Kent Moore is often described as the "quintessential amateur golfer," excelling at the highest levels of competition while balancing family, business, and civic leadership. Almost a Colorado native, Moore grew up in Littleton and honed his game at Pinehurst Country Club before joining Lakewood Country Club out of college. It was there that he met his wife, Janet, an accomplished golfer in her own right. Their paths first crossed when she was taking lessons from pro Earl Svenningson, a friend of Moore’s. At the time, she was 17, and he was 26, but a misunderstanding led her to believe he was married with kids—though that wasn’t the case. Seven years later, they went on their first date, and six months after that, they were married.
Golf has been a central part of their lives. They have two children, Sarah and Steven, both of whom enjoy the game. Kent and Steven have won the CGA Parent-Child Championship twice (2009, 2022), while he and Janet dominated the CGA Mixed Championship for years before it was discontinued.
Moore’s competitive success began early, winning the 1973 CGA Junior Match Play Championship while at Arapahoe High School. After playing as Purdue University’s top golfer and team captain, he returned to Colorado, joining Cherry Hills Country Club in 1983. He quickly cemented his legacy with victories in the 1986 CGA Stroke Play and 1989 CGA Match Play Championships, joining an elite group—including Hale Irwin and Brandt Jobe—who have won Colorado’s junior, match play, and stroke play titles.
Moore's dominance spans six consecutive decades, with CGA championship wins in the 1970s, '80s, '90s (1995 Mid-Amateur), 2000s (2006 Senior Match Play), 2010s (2014 Senior Amateur, 2016 Super-Senior Amateur, 2017 Super-Senior Match Play), and 2020s (2020, 2021, and 2022 Super-Senior Match Play).
On the national stage, Moore has qualified for 11 USGA championships, most recently the 2019 U.S. Mid-Amateur at Colorado Golf Club and CommonGround Golf Course, where he was the oldest competitor at 63. His accolades include CGA/PGA Co-Junior Player of the Year, CGA Open-Age Co-Player of the Year (1989), two Senior Player of the Year honors (2006, 2014), and Super-Senior Player of the Year (2017).
Beyond competing, Moore has served as Chair of the Colorado Open Foundation Board and coached the Wheaton College men’s golf team from 2011 to 2015. He is also a man of many passions—he loves to garden, is a licensed pilot, and holds his faith as a cornerstone of his life.
Above all, Moore is a devoted family man. He and Janet are proud parents of two children, Sarah and Steven, and grandparents to six grandchildren.
KK: Who introduced you to the game of golf and at what age?
KM: My dad introduced me to the game when I was probably six years old. We originally lived in Oklahoma City, and he would take me to the golf course with him. When we moved to Colorado and joined Pinehurst Country Club, I started playing more seriously. Pinehurst has 27 holes, including a very junior-friendly nine-hole course, and they hosted junior club championships. I played that nine-hole course all the time and really started playing competitively around age eight. My mom was very supportive but didn’t play, but my dad loved it!
KK: That’s awesome. What do you do for work now?
KM: I am retired. I spent most of my life in some form of the oil and gas business and then I spent a few years working for two mutual fund companies for a dear friend I met playing golf as a junior.
KK: Very nice! Who introduced you to the CGA Board?
KM: I'm not sure exactly who introduced me to the CGA Board. I played in CGA tournaments growing up, and I vividly remember showing up for junior tournaments where a man named Wilfred Woody was always there. I’ve since met his grandson, who now plays in tournaments as well. Mr. Woody was a principal at one of the Denver Public Schools—he had very thick glasses and was very scholarly. He would show up with a box filled with pencils and scorecards, hand us our cards, and tell us to have a great time. There were no rules officials back then—none of us really knew much about the rules—so Mr. Woody took care of everything.
Later on, the CGA and the PGA merged, and sometimes Mr. Woody was accompanied by Jerry King, who represented the PGA. That’s how I first became aware of the organization. Back then, we had to physically write a check, fill out an entry form, and, if we were late, drive it over to Aurora, where the PGA-CGA office was. Things have certainly changed since then. At some point, I probably met Ed, and we became good friends—that’s likely how I got involved with the CGA Board.
KK: That makes sense. When did you join the CGA Board?
KM: About 20 years ago.
KK: Over the past 20 years, what did you do for the CGA Board?
