Ann Beard (1991)

Easily recognizable by her radiant smile and vivacious personality, Ann Beard was one of the most dynamic women to ever serve the game of golf in the metropolitan area. A talented and accomplished player, an expert on the Rules of Golf and dedicated volunteer worker, she advanced through every major administrative position in women’s golf and eventually acted as Chairman of the USGA Women’s Committee.

As Chairman, Beard had the responsibility of overseeing six USGA National Championships, a job for which she was uniquely qualified. Widely recognized as an expert in many aspects of the game, Ann served as President of the Garden State Women’s Golf Association and Tournament Director and on the Board of the WMGA for five years before serving as president in 1979 and 1980. In 1981, she was one of 24 women nation-wide to be selected to serve on the USGA Women’s Committee.

Ann was a member of the golf team at Rollins College in Florida and was the first woman to represent Penn State in intercollegiate athletics. She was medalist and a semi-finalist in the 1957 NCAA championships and played in nine USGA Championships. She also was a semi-finalist or finalist in virtually every major women’s event in the Met Area.

Despite her individual achievements however, Ann’s greatest source of pride is her family, who all possessed an equal interest in talent for the game. The Metropolitan Golf Writers even voted the Beards Family of the Year in 1983.

One thing that was clear about Ann Beard is that she derives as much pleasure from serving the game as she does from playing it.