McMahon wins NENY PGA Teacher of Year

Energetic Kay McMahon always followed the beat of a different drummer.

Ever since she learned to play golf on her dad’s self-made three-hole mini golf course situated around the family flower pots, McMahon figured out how to make a living from the game. While others beat their drums with sticks, she figuratively and literally uses cooking utensils — and still features them in her teaching techniques to this day.

“We were entrepreneurs from a very young age,” she said. “We used cut-down clubs to play, and we charged everyone 10 cents to play nine holes — a penny a hole and a penny to rent the clubs. My mom made lemonade to sell, but we kept the money. We were already entrepreneurs at age 7. My parents introduced us to golf the right way. We ran out into the trees and snagged balls while they played.”

McMahon discovered early on how to play the game and then how to teach others to play it well. Her tenacity, talent and creativity helped her become one of the nation’s top teaching pros. Named to the LPGA Professionals Hall of Fame in 2010, the Minnesota native was recently selected the 2021 Northeastern New York PGA’s Teacher of the Year. It’s McMahon’s fourth NENY PGA Teacher of the Year award.

“The biggest part of my 8.5 teaching system is that I first try to come from a point of having people understand what they’re trying to do,” Mc-Mahon explained. “It sounds simple, but the first principle is understanding why. If we understand what we’re trying to do, we can usually do it. If we have an understanding of what we’re trying to do, we have a 300% retention level. Students need to understand why they are making a change. They need to know what will cause a change in their ball flight. They may not be able to do it every time, but they will feel much more comfortable when they understand why they are doing what they are doing.

“I teach them ball flight so they will understand why their ball flies into the woods. I teach someone how to self-correct rather than self-destruct. I’ve learned over the years how to make people understand their game.”

McMahon said that most students get the gist of what she’s trying to teach in the first hour or so of her initial lesson.

“A light bulb usually goes off during that first hour,” she said. “But to really make a change you have to practice, so I give them practice techniques to do at home every day for just a few minutes. One lady practices with a spatula in her kitchen, and another practices with a small frying pan. I tell them to take the ball out of the equation at first. Everybody is worried about the golf ball, but they should first learn to understand their tools, and that’s the golf clubs. A nail doesn’t go anywhere until you operate the hammer. I explain how the clubs are designed and how they are supposed to function.”

The Minnesota Duluth graduate was a multiple-star athlete in volleyball — where she went to the nationals as a player/coach — basketball, badminton and tennis. She didn’t play college golf because there wasn’t a team to play on.

“I learned about the principles of physics in college,” she said. “People just don’t understand how the body moves.”

After college, McMahon tried the LPGA Qualifying School nine times, missing her playing card by one shot on three occasions.

“After Qualifying School, you had to wait six months until the next one. You were considered a professional, so you couldn’t play amateur events, but there weren’t any pro events to play either,” she explained.

McMahon eventually played the Women’s Professional Golf Tour, a mini tour, in California.

“We had 18 of us playing in my first tournament. My first check was just $10.50” she said. “I wanted to keep it, but I cashed it because I needed the money.”

Among her most noteworthy playing achievements was competing in three USGA Women’s Opens, winning two Minnesota Public Links Championships and competing in the California State Amateur at Pebble Beach.

“The entry fee was $25 back then,” she said. “You got to play a practice round, two qualifying rounds and two matches. I got to the quarterfinals or the semifinals, and I played against LPGA Hall of Famer] Patty Sheehan. I beat her on the 16th hole. I put my arm around her and said some day kid you’re going to make it. I guess I was right.”

McMahon also registered a couple of double eagles and posted a “hole-in-one for a 3” when she hit her first shot into the water and then canned the next.

She currently splits her time between Florida and the Northeast with her Edukaytion Golf School out of Lennox, Massachusetts. Although she was recently named the head professional at Canaan Country Club in Connecticut, just over the New York border, she also continues to give lessons at Mill Road Acres in Latham.

