Deb Vangellow (Teacher of the Year), Jane Broderick (Professional of the Year) and Kay Cornelius (Junior Golf Achievement Award) have been selected for national recognition by the Ladies Professional Golf Association’s Teaching and Club Professional membership.
The Ladies Professional Golf Association Teaching and Club Professional membership (LPGA T&CP) has announced selections for national achievements awards in 2012. The winners were selected by an Executive Committee from a pool of sectional award winners voted on by members of five regional sections.
Deb Vangellow of Sweetwater Country Club, Sugarland, Texas, has been named Teacher of the Year by the group. Vangellow is Director of Instruction at the club outside Houston, where she teaches men, women, senior and junior golfers of all skill levels individually and in groups. Vangellow is also the first-ever National Vice President for the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional Membership and a lead instructor in the LPGA National Education Program, a teacher-training program for golf professionals.
An LPGA Master Professional Member, Vangellow holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Northern Iowa and a Master of Science Degree in Health/Physical Education/Coaching and Educational Leadership/Psychology from Miami (Ohio) University. She is a three-time LPGA Central Section Teacher of the Year, and has been included on numerous “best teacher” lists. Vangellow also serves on The LPGA Foundation Board of Directors, the National Advisory Council for Junior League Golf, The First Tee Golf Advisory Committee, and the Journal of Applied Golf Research Advisory Staff.
“I am enormously honored and grateful for this award,” Vangellow said, “and feel fortunate to be included among so many great teachers on this prestigious list [the LPGA Teacher of the Year award was established in 1958]. Many on this list are mentors to me, a very special thing. To them I say, thank you for believing in me; to the LPGA, a huge thank-you for giving me such great tools and experiences to help me to continue to grow as an educator and coach; to all of my students over the years, thank you for your continued support and friendship in this wonderful game of golf we all love so much!”
Jane Broderick, Director of Golf Operations at PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., has been named Professional of the Year. The LPGA T&CP Professional of the Year award was established in 1980 and is awarded annually to an LPGA Teaching and Club Professional member directly involved in the entire golf operation.
Elected to membership in the PGA of America in 1990 and to the LPGA T&CP in 1994, Broderick is a PGA and LPGA Master Professional, is certified in Tournament Operations with the PGA of America, and is a member of both the PGA Master Professional Adjunct Faculty, and the PGA Connecting with Her Committee.
In addition to her LPGA and PGA responsiblities, Broderick is on the Advisory Board of the Golf Association of Florida, is a Board Member of the Northern Palm Beaches Chamber of Commerce, and sits on the Tournament Committee for the Leta Lindley Prader Willi Classic.
“Being recognized by ones’ peers is the highest of honors one can receive,” said Broderick. “My sincere congratulations go out to the other honorees, along with all of those who were considered.
“Just to be ‘on the list’ is more than I could have hoped for,” she added. “I try to set a good example for my staff and other professionals and to continually uphold the brand of the LPGA, the PGA and PGA National. I have been extremely fortunate to have spent the majority of my career working alongside a wonderfully talented staff, at an incredible facility, and to be supported by the most loving and devoted family one can imagine. Without that combination, I would not have received this award.”
Kay Cornelius, a teaching professional at Ocotillo Golf Resort in Chandler, Ariz., since 1995, has been selected for the LPGA T&CP Junior Golf Achievement Award, a new award established in 2012.
Cornelius has a long history in junior golf, having grown up on the LPGA Tour as a “tour baby”—her mother. Kathy Cornelius is a 27-year LPGA Tour veteran and the 1956 U.S. Womenʼs Open Champion, and father, Bill, is a PGA Life Member.
A successful junior golfer herself, Cornelius was the youngest winner of the U.S. Girlsʼ Junior Championship in 1981, at age 14. She continued her success as a junior golfer, winning the Junior World Championship and the Arizona State Junior Championship twice during the early ʻ80s.
As a junior and amateur golfer, Kay played in 19 USGA Championships from 1979 to 1987, including the U.S. Womenʼs Open in 1982 at age 15. She played college golf at Stanford University from 1984 to 1988, competed in four NCAA championships, and earned NCAA All-American honors in 1988.
After earning a B.A. in sociology from Stanford, Cornelius turned professional and competed on the Ladiesʼ European Tour, Ladies Asia Golf Circuit, Futures Tour and Playersʼ West Golf Tour from 1988 to 1997.
Since 1996, teaching and coaching golfers of all ages and experience levels has been Cornelius’ passion. She has a special gift for teaching junior golfers and has taught several current and past NCAA Division I collegiate players.
Cornelius began her involvement with the LPGA-USGA Girlsʼ Golf Club in 1996 and directed the Future Stars program from 2001 to 2006. She also founded the Ocotillo Golf Resort After-school Junior Golf Program in 2000.
While junior golfers represent a large part of her clientele, Cornelius also teaches and coaches men and women golfers of all ages and ability levels. She has been voted by her peers as LPGA Section “Teacher of the Year” twice and was nominated as a Golf Magazine “Top 100 Teacher” for 2007-2008. Currently, she is recognized by Golf Magazine as a “Top Regional Teacher” and by US Kids’ Golf as a “Top 50 Kids Teacher.” Cornelius also serves the LPGA as a National Evaluator.
“Being recognized as the 2012 LPGA National Junior Golf Achievement Award winner is a tremendous honor, especially since it’s the first year this award has been presented,” said Cornelius. “Getting to do what I love every day and to be recognized with one of the LPGA’s highest honors is a fantastic feeling. Thank you to all those who have influenced me personally and as a teacher/coach—and a special ‘thanks’ goes out to everyone at my home club, Ocotillo Golf Resort, who have been so supportive of my teaching/coaching over the years.”
The LPGA T&CP 2012 awards also included recognition of Shelly Liddick, formerly Co-Director of Instruction at Raven Golf Club-South Mountain in Phoenix, Ariz. and currently the women’s golf coach and assistant men’s golf coach at Bellevue (Neb.) University, as the group’s Coach of the Year. Liddick started Bellevue’s women’s program in 2010 and led the women’s team to a Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference championship this year in its first competitive season.
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