Beardsley Named Women’s Fairway Scholarship Recipient–
Riverside, Iowa – Rochelle Beardsley of Sunnyside Country Club has been named the 2025 Iowa PGA Women’s Fairway Scholarship winner by the Iowa PGA Scholarship Committee.
The Iowa PGA Section Foundation annually awards one $1,000 Women’s Fairway Scholarship to assist females in furthering their education and training toward a career in golf, pursuing membership with the PGA of America. Qualified, interested females are welcome to apply. The Women’s Fairway Scholarship is funded by Master PGA Professional Lisa Miller, the first female PGA member in the Iowa PGA Section and by her spouse Sharon Hawn a lifelong educator, public health professional and avid golfer.
When asked on what this means to win, Beardsley responded with, “Golf has been a large part of my life. It has impacted me in several ways, such as my collegiate athletics experience, meeting people across the country, and a way to spend time with my family. I decided to become a golf professional because as long as I’ve been connected to golf. I only ever encountered 1 female teaching professional. Because of this, I felt called to this profession. I hope to create more connection and representation working as a female professional. Being the recipient of this scholarship will allow me to continue empowering others to learn golf, grow the game, and grow as people too.”
She has faced personal challenges, and golf has taught her how to persevere and has developed her character. These experiences have deepened her commitment to golf, not only as a sport but as a way to honor those she loves and pursue a meaningful career. As a woman in a male-dominated field, she is dedicated to creating space for other women in golf. She has been inspired by female professionals who guided her, and she now pass that knowledge to her own students. Her journey hasn’t been linear—she’s tried different jobs, coached college golf, and grown through the pandemic—but she has found her purpose in teaching and professional golf. This scholarship will help her continue pursuing her PGA certification, covering costs of seminars, travel, and coursework, while allowing me to stay focused on my career path. Golf is my job— AND it is my passion, my connection to others, and my future.
She values the skills and lessons playing golf has taught her throughout her life. It’s provided some of the most memorable experiences and opportunities of her life, and she knows that it will continue in her future. She believes playing golf is a great way to learn lessons like integrity, sportsmanship, and discipline. She wants to be a role model for younger female golfers, as she didn’t have any women golfers to look up to growing up. Only having met one female golf professional in her life, becoming one herself is another way to make sure that someone else experiences that sooner in their life than she did. Becoming a PGA member is a goal for her to establish more credibility in her career, for college coaching again in the future, as well as growing the game. It’s our duty to keep the game around for future generations, and by encouraging more women to participate and work in the golf industry, it can only inspire more girls and young women. This scholarship would allow her to continue working towards her PGA certification and pursue her career goals.
Adam Squires, PGA Head Golf Professional at Sunnyside Country Club had these nice comments to make, “Since joining the industry, Rochelle has been a valuable part of our team. She has taken on leadership responsibilities in both the golf shop and the bag room, helping train and support other employees while maintaining a high level of member service. She also played a key role in organizing and running the Ladies Golf Association League and leading women’s clinics throughout the summer—efforts that have strengthened our programming and helped create a more inclusive environment for female golfers.”
This is Beardsley’s first Iowa PGA Section Award.
The Iowa PGA Congratulates Rochelle Beardsley as our 2025 Iowa PGA Women’s Fairway Scholarship.
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