MIDLOTHIAN — The Virginia State Golf Association honored its 2025 Golfers of the Year, 2025 Service Award winners, and welcomed two new members to the Association’s Board of Directors on Saturday at its Annual Meeting, held at Independence Golf Club. In addition, six additional Board members were reelected for the Class of 2028 via vote of VSGA membership.
At the VSGA winter Board of Directors meeting, held on Friday at Independence, the board voted on and approved its slate of officers for 2026. Craig Groenendaal (VSGA eClub) was elected as the VSGA’s 41st President, succeeding Brian Maloney (Springfield G&CC), whose two-year term has ended. Vern Inge (The Federal Club) will serve as the association’s Vice President, and Lauren Greenlief (International CC) will serve as the association’s Secretary/Treasurer. Groenendaal will serve a two-year term, while Inge and Greenlief will both serve one-year terms.
Maloney will serve as Immediate Past President through 2027. After serving in that role for the last two years, Anne Greever (Willow Oaks CC) has completed her Board of Directors term.
BOARD ELECTION
The VSGA Nominating Committee met—and in accordance with Article VII of the Bylaws of the Virginia State Golf Association—selected the following candidates for election to the VSGA Board of Directors, Class of 2028.
Jim Gallagher (Williamsburg GC) completed his first and only term on the Board of Directors, as he chose not to seek reappointment.
2025 VSGA AWARD WINNERS
» The 2025 President’s Award was presented to Molly Hardie, owner of Keswick Hall, among other properties. Hardie acquired Keswick in 2017 and immediately sought to renovate and transform the property into one of the premier resorts in the South. With a Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant (Marigold) and a world-class Pete Dye golf course (Full Cry), Keswick has become a destination for those seeking luxury and relaxation. It has also been a strong supporter of the VSGA, hosting the 100th VSGA Women’s Amateur in July 2025, as well as the 2019 VSGA Amateur and the 2022 VSGA Mid-Amateur. It will host the Senior Open of Virginia in 2026.
» The 2025 Service to Golf Award was presented to Meg Gilmer, who was President of the VSGA’s Women’s Division from 1996-97 and was extremely active as a volunteer in 2025. Gilmer, a member at Farmington Country Club, served on the Virginia Golf Hall of Fame selection committee. She also was part of the Nominating Committee for the VSGA Board of Directors. Gilmer was instrumental in the VSGA’s grand celebration of its 100th Women’s Amateur Championship, serving on the planning committee and introducing the past champions in attendance at the celebration dinner.
» The 2025 Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Diane Murdock-Thorp, who has been a dedicated VSGA course rating volunteer since 2006. Prior to the restructuring of volunteer roles within the Course Rating program, she served for many years as the captain of the Richmond-area Women’s Team. Today, she remains a highly valued member of the VSGA’s Course Rating team, bringing a deep well of experience, insight, and leadership. Diane is consistently among our most active course rating volunteers each year and plays a key role in mentoring and training newer volunteers on the technical and nuanced aspects of course rating.
» The recipient of the 2025 Grow the Game Award was Ed Gill, PGA, who has been the VSGA Junior Golf Circuit’s Richmond region coordinator for the last seven years. Gill, who is director of instruction at The Dominion Club, administers 15-20 JGC events per year. He was voted one of Golf Digest’s Best Young Teachers and Best Young Teachers in Virginia in 2005. Gill is a tireless fundraiser who played 100 holes for two different organizations (Heritage Cares Foundation and Youth On Course). He also ran the New York City Marathon to raise money for the PGA Reach Foundation.
