It was more than a decade ago that former CGA president Dennis Lyon took Joe McCleary aside and asked if he’d be interested in serving on the association’s board of governors.

McCleary didn’t hesitate in saying “yes”. And now, it seems only appropriate that McCleary will be one of Lyon’s successors as president of the CGA. After all, not only was Lyon responsible for bringing McCleary on board, but both cut their teeth as golf course superintendents and both work (or worked) for many a year for the City of Aurora.

This week, a dozen years after Lyon — who was recently honored as Superintendent of the Century at the Century of Golf Gala — stepped down as CGA president, McCleary was named to the post, the top volunteer leadership position on the CGA board.

“I’ve always enjoyed being part of the CGA with all the things they’re involved in,” said McCleary (above), who’s expected to serve two consecutive one-year terms after taking over the presidency from Phil Lane. “I’m looking forward to it in too many ways to count.”

Speaking of too many ways to count, that comes close to indicating how many ways McCleary has served the CGA — and golf in general — over the years.

As the first golf course superintendent at Saddle Rock in Aurora from 1995-2011 — being heavily involved in the construction of the course and its maintenance for many years — he had plenty of interaction with CGA and the golf community. After all, Saddle Rock hosted the Colorado Open from 1998 through 2000, along with periodic CGA championships and USGA qualifiers over the years.

And in the early part of the new millennium, McCleary championed the independent study on the economic impact and environmental aspects of golf in Colorado, a report that has had a significant impact not only in the Centennial State, but nationally. The report — supported by the CGA, CWGA and the other Allied Golf Associations in Colorado — won national recognition from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and morphed into a program at the national level, the Environmental Institute for Golf’s “Golf Course Environmental Profile”.

“We proved what could be done” when you have the data, said McCleary (pictured at left with Lane).

McCleary, who received his MBA from CU-Denver, also is a past president of the Rocky Mountain Golf Course Superintendents Association. Since its inception, he’s served on the board that guides the CGA-owned-and-operated CommonGround Golf Course, and he’s also worked on the GCSAA’s government relations committee and the environmental programs committee. In addition, he’s served on the CGA youth programs committee, and most recently, he was the vice president on the CGA board.

“He has a lot of experience,” said CGA executive director Ed Mate. “He’s really been involved with the whole vision of the golf course on the (CommonGround) board. And as a superintendent he’s a great sounding-board.

“He’s been about as hands-on as any volunteer since I’ve been here. He’s also a leader, well-respected in the golf community. He’s always thinking and challenging himself to learn new things. He’s no sit-still type of guy. He’s always asking, how can we expand and be more relevant.”

Said McCleary: “I have a pretty well-rounded background related to golf, so that will serve me well. I understand things from a golf operations standpoint, from a legislative standpoint, from a superintendent’s standpoint and from a player’s perspective.”

McCleary, a Colorado resident since 1988, is now the stormwater operations superintendent for the Aurora Water Department after long working at golf courses (Lone Tree, Meadow Hills and Saddle Rock). But his interest in CGA programs runs the gamut.

For instance, he calls the selection committee meeting in which Colorado finalists for the Evans Scholarship for caddies are interviewed “one of my favorite things.”

“There are so many different things going on (with the CGA) and you interact with so many different people,” the 50-year-old said. “The golf course stuff (with CommonGround) is fun. And you’ve got the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy, and the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program. I’m engaged on a variety of different levels. CommonGround keeps me interested, but all the things do. There’s also interaction with the (CGA) staff and other governors. (The association) uses all the people’s expertise and experience to keep things moving forward.”

The CGA just celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding, so 2015 was a big year. But there are plenty of issues on the horizon that will demand attention from McCleary and the other board members (CLICK HERE to view the CGA’s volunteer leadership team).

McCleary said that among the top priorities are keeping the CGA and CommonGround Golf Course financially stable, working alongside the Colorado Golf Foundation, and furthering the CGA’s collaborative programs with other key players in the Colorado golf community. One of those programs is taking shape as 2016 dawns with the CGA and Colorado PGA joining forces to bolster junior golf in the state (CLICK HERE for more on that). 

