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Middle Atlantic PGA Section
President's Award

This award bestows special recognition on an individual whose tireless effort, unwavering dedication, and exceptional contributions to the game of golf result in significant benefit to the Middle Atlantic Section, its members and apprentices, and to the entire golf community. This Section President personally selects the outstanding recipient of this award.

Janet was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Jim and Lorraine Matsey. Her father introduced her to the game of golf when she was eight years old. Janet essentially grew up on the Stonehenge Country Club (Richmond, Virginia) golf course, playing and eventually working for PGA Professional Mike Felker. She won the girls division of the Peyton Memorial Golf Tournament at the Cavalier Golf & Yacht Club in Virginia Beach. Janet went to college at James Madison University to pursue a degree in sports management, all the while playing for the JMU women's golf team.

Janet turned professional upon graduation, interning under PGA Professional Tim McCoy at Liberty Park. She played the Futures Tour in 1988-89, then moved to Windy Hill Sports Complex in 1989, where she currently works, and has been co-owner since 1990. Janet was elected to membership in The PGA in 1998 and earned her LPGA Class A status in April of 2000.

Janet's professional life revolves around teaching and community service. Her accomplishments are truly many and varied. In 1995, Janet started the McDonald's Junior Girls Classic and has been conducting it ever since. She was the 1998 Honorary Chairperson for the Virginia Women's Charity Golf Classic that benefited battered women and children. Janet works with the Home for Boyes and Girls Club and teaches golf to the physically challenged at the Sheltering Arms Rehabilitation Hospital. She has supported the Virginia Special Olympics golf program the past few years through volunteering her facility and her time. Janet was also responsible for hiring one the Special Olympians to work at Windy Hill.

She runs junior golf camps throughout the summer for the Chesterfield County Recreation Department and started an after school golf enrichment program for middle and high school students. Janet also initiated and runs the Little Linksters program at Windy Hill with a rules clinic conducted prior to the youngsters (age 6 yo 1) playing on the complex's 9-hole par 3 course. She also runs the Golf Samaritans Junior Golf Classic, a one-day event for approximately 90 children ages 4 to 14. Several years ago, Janet began coaching the University of Richmond's women's golf club. Due in large part to her efforts with the club team, the university now has women's golf as an NCAA varsity sport.

This year, Janet orchestrated the fourth annual Brad McNeer Memorial Scholarship Tournament. This is an event she initiated in 2000, in memory of the 23 year old volunteer fireman, who also worked at Windy Hill, and was killed responding to a call. For several years, Janet has opened her home and her heart to numerous men and women who are experiencing difficult times or troubled relationships.

Janet's teaching schedule keeps her quite busy as well. She teaches 8-12 lessons per day, 6 days a week, and usually conducts 2-3 clinics per week. She teaches each person with enthusiasm and with a desire to help them improve their game. Janet makes a point to always keep in mind the level of "involvement with the game" and the amount of practice time the pupil has and intends to keep. She finds teaching the fundamental s and the techniques of golf to be the most fulfilling part of her work. Janet finds it equally challenging to teach a non-athletic housewife, a handicapped adult, or a skilled athlete with swing flaws. In dealing with a "single digit handicap" golfer, she finds her role to be more valuable as a coach encouraging work on all parts of the game including the emotional, physical and mental aspects. In order to keep her skills current, Janet is constantly going to different types education seminars. She has also been trained in club fitting by nearly every major manufacturer of golf clubs.

In Janet's opinion, junior golf is truly at the "grass roots" of the game. She realized quite some time ago that by encouraging more juniors to learn and play golf, the stronger the sport would become. When Janet teaches young people the proper etiquette, the history and the skills necessary to play golf, she believes they learn some of life's greatest lessons: honesty, sportsmanship, the benefits of practice, patience, the ability to succeed in something they really enjoy, as well as learning a game to be played their entire life. One of her greatest joys is watching the smiles and celebrations after the execution of a given task. Janet believes that by treating everyone with respect, regardless of their age and/or ability, she is giving back to the game she loves.