GOLFER OF THE YEAR AWARDS
» Men’s Golfer of the Year/Junior Boys’ Golfer of the Year — Liam Maclauchlan (VSGA Junior Golf Circuit): Maclauchlan became the first 16-year-old to win the VSGA Amateur Championship in nearly a century, outlasting 47-year-old Justin Young 1-up in the 36-hole title match at Birdwood Golf at Boar’s Head Resort. Prior to that, Maclauchlan teamed with older brother Noah to win the MAPGA/VSGA Junior Four-Ball Championship. Six weeks later, the tandem finished second at the VSGA Four-Ball Championship. Maclauchlan tied for 29th at the State Open of Virginia and tied for sixth at the AJGA Lanto Junior Championship. Committed to play at the University of Virginia, Maclauchlan became the first player since 2019 (current PGA Tour member Michael Brennan) to win both the Men’s Golfer of the Year and Junior Boys’ Golfer of the Year awards.
» Women’s Golfer of the Year — Skylar Sload (The Club at Glenmore): Sload’s excellent season was highlighted by her victory in the 100th VSGA Women’s Amateur Championship at Keswick Club. She defeated a slew of solid competitors on her way to the title, including the previous two champions (Lauren Greenlief and Makayla Grubb) along with Sydney Hackett in the final match. Sload tied for fifth at the Women’s Open of Virginia, tied for sixth at the Donna Andrews Invitational, made match play at the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur and finished atop the VSGA Women’s Player Rankings.
» Junior Girls’ Golfer of the Year — Macie Rasmussen (USGA/VSGA GC): Rasmussen won her second VSGA Junior Girls' Championship in three years, posting a two-stroke victory at Richmond Country Club. That victory earned her an exemption in the U.S. Girls’ Junior, where she advanced to match play. Regionally, she won the AJGA HV3 Foundation Junior Championship and tied for second at the Russell Henley Junior Championship. Rasmussen has committed to play college golf at the University of North Carolina.
» Senior Men’s Golfer of the Year — Jon Hurst (Fredericksburg CC): Hurst claimed his second VSGA Senior Golfer of the Year honor thanks to a dominating season. Hurst won the VSGA Senior Stroke Play title by two shots at his home club and advanced to the quarterfinals at the VSGA Senior Amateur Championship. He also qualified for the U.S. Senior Amateur for the first time, advancing to match play. Hurst was low amateur at the Senior Open of Virginia, posted victories in five senior player rankings events, and finished atop the VSGA Senior Men’s Player Rankings.
» Senior Women’s Golfer of the Year — Kristin Shifflett (Two Rivers CC): Shifflett capped a memorable season with two separate strong showings at The Omni Homestead Resort. Two down with two to play in the championship match of the VSGA Senior Women’s Amateur, Shifflett rallied to win the final three holes to claim her second title in a row. A month later, she advanced to match play at the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur at the Homestead’s Cascades Course, winning once before falling in the round of 32. Shifflett finished atop the VSGA Senior Women’s Player Rankings. She’s a first-time winner of this award.
» Super Senior Men’s Golfer of the Year: Tim Kelley (Lakeside Park Club): Kelley, a past winner of the VSGA Senior Golfer of the Year Award, was rewarded for a consistent season in which he finished atop the VSGA Super Senior Men’s Player Rankings. Kelley finished fourth at the VSGA Super Senior Stroke Play Championship and advanced to the quarterfinals at the VSGA Super Senior Amateur Championship. He partnered with Rusty Breeden to finish second at the VSGA Super Senior Four-Ball, falling just short in a six-hole playoff. They also tied for second at the VSGA Super Senior Multi-Format Team Championship. He won four-ball titles with Kevin Dill at the Matt Chandler Memorial Four-Ball and Allen Barber at the Kings of the River.
» Super Senior Women’s Golfer of the Year: Shawn McCullough (Mount Vernon CC): McCullough claimed this honor for the third straight year after another excellent season at the state and regional level. McCullough won the VSGA Super Senior Women’s Stroke Play Championship at The Piedmont Club by seven strokes, her second straight win in the event. In August, she was a key part of the winning Mount Vernon team at the VSGA Women’s State Team Matches. Later in the month, she advanced to the semifinals at the VSGA Super Senior Women’s Amateur, falling to eventual champion Mimi Hoffman. She tied for fourth at the Women’s Eastern Golf Association Super Senior Amateur and was sixth at the North and South Super Senior Women’s Amateur.