Marge Burns

1984

Amateur Golfer

Miss Burns, a native of Greensboro, NC, dominated women’s amateur golf during her heyday as a player.  Before turning professional in 1970, she won 10 North Carolina Women’s titles and six Carolina’s Championships.  She also qualified to play in 14 USGA Amateur Championships and six U.S. Opens.  In the U.S. Amateur, her best showings were in 1953 and 1956 where she reached the fourth round.

She won the Teague Award as North Carolina’s best woman athlete five times. Then in January of 1970 she joined the professional ranks and gained widespread fame as an instructor.  A short six years later, she was named LPGA Teacher of the Year, an award well earned from her years as a teaching professional at the Surf Club, Golf Acres Driving Range and Par Three, both in Myrtle Beach, SC and the High Meadows Country Club in Roaring Gap, NC.

In addition to her work as a teacher, Marge has also done considerable work as a golf administrator serving as an area consultant with the National Golf Foundation, a Director with the Southern Women’s Golf Association.  President of the NC Women’s Golf Association and the LPGA Southeastern Section Teaching Division.  Before turning pro she was a member of the USGA Junior Girls Committee.

Asked what were her biggest moments in golf she replied, “All the firsts were thrills, but probably one of the really big ones was playing with Patty Berg the first time at age 13.”  The year 1984 also provided Miss Burns with thrills as she was inducted into the NC Sports Hall of Fame and received her Master’s Professional Classification, the latter being the LPGA highest classification.

Miss Burns was inducted into the Carolinas Golf Hall of Fame in 1984.

Her record speaks for itself as an outstanding competitor.

1940 Winner, Carolinas Junior Girls; Runner-up 1941-’42

1961 winner, Eastern Amateur

1962 Curtis Cup Alternate

1966-’67 Winner, Middle Atlantic Amateur Championship

Ten time winner, NC Women’s Amateur Championship

Six time winner, Carolinas Women’s Amateur Championship

Four time winner, Greensboro (NC) City Championship

Four time winner, Harder Hall Invitational ( Fla )

Four time South Atlantic Runner-up

Three time Women’s Southern Runner-up

Golf Digest’s “Top Ten,” 1959-1962