Sarah T. : A Lesson in Determination
When Sarah Towne joined the Governors Club Food and Beverage staff as a server in 2022, she had a clear career objective: Become a golf professional.
Her journey has been a lesson in determination. She started as a server, secured a position on the cart staff and then moved to an assistant professional in the Golf Shop. All the while, she endeared herself to the GC membership who referred to her simply as “Sarah T.”
A self-described “people person,” Sarah also became a very visible part of the GC community away from the golf course. While so many of the GC membership knew her from her time in the dining room, running carts, giving golf lessons and as a style consultant in the Golf Shop, many also knew her as a skilled pickleball player, someone who could take care of their pets while they were on holiday and as a vocalist and horn player for GC’s legendary ITG Band.
In less than three years, Sarah completed all her Professional Golf Association courses and certifications with the financial backing of the Step Forward Scholarship Fund (SFSF). She received grants in 2022 and 2023 from SFSF. She is now a full-fledged PGA professional.
“SFSF has been instrumental in my professional growth at GC,” Sarah said. “With the support of SFSF, I was able to earn my PGA Class A membership. The PGA program has bettered my skills as a golf instructor, merchandiser, manager, and everything in between. The program gave me a lot of confidence and valuable experience in all facets of being a successful golf professional. I am so grateful to SFSF for supporting me through my PGA development. The Class A membership made me a desirable job candidate and has driven this exciting new opportunity.”
Recently Sarah was hired as an assistant golf professional at the historic Olympic Club in San Francisco, one of the nation’s premier clubs. It has been the site for both men’s and women’s US Opens and will host the 2028 Ryder Cup. Her last day at GC was in mid-January and she joins Olympic’s professional staff mid-February.
“Being a part of the Olympic Club team will be a great opportunity for me,” she said. “It’s a true athletic club offering 16 sports which excites me as a long-time, multi-sport athlete. The club has a rich history in youth programming and community engagement and has great potential for social impact. With 45 holes (two 18s and a 9 hole), golf is at the forefront of the club experience.”
The SFSF is proud that it played a part in helping Sarah.
“Sarah is a prime example of what the Step Forward Scholarship Fund is all about,” said SFSF President Nancy Broaddus. “Our mission is to help GC employees and children of employees achieve their education goals and their career dreams. And, with recipients like Sarah, we were personally able to chart her progress on almost a daily basis. SFSF donors can look with pride at her journey and the journeys of so many others that have been helped. It is clear the program is making a difference.”
Bill Wallace, SFSF’s co-founder and former board president, called Sarah, a Cornell University graduate with a degree in environmental sciences, one of the organization’s biggest advocates as she also devoted significant time to promote the SFSF program to other employees and to donors.
“I am very happy that SFSF has played a vital role in enabling Sarah to transition to a vocation she loves and will be very successful at,” he said. “She will be missed by all, but this is the type of success SFSF hopes to achieve with all its recipients. She grew up in Chapel Hill and her family is still here so we expect she will swing by and visit us when she comes back on holiday.”
Sarah looks fondly at her years at GC.
“Governors Club has given me a lot,” she said. “It has been way more than a job or just a place of work. GC has been an environment where I have grown immensely— both personally and professionally. I have too many good memories from here to single out just one. I just know that I’ve learned a lot, laughed a lot, and met a lot of special people that have affected my life for the better.”
But there was also the lure of California.
“Olympic aside, the Bay Area is a truly incredible place to experience,” Sarah said. “I’m excited for live sports, arts & music, and can’t wait to be in close proximity to some great beaches, hiking and mountains. Woohoo!”
Her journey has been a lesson in determination. She started as a server, secured a position on the cart staff and then moved to an assistant professional in the Golf Shop. All the while, she endeared herself to the GC membership who referred to her simply as “Sarah T.”
A self-described “people person,” Sarah also became a very visible part of the GC community away from the golf course. While so many of the GC membership knew her from her time in the dining room, running carts, giving golf lessons and as a style consultant in the Golf Shop, many also knew her as a skilled pickleball player, someone who could take care of their pets while they were on holiday and as a vocalist and horn player for GC’s legendary ITG Band.
In less than three years, Sarah completed all her Professional Golf Association courses and certifications with the financial backing of the Step Forward Scholarship Fund (SFSF). She received grants in 2022 and 2023 from SFSF. She is now a full-fledged PGA professional.
“SFSF has been instrumental in my professional growth at GC,” Sarah said. “With the support of SFSF, I was able to earn my PGA Class A membership. The PGA program has bettered my skills as a golf instructor, merchandiser, manager, and everything in between. The program gave me a lot of confidence and valuable experience in all facets of being a successful golf professional. I am so grateful to SFSF for supporting me through my PGA development. The Class A membership made me a desirable job candidate and has driven this exciting new opportunity.”
Recently Sarah was hired as an assistant golf professional at the historic Olympic Club in San Francisco, one of the nation’s premier clubs. It has been the site for both men’s and women’s US Opens and will host the 2028 Ryder Cup. Her last day at GC was in mid-January and she joins Olympic’s professional staff mid-February.
“Being a part of the Olympic Club team will be a great opportunity for me,” she said. “It’s a true athletic club offering 16 sports which excites me as a long-time, multi-sport athlete. The club has a rich history in youth programming and community engagement and has great potential for social impact. With 45 holes (two 18s and a 9 hole), golf is at the forefront of the club experience.”
The SFSF is proud that it played a part in helping Sarah.
“Sarah is a prime example of what the Step Forward Scholarship Fund is all about,” said SFSF President Nancy Broaddus. “Our mission is to help GC employees and children of employees achieve their education goals and their career dreams. And, with recipients like Sarah, we were personally able to chart her progress on almost a daily basis. SFSF donors can look with pride at her journey and the journeys of so many others that have been helped. It is clear the program is making a difference.”
Bill Wallace, SFSF’s co-founder and former board president, called Sarah, a Cornell University graduate with a degree in environmental sciences, one of the organization’s biggest advocates as she also devoted significant time to promote the SFSF program to other employees and to donors.
“I am very happy that SFSF has played a vital role in enabling Sarah to transition to a vocation she loves and will be very successful at,” he said. “She will be missed by all, but this is the type of success SFSF hopes to achieve with all its recipients. She grew up in Chapel Hill and her family is still here so we expect she will swing by and visit us when she comes back on holiday.”
Sarah looks fondly at her years at GC.
“Governors Club has given me a lot,” she said. “It has been way more than a job or just a place of work. GC has been an environment where I have grown immensely— both personally and professionally. I have too many good memories from here to single out just one. I just know that I’ve learned a lot, laughed a lot, and met a lot of special people that have affected my life for the better.”
But there was also the lure of California.
“Olympic aside, the Bay Area is a truly incredible place to experience,” Sarah said. “I’m excited for live sports, arts & music, and can’t wait to be in close proximity to some great beaches, hiking and mountains. Woohoo!”
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Step Forward Scholarship Fund, Inc.
P.O. Box 4631
Chapel Hill, NC 27515-4631
[email protected]
Step Forward Scholarship Fund, Inc. is a 501c3 organization. EIN #83-3175469