McMahon will be running the second annual Links to Leadership — a charity event to help more women get into golf — Sept. 12 at Albany Country Club.

“I actually love teaching — from the very beginners to the most experienced,” McMahon said, pointing to such successful students as former Shaker High School standout and Section II all-star Madison Braman, 11-year-old Maria Glavin, Laura Rentz, Grace Kochan and Alexandra Young, who she predicts will someday compete on the LPGA Tour.

McMahon can be reached at edukaytiongolf.com.

NENY PGA HONORS

Fox Run Golf Club owner and head professional Rich Scott, the association’s current president, headlines the 2021 Northeastern New York PGA special award winners as Golf Professional of the Year.

Scott’s background is very unusual, as the golf industry was not his initial career. He spent many years studying to be a mortician before deciding to pursue his Class A card as a head pro in 2013. He was an assistant pro at Hales Mills CC and was the pro at Fox Run before he purchased it in 2018.

Some of Scott’s achievements include bringing a “Golf in Schools” program to the physical education classes in the Johnstown School District and helping the section navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 epidemic. He’s well adept at wearing many hats in the industry — golf operations, merchandising, teaching and instruction, restaurant management and turf and greens maintenance.

Scott and the rest of the NENY PGA Special Award winners will be celebrated for their achievements at the NENY PGA Special Awards banquet Nov. 10 at Albany Country Club.

Here are the rest of the award winners:

Assistant Golf Professional of the Year — Benton Sullivan of Glens Falls Country Club.

Professional Development (Education) winner — Matt McPhillips of Pine-haven Country Club.

Teacher of the Year — Kay McMahon, owner and director of instruction at EduKaytion Golf in Lenox, Massachusetts.

Youth Development Award — Anders Mattson, owner and director of instruction at AndersMattson-Golf in Saratoga Springs.

Roland Stafford Sportsmanship Award — Keith Sprenger, head pro at Battenkill Country Club.

Bill Strausbaugh Award (Club Relations and Community Service) — Matt Daley, head pro at Schenectady Municipal Golf Course.

Co-Sales Representatives of the Year — Mike Perreault and Jim Yeager of Callaway Golf.

Player Development Award — Bob Cain, teaching professional at Saratoga National Golf Club.

Patriot Award — Brad Gardner, head pro at The Edison Club.

Merchandiser of the Year Awards — Private: Marc Levesque, head pro at Wyantenuck Country Club. Public: Mike Decker, head pro at McGregor Links Country Club. Resort: David Cummings, head pro at The Sagamore Resort & Golf Club.

Doug Evans Distinguished Service Award — Bob Weiner, golf columnist at The Daily Gazette.

PROS ON THE MOVE

As usual, there has been plenty of movement among Northeastern New York PGA club professionals.

Perennial Player of the Year Scott Berliner is now the Director of Instruction at Eagle Crest Golf Club, where pro Scott Battiste and his family have taken over ownership from Bill Paulsen.

Former Normanside CC assistant pro Justin Hearly is now the head pro at Burden Lake Country Club.

Keith Sprenger has moved from Pioneer Golf Club to become the head pro at Battenkill Golf Club.

Terry Manziano, formerly of Northway Golf Center, is the new head pro at Saratoga Spa Golf Course, where Jonathon Hines has taken over from the retired Bill Richardson as the general manager of the course and restaurant.

John Neet has left his teaching position at Normanside CC and is now at The Edison Club, while Andrew Kemp and Thomas Mattice are the new assistant pros at Pinehaven CC.

Taking over for the retired Peter Martin, Perry Babcock is the new head pro at Wahconah CC.

Trevor Alexander has moved from the Philadelphia section to become the new head pro at Wiltwyck Golf Club.

Mark Dunne is the new head pro at Wahconah CC, and Chris Ferraro has taken over at Twaalfskill Golf Club in Kingston.

Eric Breloskli is the new head pro at Airway Meadows, while Steve Plata is now teaching at Shaker Ridge CC.

