Eastern Michigan Athletics
Legend. Leader. Trailblazer.: Shirley Spork
6/5/2020 1:08:00 PM | Women's Golf, Engagement
Spork was a 2019 inductee into the PGA of America Hall of Fame
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The first female inducted into the E-Club Hall of Fame in 1981, Shirley Spork began her golf career early in life. She started playing with one club, a putter, at age 10. While attending then-MSNC, Spork won the Women's District Match Play Championship three times in four years. In 1947, she was the winner of the first-ever National Collegiate Championship held for women's athletics, plus she was the victor of the 1949 Michigan Amateur.
After graduation, Spork became a teacher in the Detroit public schools, but realized she would much rather be playing golf. She turned professional in 1950 and played the tour, but along the way realized she was still a teacher at heart. In 1959 along with Marilynn Smith, Betty Hicks and Barbara Rotvig, she founded the LPGA's Teaching and Club Professional Division.
Spork was the first LPGA professional to conduct golf clinics in foreign countries and was a two-time LPGA Teacher of the Year (1959, 1984). She was the chairperson of the LPGA T&CP Division from 1960-66, and received the Meritorious Service Award in 1989. Among her honors are the 1994 Byron Nelson Award, the 1998 LPGA Ellen Griffin Rolex Award, membership in the inaugural class of the LPGA Teaching & Club Professionals Division Hall of Fame in 2000 and being a 2002 inductee in the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame. Spork was also named one of the inductees into the 2019 Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) of America Hall of Fame.
Since 2017, the EMU women's golf team hosts a tournament in Spork's honor at EagleCrest Golf Club. This year's tournament is scheduled for Oct. 5-6 on the par 72, 6,176-yard setup.
Below is a quick question-and-answer that EMUEagles.com had with Spork.
As we celebrate and focus on leaders, how would you consider yourself a leader?
Having become a founding member of the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) in 1950, we 13 ladies were observed as creating a golf association and in 1959 becoming a founder of the LPGA Teaching Division using my leadership skills learned from my four-year teaching degree from EMU. I was using my skills to gather a nucleus of interested teachers and coaches to grow the game of golf.
Who inspired you to become the individual you are?
As a teenager beginning to hit golf balls, I was nurtured by adult golfers who saw this little girl wanting to play the game. Their beliefs and encouragement developed my passion for competition. They helped open the gates for public links golf for me. My mentor, PGA Professional Joey Rey, told me "I could and was qualified to meet the challenges of administrative development of golf". Becoming a head golf professional at the tender age of 21 at a Municipal Golf Facility in Northern California, I continued as Western Education Director of the National Golf Foundation teaching coaches', teachers and compiling written and visual aids.
What message would you send to current student-athletes regarding leadership?
Encourage them to give back their knowledge of how they trained their mind and body and what they learned in defeat and how they continued forward - setting good examples – lend a helping hand for development of our youth.
After graduation, Spork became a teacher in the Detroit public schools, but realized she would much rather be playing golf. She turned professional in 1950 and played the tour, but along the way realized she was still a teacher at heart. In 1959 along with Marilynn Smith, Betty Hicks and Barbara Rotvig, she founded the LPGA's Teaching and Club Professional Division.
Spork was the first LPGA professional to conduct golf clinics in foreign countries and was a two-time LPGA Teacher of the Year (1959, 1984). She was the chairperson of the LPGA T&CP Division from 1960-66, and received the Meritorious Service Award in 1989. Among her honors are the 1994 Byron Nelson Award, the 1998 LPGA Ellen Griffin Rolex Award, membership in the inaugural class of the LPGA Teaching & Club Professionals Division Hall of Fame in 2000 and being a 2002 inductee in the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame. Spork was also named one of the inductees into the 2019 Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) of America Hall of Fame.
Since 2017, the EMU women's golf team hosts a tournament in Spork's honor at EagleCrest Golf Club. This year's tournament is scheduled for Oct. 5-6 on the par 72, 6,176-yard setup.
Below is a quick question-and-answer that EMUEagles.com had with Spork.
As we celebrate and focus on leaders, how would you consider yourself a leader?
Having become a founding member of the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) in 1950, we 13 ladies were observed as creating a golf association and in 1959 becoming a founder of the LPGA Teaching Division using my leadership skills learned from my four-year teaching degree from EMU. I was using my skills to gather a nucleus of interested teachers and coaches to grow the game of golf.
Who inspired you to become the individual you are?
As a teenager beginning to hit golf balls, I was nurtured by adult golfers who saw this little girl wanting to play the game. Their beliefs and encouragement developed my passion for competition. They helped open the gates for public links golf for me. My mentor, PGA Professional Joey Rey, told me "I could and was qualified to meet the challenges of administrative development of golf". Becoming a head golf professional at the tender age of 21 at a Municipal Golf Facility in Northern California, I continued as Western Education Director of the National Golf Foundation teaching coaches', teachers and compiling written and visual aids.
What message would you send to current student-athletes regarding leadership?
Encourage them to give back their knowledge of how they trained their mind and body and what they learned in defeat and how they continued forward - setting good examples – lend a helping hand for development of our youth.
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