VSGA Golfers of the Year
VSGA SENIOR WOMEN’S GOLFER OF THE YEAR
2014 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
➤ Led all point-earners in the VSGA women’s player rankings
in the senior category.
➤ Her season was highlighted by winning the VSGA Senior
Women’s Stroke Play Championship in a playoff, before going
on to outduel opponent Boodie McGurn to claim the VSGA
Senior Women’s Amateur Championship at The Homestead
in August.
➤ With the two triumphs, Hoffman became the second golfer
to ever hold both titles in the same rotation (Shelley Savage of
Alexandria claimed both events in 2005). Hoffman collected her
third victory at the Senior Women’s Amateur, adding to her wins
in 2006 and 2011.
➤ Won the Women’s District of Columbia Golf Association
Senior Amateur Championship.
➤ Team playing captain on the Virginias team at the annual
Virginias-Carolinas Women’s Team Matches.
Northern Virginian Mimi Hoffman claimed both of the
senior major women’s events that the VSGA conducts.
QUICK TIP
Hoffman relied on excellent wedge play,
particularly from the 50- to 70-yard range, in
winning the Senior Women’s Amateur. She
encourages golfers to engage in an informationgathering process while practicing with their
short irons and scoring clubs.
“I worked a lot on shorter shots,”
says Hoffman, who relied on TrackMan
technology (gathers data regarding one’s
carry and roll distance as well as ball flight
tendencies) to get a gauge of her distance
control. “It’s really important to know your
distances and how to swing to hit that shot
a particular distance. I know how far each of
my wedges with different lengths of swing. I
know right here––a belt buckle high swing with
a lofted wedge is a 30-yard shot for me. It all
comes down to practicing with those clubs.
If you can zoom in on your distances, it’s a
definite stroke-saver.”
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IN HER OWN WORDS
Hoffman’s story is one of determination
and a persevering spirit. She had spinal
fusion surgery in October 2013 and two
weeks later in early November, Hoffman
underwent ankle joint replacement surgery.
She faced three months of rigorous
rehabilitation but the effects have ultimately
been transformative, particularly given her
outstanding play in 2014.
Hoffman credits PGA/LPGA professional
Joy Bonhurst of Gaithersburg, Md., and Steve
Danielson, the head PGA professional at
her home club, Belle Haven Country Club,
who’ve helped refine her swing. Hoffman and
Bonhurst used both TrackMan and K-Vest
technology to target areas for improvement.
“Before the season started, we worked
indoors on getting my fundamentals in
line,” Hoffman says. With my bad ankle
and bad back, I developed some very bad
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habits. As my body got stronger over the
course of the year, my swing got better.
Developing a more precise swing made me
more consistent.”
In reflecting on the 2014 campaign,
Hoffman admits the season was one that
would make a Hollywood scriptwriter envious.
“Looking back on the year, I think, ‘That
was just an amazing, wonderful—magical
is the word that I use—that probably won’t
ever happen again,’ ” Hoffman says. “We
have such a great group of senior women’s
amateurs in Virginia. It’s really nose and
nose when you’re out there competing
against them. To come out a fraction ahead
made it a great year.”
OFF THE COURSE
Hoffman is a program manager for
Boeing Co., and has been an employee of
the company for 30-plus years.
w w w. v s g a . o r g
1/22/15 12:29 PM
PHOTO CREDIT HERE
HOMETOWN: Springfield, Va
HOME CLUB: Belle Haven Country Club, Alexandria, Va.
THIS PAGE: STEVEN GIBBONS/USGA PHOTO ARCHIVES; OPPOSITE BOTTOM: MARK GORMUS/RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH PHOTO ARCHIVES; OPPOSITE TOP: CHRISTIAN MOODY
Mimi
Hoffman