Sara Montgomery has only served on the CGA board of directors for about five years, but in that time she’s certainly experienced plenty that will inform her time as president of the association.
A former University of Denver golfer — and team captain — who was born in Colorado, graduated from Fort Morgan High School and lives in Denver, Montgomery officially began her two-year term as CGA president last month. She becomes the third female president of the CGA since it integrated with the CWGA at the beginning of 2018, following Juliet Miner (co-president with Joe McCleary in 2018) and Janene Guzowski (2019-20). Montgomery succeeds Gary Albrecht, the CGA president for the last two years.
A partner at Plante Moran, Montgomery joined the CGA board of directors at the beginning of 2020, which turned out to be a pivotal time in at least a couple of respects. One was a matter which certainly transcended golf — navigating the many effects of Covid-19, which started gripping the U.S. in March of 2020. The other is a related topic which has had an immense impact on the game of golf — the remarkable increase in the amount of golf played during and in the wake of the pandemic.
“I remember it very vividly because my first board meeting was in March of 2020, right before things really shut down for Covid,” Montgomery said in a phone interview. “I have a very vivid memory of having that one board meeting in person, then everything just sort of coming to a halt and us trying to figure out what made the most sense for the CGA and for CommonGround (the golf course in Aurora that the association owns). It was a very interesting time to join the board.
“It was (trying to decide) what makes the most sense as an organization and how can we be good fiduciaries, recognizing that a lot of these things going on, people didn’t have answers to. Looking back, there was great leadership in (executive director/CEO Ed Mate, McCleary) and others. The board at the time was (speaking about) ‘how do we make sure we’re good stewards of this golf course and these resources, and what makes the most sense?’ Candidly, what made the most sense was staying open. But I think there were some questions around that, like ‘Should we be open as a golf course?’ You look back now and (think) ‘How could you not have been open?’ … (But) there were a lot of people who really wanted to do the right thing.”
Who knew at the time the monumental effect Covid-19 would end up having on the popularity of golf — in Colorado and elsewhere? And, as an offshoot of that, the huge surge in CGA membership that’s taken place over the last five years?
To wit, the number of CGA members has surged from 60,251 in 2019 to about 92,500 now — a 53.5 percent increase. And, according to Golf Datatech, the number of rounds played in Colorado over the same period has increased by roughly 25 percent. Suffice it to say it’s been quite a ride for the association and its leadership, including Montgomery, over the last five years.
“There’s a lot of momentum, a lot of energy, and it’s fun to get to be a part of it,” Montgomery said. “(The staff and board’s) enthusiasm and love for golf just makes you want to be a part of it. That’s one of the reasons I’ve decided to try to carve out the time and hopefully be a good steward of what the CGA is trying to accomplish.”
Many people who serve on the CGA board volunteer considerable time despite already living very busy lives, and Montgomery is certainly no exception. She’s a wife (to husband Dan), a mother of two (a 10-year-old daughter, Meredith and a 7-year-old son, Luke). And, as noted, she’s a partner at Plante Moran, a professional services firm where she leads the “family legacy” practice. And the 42-year-old also coaches the basketball team of her daughter, the same one she brought with her to November's CGA Medal of Excellence Ceremony. That’s where the inaugural edition of Team Colorado — part of a new elite junior state team program launched by the USGA — was introduced.
“I’m really grateful to have the opportunity to serve in this new capacity,” Montgomery said. “This board has just been a real blessing and privilege to be a part of. To continue to be able to serve and to learn from others and to work with the staff more closely, I’m very excited. I hope I can do the role justice. There’s so many great things going on with the CGA. It’s a fun time to continue to be a part of it.”
Mate believes Montgomery’s background and long history in Colorado will prove valuable resources as she ascends to one of the key leadership roles in the CGA. He notes that Montgomery grew up in Fort Morgan and received a Boettcher Scholarship, which is awarded to Colorado high school seniors, helping greatly defray the cost of attending a college or university based in the Centennial State. It’s awarded on the basis of “superior scholastic ability/intellectual curiosity, leadership, service, character and more.”
