Peggy Conley
Occupations—Artist, Art Teacher, Athletic Director, LPGA and European Tour Player, Golf Instructor
Education– B.A. in General Art and B.F.A. in Ceramic Sculpture.
Current Status— Teaching Specialist–The Golf Club at Newcastle
Location–Newcastle, Washington
Fiercely independent, quick with a smile, a laugh and a story, Peggy Conley has spent her life doing what she wanted to do. She never attended pro school to be a head professional, but she has certainly earned her credentials in professional golf. Her interests were always in playing the game and teaching it to others.
Her father, a children’s dentist, introduced her to golf at age 11. He asked her if she’d like to pull his cart while he played golf at Indian Canyon in Spokane. “On the first hole and his second shot, he asked if I would like to hit a ball. I did, and I was instantly fascinated with the sport.
“Dad, was stickler about etiquette and manners. One day, I threw a five iron up in the trees. Dad turned and gave me ‘that look,’ and told me to never do that again. I never did.”
Her mother, a concert violinist, who had studied at the Curtis Institute in Philly and Rochester School of Music in New York, knew the value of discipline and practice, and also stressed the value of good behavior. “As I got better at golf, and started winning junior tournaments, Mom would always tell me, ‘As a winner, you live in a glass house. Don’t give them any reason to criticize you. Follow the rules.’” And she did–as much as an independent, free spirited girl could.
“When I was growing up, of course education came first, but sports were equally encouraged,” says Peggy. I loved them all, but snow skiing and golf were my favorites.
Early on, her parents enrolled Peggy into a Junior Camp at Downriver Golf Course, in Spokane, taught by Joe Durgan, long-time professional and premier Inland Empire golfer of the ’50′s and ’60′s. After that, she played daily at Indian Canyon Golf Course. Jimmy Shriver, another Inland Empire legend, was the head pro. “Dad would drop me off at the Canyon on his way to his office. Thanks to Mr. Shriver, juniors could play and practice all day for free. When Dad got done with work, he would swing by to pick me up. We would play or practice until it was time to go home. I still cherish those times,” says Peggy. When she was old enough to drive, Shriver allowed her to practice as late as she wanted. He’d tell her she had to hit three perfect shots in a row before she could leave, and “don’t forget to turn off the lights” before she left. “He really gave kids a lot of his time,” says Peggy, “but break just one of his rules, and you were banished from Indian Canyon for the rest of the season.”
At 13, Peggy began serious competition in the PNGA winning several amateur tournaments. Noticing Peggy’s determination, and natural ability, Shriver recommended she work with the famed instructor Chuck Congdon at Tacoma Country and Golf Club. At 15, she would take the train from Spokane to Tacoma, stay with friends of her parents, and take lessons from Congdon. It became a routine, golf in the summer, and skiing in the winter. She wanted to compete in skiing, but her parents didn’t allow her to race until she was a senior at Lewis & Clark High School. She went from Novice Class to Class A in one winter. At the University of Washington, she continued the dual sport of skiing and golf.
In college, she majored in art graduating with a degree in art and ceramic sculpture. After graduation, she was asked to teach field hockey at Overlake School in Redmond, Wash, and was hired full time as the Women’s Athletic Director and Head of the Art Dept the following year.
After four years as a teacher, she was making $7,000 a year, while players such as Pat Bradley and Jane Blalock (girls she had defeated in amateur golf) were making $7,000 a week on the LPGA Tour. “I knew it was time to give the tour a try,” says Peggy. In July of 1976, she went to Qualifying School and qualified, thus beginning her career on the LPGA and European Tour, at 29. In the 15 years she played golf professionally, she compiled quite a resume, winning three times and placing second in the 1986 British Open at Royal Birkdale.
“My goal was always to teach golf after retiring from the tour. After a head-on car accident–not my fault–in Italy, with an Italian golf journalist of all things, I retired earlier than I expected, and started my next phase of life.”