Other assistants or new associates include Justin Alles at Red Hook, Corey Armstrong at Northway Golf Center and Kevin Smith at Stockbridge. Brian Jeffers of Hiland Park CC and Tim Lasarso of The Sagamore Resort each earned their Class A cards over the winter.

MAJOR EVENTS

The 2022 golf season is full of tournament activity on every level for Capital Region players and spectators.

Local pros will be trying to unseat Berliner as Player of the Year by winning as many tournament points as possible. The majors carry extra points and include the Stroke Play Championship May 10-11 at Saratoga National Golf Club, the Donald Ross Classic June 12-13 at The Sagamore Resort and Glens Falls Country Club, the NENY PGA Professional Championship at Aug. 23-24 at Albany Country Club, the NENY PGA Match Play Championship Sept. 20-21 at Wolferts Roost Country Club and the Tour Championship Oct. 4-5 at the Country Club of Pittsfield.

Other important events for the pros include the U.S. Open Local Qualifier May 16 at Shaker Ridge Country Club, the NENY PGA-CRAGA Challenge Cup May 24 at the Country Club of Troy and the NYS Open Qualifier June 8 at Eagle Crest Golf Club.

The pros also have numerous pro-ams and Pro Classics on their schedule.

Amateur men are striving for points in the Capital Region Amateur Golf Association. Their majors include the Tri-County Match Play May 6-8 at Colonie Golf & Country Club, both the U.S. Open qualifier and NENY PGA-CRAGA Challenge Cup, the Troy Invitational June 11-12, the Schenectady Classic June 17-19 at Schenectady Municipal Golf Course and the CRAGA Stroke Play Championship in August.

Local women will be competing for major titles in the Schenectady Women’s Classic June 17-18 at Schenectady Municipal Golf Course, as well as special events in the Northeastern Women’s Golf Association including the 4-Player Scramble May 21 at Schenectady Municipal Golf Course, the Mixed 2 Player Modified Chapman Scramble June 24 at Leather-stocking Golf Club, the Team Play July 7 at McGregor Links CC, the Gail Purdy Best Two Balls of Four July 19 at Glens Falls CC, the NEWGA Championship July 27-28 at Colonie G&CC and the Gail Sykes Better Ball of Two Aug. 9 at Albany Country Club.

The featured spectator event will be the Epson Tour (formerly the Symetra Tour) Twin Bridges Classic July 8-10 at Pinehaven Country Club. The Epson Tour is the official “Road to the LPGA.”

Both the amateur men and women will also be competing in various NYSGA Championships, with numerous qualifiers in the Capital Region. No NYSGA Championships are scheduled for the area this season after three (the NYS Men’s Amateur, the NYS Senior Women’s Amateur and the NYS Men’s Mid-Amateur) were held here last season.

There is also a NYSGA Amateur Series, which includes more than 20 individual stroke play events across the state, including many in the Capital Region.

CHIP SHOTS

The NENY PGA will conduct its annual spring meeting Monday at The Edison Club. A best-ball tournament will follow. Former PGA of America president Derek Malone will be the guest speaker.

Southern New Hampshire University sophomore A.J. Cavotta, from Saratoga Springs High School, posted a 2-over-par 72 to tie for medalist honors as the Penmen defeated Saint Anselm 290-301 in a dual match at Derryfield Country Club.

The New York Telephone league, one of the longest-running leagues in the Capital Region, is looking for new members. It competes Thursday afternoons, beginning at 4 p.m. at Van Patten Golf Club. For more information, Contact Eric McDowell at 518-588-8016.

The Northeastern Women’s Golf Association will hold its annual spring meeting April 24 at Western Turnpike Golf Course. NEWGA’s tournament opener will be the Four-Player Scramble May 25, also at Western Turnpike Golf Course.

HOLE-IN-ONE

Bill Dailey used a 7-iron to record a hole-in-one on the 165-yard third hole at Pinehaven Country Club on Friday.

Reach Bob Weiner at

Weindog58@gmail.com.