“If I am not mistaken, I believe Sara Montgomery is the first Boettcher Scholar to become president of the CGA,” Mate said in an email. “She grew up in Fort Morgan and played college golf at the University of Denver. Talk about a home-grown talent!
“Anyone who meets Sara will immediately be impressed by her positivity and passion. One of the best parts of my job is getting a new ‘boss’ every two years. It keeps me fresh, challenged, and always looking to do better. I am quite confident Sara will do exactly that and make the association better during her term as president.”
With not a lot of spare time, and given that being president of the CGA involves a considerable time commitment, Montgomery was asked what makes this volunteer role worth undertaking.
“Volunteering is definitely one of my favorite ways to spend my extra time,” she said. “The game of golf has given so much to me, and it’s fun to be able to contribute back to the game and all that it offers in the state of Colorado in this small way. So for me it’s an opportunity to pay it forward so that others hopefully get some of the same benefit and experience that I’ve been the beneficiary of. It also keeps me connected to the game of golf. I don’t have a ton of extra time, so this is a great way to continue to be part of the game of golf. And, selfishly, I really love the people at the CGA — the staff and the board — and I learn so much from them. I know they all really care about golf and they all really care about CommonGround. It’s a little contagious.”
Beyond the board — and the top staff — leading the CGA itself, it helps guide CommonGround Golf Course. Besides being a very popular venue for tournaments and recreational players — Golf.com just named it the sixth-best course in Colorado — it’s a host site for many “community and wellness” and “for the good of the game” initiatives. That includes the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado, Special Olympics of Colorado, Youth on Course, LPGA*USGA Girls Golf, Golf in Schools, agronomy and ecosystem-related endeavors, etc. CommonGround’s Short Course, practice facilities, community putting green and the adjoining natural habitat all play various roles in these endeavors.
“One of the things we’ve been recently talking about is there’s so many great things that the CGA does that people don’t know about,” Montgomery said. “So part of it is awareness of all that CommonGround and the CGA offer. More than trying to take on new things, it’s making sure that those who go to CommonGround or those who are CGA members or are considering becoming CGA members recognize and appreciate the things that are being done, and leveraging the opportunity to be a part of it. Candidly, I think a lot of times people say ‘I joined the CGA and got a handicap.’ There’s other things that are going on that you can be a part of — whether it’s the caddie program or a Member Play Day, Youth on Course or whatever it might be. So one of the things I want to work on is making sure the CGA isn’t sort of a best-kept secret, but that people really know the value that we’re adding to the community. We need to continue to build on the momentum and make sure there’s an acknowledgment and recognition of those things so we can do more of it.
“Ed is always calling CommonGround this ‘laboratory for golf.’ I think we just want to continue to create more opportunities for that through the CGA. It’s not as if we’re not doing a good job of that, but how can we create more capacity, more opportunities? … I think golf has a pretty remarkable impact on people’s lives. We just want to continue to build and capitalize on that.”
The CGA and CWGA integrated into one organization roughly seven years ago, and in the time since the makeup of the board — and of the Executive Committee within the board — has reflected that integration and unification.
Asked how she would rate the job the CGA is doing regarding female golfers, Montgomery said, “I would give ourselves a pretty decent grade. … I think the CGA is doing a good job of getting individuals from different backgrounds, different geographies (within the state), men and women (into leadership roles) — saying ‘how does the board reflect the people we serve in the communities where there are golf courses all around the state?’ That’s something we continue to try to balance as an organization. We have this amazing course in CommonGround; we also have golfers all over the state, caddie programs all over the state. How can we continue to add value across the state.
“I think we’re doing pretty good on the female front. Sometimes the most intimidating thing for a golfer regardless of gender or anything like that is being new, or not knowing the rules and the etiquette. Creating opportunities and safe spaces for people to sort of learn the game of golf — our (annual Women’s Golf Summit) is a great example of that — can be really helpful. Because sometimes golf can be an intimidating game because there’s a lot of rules. And if you don’t know them, they don’t necessarily make sense. I’ve never known someone to play golf better when they’re upset or nervous. Most people play better when they’re having a good time. I think that’s something we’re trying to create a culture around, as well.”
