happiness in teaching golf to kids?
“The most important part is these are the greatest kids in the world and they’ll be great leaders,” she said. “I feel lucky to work with them. It’s important for them to strive to be good players and to always be a great person.”
The desire to continue playing a big role with junior golfers was a key motivating factor in Finke deciding almost five years ago to become the director of instruction at the Country Club of Colorado after about 20 years of being an assistant professional there.
“I always taught a lot, but they tried to get me to just teach,” Finke said. “Then a person from our management company told me, “˜Ann, if it’s not you, it will be someone (who becomes director of instruction). And will you be comfortable having all those kids you’ve brought along turned over to someone else?’ I thought when it was put to me that way, I could definitely answer that question.”
COLORADO PGA 2010 AWARDS
Note — While Ann Finke will receive the national Junior Golf Leader award from the PGA of America in January, the Colorado PGA will honor some of its best at a banquet Nov. 13 at Lakewood Country Club. Here’s the rundown of most of the key awards:
Golf Professional of the Year — Tim Lollar, Lakewood CC
Bill Strausbaugh Award (commitment to mentoring fellow PGA professionals) — Kyle Heyen, Hiwan GC
Teacher of the Year — Erik Billinger, Highlands Ranch GC
Assistant Professional — Howard Glasser, Eagle Springs GC
Junior Golf Leader — Ben Welsh, Eagle Vail GC
Horton Smith Award (developing and improving educational opportunities for PGA professionals) — Leslie Core-Dravecky, Murphy Creek GC
Warren Smith Award (lifetime achievement) — Tom Apple, CC of the Rockies
President’s Plaque (player development) — Keith Soriano, City Park GC
Merchandiser of the Year (Public) — Dale Smigelsky, Collindale GC
Merchandiser of the Year (Private) — George Kahrhoff, CC at Castle Pines
Merchandiser of the Year (Resort) — Dave Lopez, Beaver Creek GC
Todd Phipers (Media) Award — Jon Rizzi, Colorado AvidGolfer
President’s Award (enhancing position of PGA professionals and the game of golf) — Rick White, Imperial Headwear
