Given what a pioneer she is among women in golf, it seems only fitting that Colorado Springs resident Judy Bell be the first female recipient of the Nicholson Award given for a lifetime of commitment and dedication to the game of golf.
And to receive the honor on the eve of the U.S. Women’s Open being held at the Broadmoor — her longtime home — makes it doubly appropriate.
Bell joined some elite company Wednesday evening when she became just the sixth Nicholson Award honoree, following former USGA president Will Nicholson Jr. of Denver — the award’s namesake — Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Ben Crenshaw.
The thought “makes my knees shake,” Bell said this week. “I know those guys and I’m a great fan of all of them.”
And they no doubt would return the compliment. After all, Bell is the only female to serve as USGA president in the organization’s 117-year history, having held the post in 1996 and “˜97. She joined the USGA Women’s Committee in 1968 and was the first woman elected to the USGA Executive Committee, in 1987. Not surprisingly, she’s now a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
With those credentials, and given that her history at the Broadmoor dates back almost 60 years, it’s no wonder why Bell was an obvious choice for the Nicholson Award. But that’s not the only honor Bell has received this week. At a Tuesday evening function, the LPGA and USGA paid tribute to Bell and fellow Colorado Golf Hall of Famer — and two-time U.S. Women’s Amateur champion — Barbara McIntire. At the event, it was announced that the trophy for the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf Team Championship that will debut next year will be named the Bell-McIntire Trophy (pictured above).
“She’s deserving of every award,” said Lakewood’s Hollis Stacy, a six-time USGA champion who’s known Bell since 1970. “She’s done a lot. She’s had great vision. She’s an amazing person — unselfish, always thinking of the other person and deflecting attention. That’s the sign of a great person. She’s a remarkable lady. She’s inspired me and she’s inspired a lot of women.”
And Bell was also one of the main reasons that Colorado lured its first U.S. Women’s Open when the 1995 tournament came to the Broadmoor, with Annika Sorenstam winning. Also in Colorado Springs, Bell played a key role in the USGA Grants program, helping nonprofit golf programs serve individuals with financial need, minorities and individuals with disabilities.
“She has inspired so many people,” said McIntire, who like Bell is a longtime fixture at the Broadmoor. “So many of us who have served on the USGA appreciated everything she’s done, believe me.”
Among the many in attendance Tuesday to honor Bell and McIntire were Stacy, USGA executive director Mike Davis, former PGA Champion and longtime Broadmoor director of golf Dow Finsterwald and Colorado-based USGA Executive Committee member Christie Austin.(Pictured at left are Bell with Stacy and Broadmoor director of golf Russ Miller.)
“It’s tremendous to receive an honor in your hometown,” Bell said. “I know everybody who was here and that’s very meaningful to me. And Barbara McIntire is a close friend of mine. And the Nicholson Award, it’s special. Will Nicholson has been a great supporter of mine and has given me a lot of advice — and I’ve taken it.”
Stacy, winner of three U.S. Women’s Opens and three U.S. Girls’ Junior titles, first met Bell during Stacy’s days as a 16-year-old junior golfer playing in the 1970 Broadmoor Ladies Invitational.
“I stayed at her house, and she gave me the keys to her 1954 Mercedes,” Stacy said. “I was (16) and I had never driven a stick (shift) before and she said, “˜Have fun.’ I was sweating bullets all week. Thank God she lives close to the clubhouse.”
Besides her inestimable hours volunteering in golf, serving as an ambassador for the game and being a huge supporter of girls and women’s golf, Bell was a very good player in her own right. She competed on two U.S. Curtis Cup teams — which feature the best amateur golfers the country has to offer — played in 38 USGA championships and shot a then-record-tying 6-under-par 67 in the 1964 U.S. Women’s Open.
Bell also won three Kansas women’s amateurs and three Broadmoor Ladies Invitationals.
Besides being a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame, Bell has been enshrined in the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame and the Kansas Golf Hall of Fame. She’s also a member of the Captain’s Club at the Memorial Tournament.
