CONCORD, N.H. – The New Hampshire Golf Hall of Fame Committee inducted its second class into the New Hampshire Golf Hall of Fame last October in a ceremony held at Manchester Country Club. Those inducted into the second class include Phil Pleat; Thomas J. Leonard Jr.; Laura Shanahan-Rowe, LPGA; and Stan Lencki Sr., PGA.
The four accomplished individuals joined the 10 inductees who were honored at the first New Hampshire Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremony in October 2018.
The New Hampshire Golf Hall of Fame was established in 2018 to recognize individuals for their contributions to the game of golf in the Granite State. The Hall of Fame seeks to identify those who have had a profound effect on the game through accomplishments in playing, volunteerism, teaching or any activity that has made a positive impact on the game within New Hampshire.
“When the Hall of Fame was established in 2018, we knew of the deep talent pool of golfers that live and compete in the Granite State,” said Matt Schmidt, New Hampshire Golf Association Executive Director. “Each year, the HOF Committee continues to be blown away by the accomplishments of our golfers and the Class of 2019 certainly represents that.
“We have the most decorated male amateur golfer in our history, a USGA ahampion, a six-time New Hampshire Amateur champion, and the consummate PGA professional. We enjoyed celebrating all of these worthy individuals last fall.”
Coupled with the Hall of Fame ceremony, the New Hampshire Golf Association presented the first-ever NHGA Distinguished Service Award to Joe Kane for his countless years of service to golf in the Granite State. Going forward, the award will be named the Joe Kane Distinguished Service Award.
Philip Pleat
Twenty seems to be a common theme for Pleat’s golf accomplishments, winning 20 New Hampshire Golf Association championships and qualifying for and competing in 20 USGA championships. Pleat is the most decorated male golfer in New Hampshire, collecting three New Hampshire Amateur titles, three New Hampshire Stroke Play titles, eight New Hampshire Mid-Amateur titles and six New Hampshire Senior titles in years ranging from 1981 to 2017.
He has been named the New Hampshire Thomas J. Leonard Jr., Player of the Year three times and the New Hampshire Senior Player of the Year six times. In 2011, he finished runner-up in the 2011 U.S. Senior Amateur and has competed alongside his son, James, in two USGA events, including the 2012 U.S. Amateur and the 2017 U.S. Amateur Four Ball. He also won back-to-back New England Senior championships in 2016 and 2017.
Thomas J. Leonard, Jr.
“Tommy” Leonard is best-known in golf for winning eight New Hampshire Amateur titles (1939, 1941, 1947-1952), which held up as a record for 48 years until Bob Mielcarz won his ninth title in 2000. His record of six consecutive state amateur wins still stands today. Not only that, but he became the first amateur to win the New Hampshire Open, doing so in 1947. He also competed in six U.S. Amateurs over the years. Because of his accomplishments, the New Hampshire Player of the Year award is in his name.
Laura Shanahan-Rowe, LPGA
With accomplishments spanning both the amateur and professional side of golf, Laura Shanahan-Rowe is well-deserving of this honor. On the amateur side, one of her greatest accomplishments is winning the 2001 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, becoming the first female in New Hampshire to win a USGA event. She also took home titles at the New Hampshire Women’s Golf Association Championship in 1999 and 2002 and the New England Women’s Golf Association Championship in 2002.
Professionally, she has competed in numerous LPGA events and Legends Tour events, gathering top-3 finishes along the way. Regionally, she won the 2014 and 2016 New England Women’s Open and finished second in the 2004 Massachusetts Women’s Open. She competed in the inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open in 2018 and again in 2019, with a top-20 finish. Currently, she is a sought-after teaching professional at Sagamore Golf Center in North Hampton, New Hampshire, a role she has been in since 2009.
Stan Lencki, Sr., PGA
Stan Lencki’s service to the game of golf as a PGA professional for over 50 years has earned him his place in the New Hampshire Golf Hall of Fame. Stan served as an Assistant Golf Professional under Joe Makara at Manchester Country Club from 1956-1979. From there, he took over the position of Head Golf Professional at MCC from 1979-2000.
In May of 2000, he was honored with a “Lifetime Achievement” award from the New England PGA and presented a lifetime membership to MCC for his 50 years of service. Additionally, a permanently endowed McDonough Scholarship was named in his honor and in 2001, the McDonough Foundation created the Stan Lencki Distinguished Service Award. He was well-known for frequently declining to be honored by the New Hampshire Chapter of the NEPGA for its “Teacher of the Year” and “Professional of the Year” awards, but finally accepted the “Professional of the Year” honor in October of 2000 upon the announcement of his retirement.