KM: I've served as Vice President and President of the CGA, and I was fortunate to be part of the original committee that developed CommonGround Golf Course from Mira Vista. That was such a fun experience, and I have great memories of meeting Tom Doak for the first time, thanks to Ed.
One of the biggest challenges—and biggest accomplishments—during my time on the board was the CGA/PGA split. It was a difficult process, but I believe it ultimately left both organizations much healthier. Thankfully, any tensions that existed back then have since been resolved, and there’s no animosity anymore, which is a great outcome.
I was also involved when the CGA and the CWGA merged, which was another significant milestone. A lot of credit goes to Joe and Ed for seeing that through, at least on our side. Juliet Miner and Joe McCleary were especially determined to make it happen, and it wasn’t easy.
Looking back, I’ve seen a lot of important changes and milestones for the CGA over the years. And looking ahead, I hope to continue being involved in the campus plan at CommonGround and what eventually happens there. I know people have some great ideas, and I’m excited about the possibilities. I was also involved in the partnership with the Denver Botanic Gardens, which I really enjoyed and hope to see continue and grow.
KK: That is so wonderful that you can see the positives in all of the milestones you have seen take place during your time on the CGA Board.
KM: I’ve had great conversations with the leadership of the Colorado PGA Section, and their organization is thriving under tremendous leadership. Sometimes, during the process, things can seem really tough, but in the end, good results come from it. I’m really happy with how things turned out, and honestly, the CGA is doing very well. In the end, it was a great outcome for both organizations.
KK: Thank you for sharing. Now you are an emeritus, what does that mean to you?
KM: I am honored. And if you look at the list of emeriti, I'm very pleased to be associated with that group and golf is a huge part of our family, so it's a great honor.
KK: Absolutely. When were you inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame and why were you selected for that?
KM: I was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2004. I wasn’t on the selection committee, but I believe it was largely due to my success in the state. I won both the Junior Championship and the State Amateur, as well as the Mid-Amateur. I had also competed in several USGA events, which I think contributed to the selection.
KK: That is incredible. Speaking of golf accomplishments, what do you feel is your greatest?
KM: I think my greatest accomplishment in golf was winning the 1986 Stroke Play Championship. At that time, I was eight years out of college, and all the top players in the state were there—Bill Loeffler, Tom Lee, Paul Lobato, and Larry Eaton, just to name a few. The final group was Larry, Bill, and me. Larry was a lot older than us but could really play, so I knew it was going to be a tough challenge to beat those guys. But I managed to pull it off, and my dad was caddying for me, which made it even more special. Jim Topliff, the rules official, was the first to shake my hand after the win. He and I were friends, so that moment meant a lot. Beating Bill Loeffler and Larry Eaton – two of the best amateurs the state has ever seen, was a huge accomplishment.
KK: Wow! Is that your favorite golf memory?
KM: Winning the CGA Amateur in 1986 is probably my greatest accomplishment, but another great memory for me is caddying for Janet in over 30 USGA events. I’ve had the chance to caddy in many of them, and it’s such a fun experience. I really enjoy caddying—it's always a great time and filled with wonderful memories.
KK: How sweet. On that note, what is your favorite CGA tournament and why?
KM: Currently, my favorite CGA tournament is by far the parent-child. It is incredible fun to play with Steven and hopefully some day with Sarah. But my favorite CGA tournament of all time is the CGA Amateur or the CGA Match Play Championship. Those are the ultimate championships, competing at the highest level. Winning one of those is the ultimate achievement.
KK: If you could give your younger self or younger generations one piece of advice, what would it be?
KM: When it comes to golf, my best piece of advice is to pay attention to your self-talk on the course. Janet is much better at this than me and has taught me a lot. It’s easy to diminish yourself, but you can't do that. You need to remind yourself, 'I’m okay at this,' and avoid beating yourself up. The earlier you can learn this, the better. I’ve seen players in tough situations who could win but didn’t because their self-talk was negative. I’ve also seen players have less successful careers because they were too hard on themselves. What always amazes me is how much I’ve gotten out of my game. I don’t have a great swing, and I don’t hit it a long way, but I have persistence, and that comes from being more comfortable on the course than others at times. Many great players don’t achieve as much because they’re too hard on themselves. That would be my advice.
KK: Amazing! Thank you for taking the time.