In addition to our traditional District Roundtables, the Philadelphia PGA Section and its Women’s Committee is a virtual women’s roundtable session on Wednesday, March 1 at 9:00 a.m. The session, held via Google Meet, is free to attend, and while the content will be geared for our women PGA Professionals, our male PGA Professionals are also encouraged to join the discussion.
In addition to some great peer to peer conversation on the many different topics facing our PGA Professionals, our Section, and our industry today, PGA Past President Suzy Whaley and PGA Master Professional Alison Curdt will be joining the discussions and speaking about the women’s game and the industry. To register, click on the below button. To join, visit the URL listed below.
Register
To help facilitate the discussions, please take a moment to complete this short survey on what topics interest you most…click here to complete the survey.
About Suzy Whaley, PGA: The first woman ever elected to serve as an Officer of the PGA of America, PGA President and PGA Master Professional Suzy Whaley is the PGA Director of Instruction for the Country Club at Mirasol in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. She is also the PGA Director of Instruction for Suzy Whaley Golf. After serving two years as PGA Secretary, and two years as Vice President, Whaley was elected as the PGA of America’s first female President at the PGA Annual Meeting in November 2018.Recognized in 2019 as one of GOLF’s “Top 100 Teachers in America,” Whaley’s resume includes numerous other teaching awards: Golf Digest Top 50 Instructor, LPGA Top 50 Instructor, two-time Connecticut PGA Teacher of the Year, 10-time Golf Digest State Teacher of the Year and U.S. Kids Golf Master Kids Teacher. She is a five-time PGA Jr. League Championship finals Coach and has instructed more than 300 children to collegiate golf. Previously, she enjoyed a five-year tenure at Jim Flick Golf Schools, before becoming the Head Golf Professional at Blue Fox Run in Avon, Connecticut, in 2002. From 2004-06, she worked as an LPGA golf commentator for ESPN, and began her own instruction and coaching business, Suzy Whaley Golf, after ESPN.
A dual member of the PGA of America and LPGA Teaching & Club Professional division, Whaley was a LPGA Tour member in 1990 and 1993. She famously qualified and participated in the 2003 Greater Hartford Open, becoming the first woman since Babe Zaharias in 1945 to qualify for a PGA Tour event. This occurred after Whaley became the first PGA of America woman professional to win the Connecticut PGA Championship. Whaley also is a three-time Connecticut Women’s Open Champion; National LPGA Teaching & Club Professional winner; Connecticut PGA Section Champion; Connecticut PGA Club Professional Champion; and a two-time LPGA Northeast T&CP Section Champion. She competed in both the 2002 and 2005 PGA Professional Championships. Whaley also recently competed in the USGA Senior Women’s Open, as well at the LPGA Senior Women’s Championship.
A 2016 Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame inductee, Whaley also serves on both the ANNIKA Foundation Board and the PGA Tour Policy Board. In addition, she is an Honorary Director for the First Tee of Connecticut. Whaley was honored with the 2017 Betsy Rawls Award from the American Junior Golf Association for her service, dedication and contributions to women’s golf. She was also named a 2015 Sports Business Journal “Game Changer,” cited as a woman leader who has had a major impact on sports business. Whaley also received the 2015 Margo Dydek Award from the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun, for her ability to engage, challenge and inspire, while serving as a role model.
A 1989 graduate of the University of North Carolina with a Bachelor’s Degree in economics, Whaley and her husband, Bill, are both PGA Members. Bill is the National Director of Golf for the PGA Tour Properties Division. They have two daughters, Jennifer and Kelly.
About Alison Curdt, PGA: Alison is a PGA Master Professional in Instruction and a LPGA Master Professional. Being one of nine women to achieve the highest PGA credential earned by an instructor and only one of two women to be a dual master professional in both organizations, Alison has over 33 years of golf competition background and played on a full scholarship as a two-time Academic All American at Florida State University while earning degrees in Psychology and Professional Golf Management. Her teaching prowess has been recognized in many ways including being selected by the LPGA in 2018, 2017, 2015 and 2012 as the Western Section Teacher of the Year. Alison was chosen as the LPGA’s National Teacher of the Year in 2015 and the PGA Northern Chapter Teacher of the Year in 2015. In 2016, Alison was selected as the Southern California PGA Teacher & Coach of the Year and Golf Digest added her as one of the Best Young Instructors in America. Her clubfitting skills were recognized in 2016 as the Northern Chapter PGA chose her as Clubfitter of the Year and the SCPGA awarded her club fitter of the year in 2018. Recently the LPGA chose Alison as a Top 50 Instructor for the second time and the SCPGA inducted her into the Teaching Hall of Fame. The SCPGA Northern Chapter selected her as Golf Professional of the Year in 2017. In 2019, the SCPGA selected her as the Golf Professional of the Year and the LPGA Western Section selected her as the 2020 Golf Professional of the Year. Alison currently teaches at Wood Ranch Golf Club in the Los Angeles area.
Alison completed her Doctorate of Psychology in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Sport Psychology and a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy. She is a practicing psychotherapist in the state of California and currently works with adolescents, couples, families, and individuals in her private practice Curdt Performance Therapy, in Woodland Hills, Calif. Alison strives to develop and coach golfers in all areas of their lives.
Alison continues to be very active playing competitively and has played in seven LPGA Majors: 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 KPMG Women’s PGA Championships. She is the first women from Southern California to ever qualify for the PGA Professional Championship in 2018 and made a return trip to the PPC in 2021. She helped Team USA win the inaugural Women’s PGA Cup in October 2019. Alison has been a six-time SCPGA Omega Women’s Player of the Year.
Alison’s teaching philosophy is a student-centered approach allowing her to use a vast approach of modalities to help students reach their goals. She has taught over 25,000 golf lessons and is extremely well versed in video analysis, club fitting, golf fitness, and the mental side of the game. Students can be assured all areas of their game will benefit.
About the Philadelphia PGA Section
The Philadelphia PGA Section, covering eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware, is one of 41 geographical managing entities of the PGA of America. This Section manages nearly 900 PGA Members and Associates who are employed at over 590 golf facilities in our region. Founded in 1921, the Section celebrates its centennial in 2021.
Contact: Matt Frey, PGA, Communications Director, Philadelphia PGA Section,
mfrey@pgahq.com