As she recovered from the accident, and as a form of mental rehabilitation, she bought a motorcycle and spent the next two years riding around the coasts of England, Scotland, and Wales, and other parts of Europe. She also dabbled in teaching a little golf. A chance meeting, arranged by a friend, with John Jacobs who ran a golf school, the same school where Hank Haney, David Leadbetter, Davis Love II and Jim Hardy “cut their teeth,” led to a lengthy conversation about golf. “We must have talked for two or three hours,” says Peggy. After our talk, he agreed to take me on as an instructor. I just wish I had known as a player what I learned with Jacobs. His book, Practical Golf, is one of the best out there.”
Peggy studied and taught alongside veteran Jacobs’ instructors for five years until she felt confident and got the “thumbs up” from the more senior instructors to go off on her own. Longing to return to the Northwest, she landed at Sahalee Country Club. Then, she moved to The Golf Club at Newcastle as a teaching specialist, where she remains today.
Life Influences
Peggy has always followed her aspirations, never letting her age, or gender get in the way. In fact, one of her heroes is Vivien Saunders, a golf legend, and one of the pioneer advocates for women’s rights in sports. “I really looked up to her and all she did for the LPGA, and for me as player, and a person.” says Peggy.
Besides her parents, Peggy credits, of all things, a snip-it on TV about a man who sailed solo around the world as being influential in getting her motivated to accomplish goals. She heard him say, “I’m a doer, not a viewer,” and she’s always made that her motto. “My parents also taught me how to treat others, to treat people like you would like to be treated, and always look at the issue from their side, not just your own.
Peggy also lists many legends of the game as having influenced her life and her career. Along with Jimmy Shriver and Chuck Congdon, she lists Joanne Carner, Kirkland Washington native and LPGA legend; Denis Pugh, Tour Player, writer, and golf professional; and Ernie Vossler, PGA tour player, as making a difference for her in one way or another.
“Ernie Vossler taught me that a ‘gag shot’ was a necessity,” says Peggy. “Like Tiger’s stinger, a gag shot is the shot you know you can hit when you are gagging your guts out coming down the last hole, and you need a par to win or to make the cut. Ernie used to tell me it didn’t matter if I hit the ball six inches off the ground. ‘Just get it there,’ he’d say. ‘They don’t pay you for pretty shots! They pay you for what you shoot!’ Suddenly, and for the first time, I felt free as a player. I didn’t have to be ‘perfect.”
Teaching Philosophy
Known as “Dr. Golf” by her students, Peggy wants her students to understand why the ball does what it does. Why does the ball curve left or right, what in their swing causes them to top the ball, and why does the ball fly low or too high? “I want them to understand ball flight. I want them to be able to read the ball. The ball tells them everything. The ball never lies.”
She also stresses that less is more. “Each person is different,” says Peggy. “Depending on what the student requires to improve, depends on what part I teach first and I try to keep it as simple as possible. Ideally, they need to understand face, path, angle and speed, and understand the impact. Those are the factors that affect ball flight. If you understand what effect they have on the ball, you can make adjustments out on the course.”
Peggy’s home course is The Golf Club at Newcastle, outside of Seattle, because of its extraordinary practice facility. “My favorite course, and I have played almost 50% of the top 100 courses around the world, is Indian Canyon in Spokane. Always has been.”
Peggy Conley, PNGA Hall of Fame member, has gone her own way in life and golf, and never skipped a beat. No doubt, her generous spirit stems from a keen mind and a sensitive heart. She is an artist in life, and in golf.
Carry on, Peggy.
Impressive Accolades:
What are her accomplishments?
- PNGA Hall of Fame Inductee
- LPGA & European Tour Player
- American color commentator for BBC Radio 5 and Eurosport Television
- 3-time winner professionally
- 2-time winner on the LPGA European Tour
- 2nd Place in the 1986 British Open at Royal Birkdale
- USGA National Junior Champion
- 3-Time PNGA Junior Champion
- PNGA Women’s Champion
- Women’s Western Champion–most favorite as an amateur because she set out to win it, put her mind to it, and did.
- Instructor at the renowned John Jacobs Golf Schools (1994-2000)
- Director of Instruction at Sahalee Country Club (2000-2004)
- US Curtis Cup Team
- Ulster Volkswagon Champion Belvior (pronounced “Beever”) Park
- Michelob Classic Champion
- “And 2nd more times than she wants to admit!” she says.
What’s in Peggy’s Bag?
“Oh my. My clubs are too old to mention,” she says chuckling.
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