“One of the biggest priorities is enhancing and continuing to develop relations with the other Allied Golf Associations within the state of Colorado,” McCleary said.
 

Juliet Miner will officially become president of the CWGA on Jan. 1, and you could make a strong case that she’s the right person at the right time to take on the job.

After all, in 2016 the CWGA will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its founding, and the association faces its share of challenges, so a go-getter seems to be the order of the day.

And, by all indications, Miner fits that bill.

She’s high-energy and passionate about the game, playing 110-140 rounds of golf per year in addition to holding down a full-time job as a criminal defense attorney and being married for 27 years. She’s also upbeat about her new role and is ready and willing to volunteer the time and effort necessary to guide the CWGA team in the right direction.

“I am so enthusiastic about golf,” Miner said in a recent interview. “And I can’t say ‘no’.”

She later indicated that she can indeed say no, but seldom does if the cause is right. Which sounds ideal for someone heading up a volunteer board of directors and providing big-picture guidance for the association.

“She’s an avid, avid golfer; she just loves the game, and it shows,” said CGA executive director Ed Mate, who notes Miner has served on the board for CommonGround Golf Course, which is owned and operated by the CGA. “That’s fundamental. She really loves the game of golf. She’s bright and passionate, and the other thing is, she’s really forward-looking. (With her), you don’t just do things because that’s what you’ve done in the past. And Juliet always has a smile; she’s friendly and outgoing.”

Miner, a Colorado resident since 1983, joined the CWGA board at the beginning of 2012 — at the request of then-CWGA executive director Robin Jervey — and has been vice president the last two years as Joanie Ott was president. Now a 10.8 handicapper with four holes-in-one to her credit, Miner has competed in CWGA championships for more than two decades. She served as club president at Perry Park Country Club during the 1990s and now calls the Golf Club at Bear Dance and Plum Creek Golf Club her home courses. Over the years, she’s also been affiliated with clubs at Wellshire, Inverness, Patty Jewett and Lone Tree.

All of which should serve Miner well as she and the CWGA gear up for the association’s 100th anniversary.

“It’s an amazing privilege to be president during the centennial year,” said Miner, who will serve a two-year term. “We want to mark the achievements of the past and look to the future.”

When it comes to golf, the aforementioned is just a part of Miner’s resume. She grew up in Nevada, Iowa (population about 4,000-5,000 back then) where her dad taught her to play golf at age 14. “We would play golf until dark, then go play bridge until we went home,” she noted.

As an adult, she’s played golf all over the world — including in Abu Dhabi, Colombia, Mexico, Italy, Germany and Scotland. And her self-described “crowning achievement” was caddying for Stephanie Martin on the Ladies European Tour’s Italian Open and German Open circa 2000 as a birthday present to herself (she was serenaded with “happy birthday” on the putting grew at one event by LET players).

And Miner still enjoys being at tournaments, whether she’s competing, volunteering or spectating. In fact, earlier this year she served as the captain for the team representing the CWGA at the Girls Junior Americas Cup in Cheyenne, Wyo. (At left, she’s pictured at that event with PGA of America national secretary Suzy Whaley.)

“I’m a very happy person and I love my golf,” she said.

But while the game is definitely an important part of her life, Miner has very diverse interests. Besides law, she’s studied library science and Japanese. And in the early 1980s while going to law school at the University of Iowa she served in the Army Reserve, focusing on strategic intelligence.

“I’m interested in everything,” she noted.

Now, as the president-elect of the CWGA, which includes about 17,000 members, a big priority will be planning for the association’s centennial. But she also wants to emphasize the fun of the game — even the fun of volunteering in the golf realm (including for the CWGA — CLICK HERE).

Giving back to the game is certainly something Miner knows about. Besides serving on the CWGA and CommonGround boards in recent years, she’s been on the associaton’s Course Rating Committee. And last year, she was a hole captain (left) at the BMW Championship PGA Tour playoff event held at Cherry Hills Country Club.

The bottom line is, Miner is certainly well-versed when it comes to Colorado golf, which should serve her well over the coming two years — along with that go-getter attitude.

Note: Coming up next week, we’ll profile the new president-elect of the CGA.