28       CALIFORNIA GOLF NEWS  •  JUNE 2010
Q&A With Tracy Stansberry, PGA Class “A” Member
By Emmy Moore Minister
How did you get your start in golf?
My love for golf began at the age 
of 12. My favorite place to tee it up 
was an affordable, par-3 tract called 
Colina Park Golf Course in San 
Diego, CA. Every chance I could, I 
was at the course, and many days 
from sunrise to sunset. Actually, it 
was Colina Park where I landed my 
first job in the golf business. 
Winding the clock forward (to 
my most recent trip to San Diego), I 
made a point to stop by Colina Park 
GC to take a look around for mem-
ory’s sake and introduce myself to 
the resident pro. I was happy to 
discover that the facility has been 
greatly enhanced from early years 
and currently serves as a home site 
for The First Tee of San Diego. I plan 
to make another trip back to Colina 
Park someday, where I can spend 
some time with The First Tee chap-
ter members. I’d like to share my 
story on how I got my start at that 
very same par-3 course, and even-
tually became a PGA golf profes-
sional, a career path they too may 
want to consider someday. 
As a PGA Club Professional, where 
else have you worked? 
I’ve had the opportunity to work 
at both public and private facilities. 
Early in my career I worked at Santa 
Clara Golf & Tennis, an 18-hole 
municipal course in the heart of 
Silicon Valley. During my 13-year 
tenure at SCG&T I spent a great deal 
of  time on the lesson tee, providing 
clinics and classes to folks inter-
ested in the game -- from beginners 
to advanced players. I remember 
hosting one of the first women’s golf 
days in the Nor Cal region, which 
served as a model for clinics being 
held today in conjunction with Play 
Golf America and Women’s Golf 
Month. One of my fondest memo-
ries in golf was working with fellow 
PGA Pro Pat Shea as he launched 
a series of golf clinics for Special 
Olympians. 
Today, you’ll find me at Palo Alto 
Hills Golf & Country Club (Palo Alto, 
CA). I am approaching my seventh 
year at this fine club where I serve 
as head golf professional and find 
myself surrounded by a tremendous 
staff.  
What’s the best part of working in 
the golf business? 
The part for me has always been 
the interaction with folks who love 
the game and who are committed to 
the sport. Whether it’s the members 
at our club and their guests or the 
juniors in our summer camps, help-
ing create a positive golf experience 
for each of them is what it’s all about. 
That’s what I find rewarding. 
Provide 
some 
insight 
on 
the 
Northern California PGA.
The Nor Cal PGA is affiliated with 
the PGA of America, which is the 
largest working   sports organiza-
tion in the world. Our Nor Cal PGA 
Section (with its 1100 club profes-
sionals at 400 facilities) is commit-
ted to helping others through the 
game of golf.  Additionally, through 
the NCPGA Foundation, we sup-
port community outreach and player 
development programs conducted 
at courses, clubs and range facilities 
throughout Northern California and 
Northern Nevada.  
 
As a leader in golf, share your 
involvement with the Nor Cal PGA 
and other golf-related initiatives. 
I have been a Class “A” Member of 
the PGA since 1997 and have served 
on the NCPGA board of directors for 
the past three years. I am a member 
of the section’s finance committee 
and am currently serving my sixth 
year as chair of the tournament com-
mittee.  I am a supporter of Play Golf 
America plus Doctors Orders: Play 
Golf, which encourages better health 
and wellness through the game of 
golf. Reaching beyond golf, I am a 
supporter of KIVA, an organization 
that provides resources for entrepre-
neurial women in third-world coun-
tries.
You’ve played plenty of golf through-
out your career, well-evidenced by 
your more than 40 professional tour-
nament wins. Besides your home 
course, what other fairways and 
greens have you found enjoyable 
to play?
There are so many exception-
al courses, especially in Northern 
California. Some of my favorite courses 
include: Half Moon Bay GL (The Old 
Course), Olympic Club (Lake Course), 
Poppy Hills GC, Pebble Beach GL, and 
of course, Cypress Point Club.
If you could spend an hour with one 
of the greatest legends in golf, who 
would it be? 
Jack Nicklaus has always inspired 
me, even when I was a very young 
student of the game. (Trivia Note: Jack 
and I share the same birth state of 
Ohio.)
Reflecting back over the years, what 
have you learned from the game of 
golf?
Early in my professional career I 
played the game more but enjoyed it 
less. Now, because of my responsibili-
ties at the club, I seem to play less often, 
but when I do tee it up with members 
and friends, I enjoy it so much more. 
I’ve found it’s not just about “the score” 
but more about the camaraderie, the 
experience itself … time spent on the 
course with folks you enjoy.
What’s the most amazing thing you’ve 
observed on a golf course?
When I was a junior player at Colina 
Park GC, I observed a local golfer make 
a hole-in-one, followed immediately 
by a second hole-in-one. Yep, two in 
a row!
To find a PGA 
Professional at a facility 
near you, visit 
PGA.com/Profinder
Your game is only 
as good as 
your golf instructor.
Choose the best.
Choose a PGA 
Golf Professional.
Mitch Lowe
PGA Professional
Del Rio Country Club, Modesto, CA

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