Photos provided by the Wisconsin State Golf Association

On the final Saturday of October a group of family, friends, and individuals with ties to the Wisconsin golf industry gathered to honor this year’s inductees of the Wisconsin Golf Hall of Fame.

Pushing the total number of inductees over the 100 threshold were Carolyn Barnett-Howe, John Jenson and Frances Hadfield. The resume of each inductee is impressive, while representing different generations and backgrounds in the game.

Leading the class from a Wisconsin PGA member perspective was Barnett-Howe. Elected to PGA membership in 1991 the Appleton native has left her mark on the game from both a playing and instruction standpoint.

She and her husband Steve have had a profound impact on junior golfers throughout the Appleton area. Their Swing Solutions business has helped produce numerous college golfers and has been honored by the Wisconsin PGA with the Youth Player Development Award on two occasions.

On the course her playing record is full of noteworthy accomplishments. Included in the list are;

  • Four-time champion – Sentry Wisconsin State Women’s Open
  • Two-time champion – PGA of America Women’s Winter Stroke Play Championship
  • Two-time participant in the U.S. Women’s Open
  • Two-time participant in the U.S. Senior Women’s Open
  • Two-time NCAA championship participant at the University of New Mexico
  • Qualified for the Wisconsin State Open sixteen times

It marks the fifth straight hall of fame class to feature a Wisconsin PGA member. Prior to Barnett-Howe the most recent Wisconsin PGA honorees were Mike Muranyi, Rich Tock, Ryan Helminen and David Roesch.

As for Jenson, his path to the hall was highlighted my numerous years of giving back to the game. Since retiring in 2007 Jenson has dedicated more than a thousand days as a rules official for the Wisconsin State Golf Association, Wisconsin Public Links Association, Wisconsin PGA and WPGA Junior Foundation. He also is currently the president of the Wisconsin Public Links Association and in charge of running the annual Ray Fischer Amateur Championship.

The third and final member of the class, Hadfield left her mark on the game with an impressive amateur playing record in the the early 1900s. A member of Blue Mound G&CC, she was victorious at five Wisconsin Women’s Match Plays and also was a runner-up in the 1918 Western Women’s Golf Association Championship. Research on her extensive accomplishments was provided through the diligent work of Blue Mound G&CC club historian Mark Ruttum.