Longtime Richmond-area teaching professional Janet Phillips shares memories from her career and her vision for golf ’ s future by ARTHUR UTLEY
Class A PGA / LPGA teaching professional Janet Phillips and the Windy Hill Golf Course and Sports Complex in Midlothian were synonymous for 32 years .
Phillips , a Monacan High School and James Madison University graduate , began teaching at the Midlothian complex in 1989 . She was named the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional of the Year in 2006 .
She has taught the golf swing and game to toddlers and super seniors , men and women , good players and those just learning . How many golf lives has she touched through the years ?
“ I have no idea . I have been so fortunate to be able to do what I love and meet people that way . It ’ s just been a passion to give back to the game that has given me so much and to introduce the game to these young kids . It ’ s a frustrating game . It ’ s easy to want to quit . If you have somebody supporting you and encouraging you it makes it a lot better ,” Phillips says .
Phillips sold Windy Hill to former employee and instructor Nichole Inkel in January and now hangs her shingle at Bogey ’ s Sports Park in Goochland County .
“ It was a great run . Employees were fantastic , the customers treated us great ,” Phillips says . “ I wish [ Nichole ] success . I ’ m excited for her . Windy Hill is still my baby so my goal is for it to be successful . She bought it at a great time with COVID changing the golf dynamic , so many people playing golf . It was a win-win .
“ My goal now is to work part-time seasonal . I travel to Mexico six months out of the year . At 55 I ’ m slowing down a little bit . I still love coaching my high school programs … I ’ ll be [ at Bogey ’ s ] for the seasonal parts .”
A champion of women ’ s golf , Phillips spoke with Virginia Golfer at Bogey ’ s on a beautiful afternoon in May , a day after one of her St . Catherine ’ s players , Tatum Walsh , shot a 6-under-par 66 to share medalist honors at the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association tournament at Wil-
22 V IRGINIA G OLFER | J ULY / A UGUST 2021
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