Joan Garety has a rich history of competitive golf accomplishments over four decades, including being a dominant player from the Grand Rapids area.
She moved to the Grand Rapids area after she played four years on the Michigan State University golf team in the late 1970s and was a team captain. All four of those MSU teams won the Big Ten Championship.
Her record in the state is highlighted by two Michigan Amateur Championships, which she claimed in 1982 and 1987, as well as the GAM Mid-Amateur Championship in 2004.
As a senior she has continued to win, claiming five GAM Women’s Senior Championships and two Michigan Women’s Senior Amateur titles.
Overall through 2019, she also has qualified for 30 USGA championships, including 16 Mid-Amateurs. She has been on the GAM Honor Roll 19 times, is a six-time GAM Senior Player of the Year and has been part of 25 Atlas Cup Teams. She was named the GAM Senior Player of the Decade in 2010 as well.
Meanwhile, at home she was the 22-time Egypt Valley Country Club women’s champion and won an unprecedented 12 Grand Rapids Women’s City Championships.
In 2000 Michigan State University awarded the Ada resident its Scholar Athlete Alumni Award, and she is a member of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame.