Alice Plain from Vail Golf Club named Colorado PGA’s Golf Professional of the Year; other special award winners also announced
By Gary Baines – 8/18/2021
For the second time in Colorado PGA history — and the second time in the last six years — a female golf professional has earned the Section’s top honor.
The CPGA recently announced many of its annual special award winners, and receiving the Colorado PGA Golf Professional of the Year honor was Alice Plain, director of golf at Vail Golf Club.
According to the Colorado PGA, “the award is based on the candidate’s entire record, with special emphasis placed on performance and achievement over the past five years in the following criteria: overall performance as a PGA Professional at his/her facility; service to the Colorado PGA Section; leadership ability; image and ability to inspire fellow PGA Professionals; and promotion of golf.”
Plain, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2006, has spent the last 13 years at Vail Golf Club, and her work belies her surname. She’s mentored nine PGA professionals and more than 35 PGA/PGM interns during her 25-year career as a member of the PGA of America. Plain, a PGA West Chapter Board member, has received seven previous CPGA/West Chapter awards, including the 2013 Colorado PGA Public Merchandiser of the Year honor. A former Oklahoma State golfer, she played a key leadership role in helping Eagle County navigate the Covid-19 pandemic from a golf perspective.
The first female to receive the Colorado PGA Golf Professional of the Year award was Leslie Core-Drevecky of Murphy Creek Golf Course in 2016.
Plain was one of a dozen Colorado PGA special award winners for 2021 that were announced this month. Other award winners will be named or determined in the coming two months, including the players of the year.
Here are the Colorado PGA awards that were announced this month:
— Golf Professional of the Year: Alice Plain, Vail Golf Club
— Assistant PGA Golf Professional of the Year: Ethan Malzahn, Denver Country Club
— Teacher of the Year: Leighton Smith, Leighton Smith Golf
— Professional Development (exceptional contributions to develop and improve PGA educational opportunities): Brad Skupaka, GolfTec HQ
— Bill Strausbaugh Award (mentoring fellow PGA professionals): Jeremy Beck, GolfTec HQ
— Warren Smith Award (special contributions to game of golf and the Colorado PGA): Rick Cole, Life Member, formerly of Eaton Country Club
— Player Development: Stefanie Ferguson, instructor for Experience Golf and CommonGround Golf Course
— Youth Player Development: Jason Witczak, The Club at Pradera
— Patriot Award (contributions and support to the U.S. armed forces and active-duty personal and veterans; 2021 is the first year for this award): Paul Surniak, Cheyenne Shadows Golf Club.
— Private Merchandiser of the Year: Tristen Fay, Fort Collins Country Club
— Resort Merchandiser of the Year: Jim Miller, Sonnenalp Golf Club
— Public Merchandiser of the Year: Cody Hasten, Haymaker Golf Course
For more on the award winners, CLICK HERE.