Among the many honors Bell has received over the years are the First Lady of Golf from the PGA of America, the Patty Berg Award from the LPGA, and the Donald Ross Award from the Society of Golf Course Architects.
Wet-Behind-the-Ears Winners of U.S. Women’s Open: Three of the last eight winners of the U.S. Women’s Open have made that tournament their first professional victory. Annika Sorenstam, who did likewise in the 1995 U.S. Women’s Open at the Broadmoor, isn’t sure why that’s the case, but she offered this reason:
“A lot of big-name players get in their own way,” Sorenstam said Wednesday. “(Back in 1995), I didn’t have any expectations, but for the top players the expectations are so high.”
Featured Thursday/Friday Pairing: One of the pairings for the first two rounds that is sure to attract plenty of attention is that of world No. 1 Yani Tseng and defending U.S. Women’s Open champion Paula Creamer. They’ll be joined by reigning U.S. Women’s Amateur champion Danielle Kang at 1:36 p.m. Thursday and 8:06 a.m. Friday.
“I think it’s a great pairing,” Creamer said. “”¦ (Tseng) is the player to beat. However, it’s Thursday and Friday so the big key is just taking care of my own business. I can’t control what she does.”
Roughing It: While the rough at the Broadmoor may not appear particularly penal on first glance, Creamer has a different impression.
“The rough is very deceiving,” she said. “It doesn’t look very thick, but it’s nasty. There are some lies out there where it’s virtually impossible to get it anywhere close (to the greens on approach shots). You just have to face it and accept bogey sometimes.”
Sorenstam Has No Intention to Un-Retire: Annika Sorenstam, winner of 72 LPGA events and 10 major championships (including the 1995 U.S. Women’s Open at the Broadmoor), ended her LPGA tournament career in 2008, and on Wednesday she said she has no inkling to return to the game competitively.
“I do not miss it,” said Sorenstam, who gave birth to a second child, Will, 3½ months ago. “It might sound strange. I competed for so many years on such a high level — 24/7 that’s what I did. But once I made a decision to step away, I stepped away. I practice very little. I play very little. I’m still involved in the game. It’s golf every day; I just don’t play it. That’s kind of where I get my golf fix. I feel like I can help the game grow in different ways.”
Sorenstam is the honorary chair for this year’s U.S. Women’s Open and conducted an exhibition Wednesday with 13-year-old Mariel Galdiano, the youngest player in the field.
More Thoughts from Annika: On Michelle Wie, the once-phenom who has won just twice in 96 LPGA Tour starts in her career: “She probably has one of the best swings in the game today. I would say she has not performed to her expectations or her potential. “¦ The physical part is there. Sometimes you wonder if she’s mentally strong enough to finish at the top. She has a few victories, but has not been able to really break through, in my opinion.”
On what type of player will win the U.S. Women’s Open this week: “I don’t think (the course) puts much premium maybe on the accuracy. It’s more about the length and to be able to hit shorter irons, higher irons into the greens so you can stop it. I think that’s going to be the key. “¦ I think a long hitter is going to do better here.”
Family Affair: Colorado-based USGA Executive Committee member Christie Austin and her husband Bob are scheduled to be rules officials for the 9:12 a.m. group off the 10th tee Thursday, while their daughter Julie will be a standard-bearer for the same group.
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Handicapping the Field
How COgolf.org’s Gary Baines rates the chances of several notable players at the U.S. Women’s Open, which begins Thursday at the Broadmoor:
Pick to win — Cristie Kerr. After nothing worse than a third-place finish in her last four events, this may be her week.
What about Yani? — It’s amazing that Yani Tseng can complete a career grand slam at age 22 if she wins this week, but while she’ll likely contend for the Women’s Open title, she can’t win them all.
Darkhorse selection — Juli Inkster may be 51 years old, but the hunch here is she can still make a run at the championship.
Loving Colorado — Morgan Pressel, who nearly won the 2005 U.S. Women’s Open at Cherry Hills, figures to be in the mix again this time after a runner-up showing in the recent LPGA Championship.