Speaking of the CWGA, it was a former CWGA (and CGA) board member, 2018 CGA Women’s Volunteer of the Year Dana Murray, who was responsible for Montgomery joining the CGA board about five years ago.
“I actually worked with Dana’s daughter in private banking, and she knew I was a golfer,” Montgomery noted. “She was like, ‘Mom, you should meet Sara.’ I met Dana and I think Juliet (Miner) to learn more about it. I think they were trying to find the right mix of individuals to serve on the board, recognizing the combination of the two (organizations) as an Allied Golf Association. So, of all the ways to get involved, it was a co-worker’s mom” who got Montgomery started volunteering with the CGA.
The gig was/is very much to Montgomery’s liking.
“For me, selfishly I really like to be part of things that have momentum and great people,” she said. “Once I got to know the CGA from the perspective of serving the non-profit and being a part of the board, it was interesting to see this is a really cool organization with great people who really care about this. It gave me a new excuse to get re-involved with golf. As a working mom, I haven’t been able to do that much. I played a lot competitively when I was younger, but there’s an ebb and flow in life. Selfishly I was really appreciative of the opportunity to be able to participate in something where I think I had some perspective and could add some value. And I also could really enjoy it. So I was very excited when Dana reached out.”
Nowadays, Montgomery is very pleased with the trajectory of the CGA, given the huge growth in membership and in golf in general. Beyond the aforementioned effect of Covid-19 in that regard, she in part credits the efforts of the USGA, which she calls “a great ally.
“They’re really trying to encourage and grow membership. Maybe historically a lot of individuals have played golf who needed a membership or needed a handicap. In today’s world, there’s this great opportunity to say ‘How can we bring these individuals who love golf into the fold and help them be part of the CGA?’ I think the USGA has really been focused on that, and having support from them — like advertisements during the U.S. Open, the ability to join online and play wherever you want — some of that momentum comes from the USGA’s desire to grow the game of golf and grow membership. And it also benefits these Allied Golf Associations like the CGA.”
Also helping facilitate growth for the CGA is CommonGround Golf Course and all the programs and the initiatives housed there.
“CommonGround is just such an amazing course to be able to own and to be a steward of,” Montgomery said. “So there’s this desire to continue to make sure we’re taking care of the golf course — and we’re continuing to build out the campus around the golf course and all the things that are offered at CommonGround. The other piece is the programming component — how are we growing the game of golf, what are the benefits of the game of golf? Some of those aren’t even for golfers; they might be for caddies, character-building considerations. Right now those are the priorities, and we’ll continue to look at that. Owning the golf course creates a lot of opportunities.”
As for Montgomery personally, though she does live a busy life between a family, her job and her new position as CGA president, she does manage to squeeze in a little golf every now and then. During the season, she plays in a Wednesday 9-hole sunrise league at Wellshire Golf Course. (At one time, she was a member at the now-closed Green Gables Country Club.) She estimates she plays fewer than 20 rounds a year, but still sports a Handicap Index of 4.5. In other words, her game still shows signs of being that of a competitor who used to play on the boys golf team at Fort Morgan High School and who captained the DU women’s golf team as a sophomore, junior and senior in the early 2000s. (And, for the record, she was also a three-time All-America Scholar at DU, where she went on to earn an MBA.
Montgomery’s honors thesis at DU was part golf, part business.
“I was trying to come up with something, candidly, that didn’t require too much extra work,” she said. “My undergraduate degree was International Studies. I played in a travel tour in Asia one summer during college and had gotten to play golf with people from various countries. I sincerely felt like it was the international language of business. I argued in my honors thesis that you could play a round of golf with someone and over the course of that time with them you would be able to glean whether or not they were someone you wanted to do business with because there’s such an element of character and honesty and integrity that goes along with the game of golf.”
Now, appropriately, Montgomery’s life includes large measures of both golf and business. She wouldn’t have it any other way.