Betty Woods describes herself as old school.
“If somebody gives me the responsibility to do something, I follow through and complete it,” she said. “I’m never looking for accolades or to get patted on the back. I go do my job to the best of my ability.”
Woods, 81 and a Grosse Ile resident and member at Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club, was honored in late April with the Golf Association of Michigan’s Distinguished Service Award during the Annual Meeting of GAM Delegates at Detroit Golf Club. Woods has been involved at every level of volunteer status in the GAM in the last 23 years, including competitor in tournaments, course rating, club representative, Governor and rules official, and she remains active as a rules official and Governor.
The Distinguished Service Award topped the list of several the GAM presented during the Awards Luncheon.
The GAM Superintendent Award of Merit was presented to Paul Galligan of Grand Traverse Resort.
Jim and Cindy Westerhof of the Polo Fields in Ann Arbor were named Club Representatives of the Year.
Mike and Connie Brady were named Course Raters of the Year.
Sean Cantrell of Wequetonsing Golf Club received the James D. Standish Jr. Award as the top student from the University of Michigan’s Evans Scholars House. Taylor Skelton of Pine Lake Country Club was the winner from Michigan State’s House.
New GAM Governors were introduced. They included Laura Bavaird of TPC of Michigan (a two-time winner of the Michigan Women’s Amateur), Herb Black of Barton Hills, Barry Babbitt of Plum Hollow, John Beecroft of Port Huron, Jeff Drury of Meadowbrook, Jim Wlosinski of Fox Creek, Randy Seber of Kalamazoo, Matt Haas of Lakeland and Laurie Puscas of Oakhurst.
The annual meeting closed with Chris Angott of Plum Hollow Country Club taking the reins as President of the GAM from Sarah Wold, and Angott introduced Chris Whitten, the former University of Michigan men’s golf team coach, as the new Executive Director of the GAM. Current Executive Director David Graham retires in June after 18 years of service.
