MEMBER PROFILE – MICHAEL “MICK” IHLENFELD

Born and raised in Butler, Pennsylvania, I grew up in a golfing family with my parents and two brothers.  I started playing at the age of eight, and played in many tournaments throughout the Pittsburgh area.  At the age of 17, I qualified and played in the National Juniors in Florence, South Carolina. At the age of 19, I completed Professional Golfers Association (PGA) school in Clearwater, Florida.  I was then employed for two years as an assistant professional at the Penn Hills Club in Bradford, Pennsylvania.  With the Vietnam War intensifying, I felt compelled to enlist in the Marine Corps.  I served in Vietnam as a machine gunner with the infantry. Following the time in service to my country, I attended Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania, where I received both my Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Physical Education.  I later worked in the rewarding field of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (MRDD) in the commonwealths of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, and also in the state of Ohio for a combined total of 37 years.  I retired as a deputy director of MRDD with the state of Ohio. Throughout the years, I continued to be involved in golf.  I once shot a 61 at the Sleepy Hollow Course Championship in Franklin, Pennsylvania.  While working in Massachusetts, I successfully organized and ran a large celebrity benefit golf and tennis tournament for a period of 13 years with the New England Patriots.  I was also very involved with the organization and implementation of a junior golf program in Zanesville, Ohio. I currently live in Zanesville with my wife Deidra, who encouraged me to realize a dream and pursue my USGTF Level III certification.  We have two smaller children in the home, Kaleb and Gabrielle.  I also have an older son, Jason, who resides in Texas with his family, and an older daughter, Lindsay, who resides with her family in Nairobi, Kenya. My future plans consist of further developing the junior golf program in the Zanesville area, along with working on the seniors golf program.  I enjoy teaching and sharing my love of the game.  I am so very blessed to be at this place in my life!