Peterson honored by the LPGA Professionals after more than 46 years as a teaching professional.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 3, 2024) Gale Peterson, an LPGA Class A Professional and Instructor at the Sea Island Golf Performance Center in St. Simons, Georgia joins an elite group of her peers as the recipient of the 2024 Ellen Griffin Rolex Award.
The Ellen Griffin Rolex Award, instituted by the LPGA Professionals membership in 1989 to honor the late teaching professional Ellen Griffin, recognizes an individual, male or female, who has made a major contribution to the teaching of golf and emulates Griffin’s spirit, love, and dedication to students, teachers, teaching skills and the game of golf.
“What a great honor it is to be the recipient of The LPGA Rolex Ellen Griffin Award. I am truly grateful to follow in the footsteps of Ellen’s legacy and the many brilliant, caring friends and mentors who have also received this award and the many to come,” expressed Peterson. “I am appreciative to the LPGA Community and all my students for putting their trust in me and letting me into their lives. I have been very fortunate to coach and teach people this great game of golf during my entire career at the Sea Island Golf Club. I am extremely thankful for Rolex and their contributions and support for keeping Ellen’s loving inspiration alive.”
In 1978, after playing on the LPGA mini tour and the USTA satellite tennis tour, Peterson put down her clubs and her tennis racket and pursued her passion for teaching and coaching at her home course, Sea Island Golf Club. She progressed from sitting in her father’s lap steering the cart at just 4 years old, to traveling the world with the best of the Golf Digest School Staff for ten years, growing her knowledge and learning from the greatest golf gurus in the world. “Working with caring, think tank teams at home and on the road on a day-to-day basis and spending time with all ranges of players and personalities was my dream job,” quotes Peterson. She then went on to work among this elite staff for the next 15 years.
Sharing, caring and empowering others to rise has been her life mission, passing on her wealth of knowledge to anyone who wants to listen. She served on the PGA National Teaching Committee and Education Committee, giving back to her section and the organization through her leadership. Expanding her knowledge beyond the course, she introduced a YouTube Channel and launched the “Your Golf Game” app for members and students to benefit from her teachings at home. She is certainly no stranger to providing mentorship to the junior golf world through her service to the Southeast Junior Golf Tour, the Coastal Georgia Women’s Golf Team, and the Georgia Southern Women’s Golf Team as well as hosting numerous clinics for women of all ages.
Her motto is “Pay it Forward,” and not only has she been doing that through her teachings at the club, but through her commitment to the LPGA. Giving back to the organization as a Coach for ten years and over 40 days a year, she helped mentor big names like Angela Stanford and Dori Carter. She dedicated her leadership skills and service by participating and speaking at over 25 LPGA, National, and Sectional Events. She currently serves as the LPGA Southeast Section District Representative.
Warmed by Griffin’s spirit and dedication to the game of golf, Peterson strived to emulate such personality in her own teachings over the years. It is for that reason, she has received many recognitions throughout her career, which include being named LPGA National Teacher of the Year, a Top 50 Elite Teacher by the LPGA, as well as Golf Digest America’s Top 50 Teacher and Women Top 50 Teacher. Just this past year she was voted Georgia PGA Teacher and Coach of the Year and Golf Magazines Top 100 Teachers for the 32nd year in a row since 1993.
Past recipients of the Ellen Griffin Rolex Award include: Peggy Kirk Bell, 1989; Linda Craft, 1990; Shirley Englehorn, 1991; Harvey Penick, 1992; Goldie Bateson, 1993; Carol Clark Johnson, 1994; Joanne Winter, 1995; Ann Casey Johnstone, 1996; Dr. DeDe Owens, 1997; Shirley Spork, 1998; Betty Hicks, 1999; Gary Wiren, 2000; Penny Zavichas, 2001; Annette Thompson, 2002; Dr. Barbara B. Smith, 2003; Marjorie Burns, 2004; Pat Lange, 2005; Donna White, 2006; Betsy Cullen, 2007; Lynn Marriott, 2008; Kay McMahon, 2009; Mary Beth McGirr, 2010; Dr. Debbie Crews, 2011; Dr. Betsy Clark, 2012; Kathy Murphy, 2013; Kerry Graham, 2014; Dana Rader, 2015; Pia Nilsson, 2016; Sandy LaBauve, 2017; Jane Frost, 2018; Nancy Quarcelino, 2019; Renee Powell, 2020; Deb Vangellow, 2021; Carol Preisinger, 2022; and Sheri Hayes, 2023.
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