Donna Andrews - Part 1 (The Early Years)
In this first episode of our special four-part conversation with LPGA major champion Donna Andrews, we tee off with a deep dive into her early years and the foundations that shaped a life in golf. A seven-time LPGA Tour winner and Dinah Shore major champion, Donna joins Mike Gonzalez and Bruce Devlin to reflect on her roots in Lynchburg, Virginia, and the vibrant, active upbringing that planted the seeds of her athletic success.
From childhood memories of biking, hiking, and long days at the country club, to becoming a standout multi-sport athlete in high school, Donna shares how competing with her brothers—and later on a boys' high school golf team—toughened her resolve and sharpened her competitive edge. With humor and warmth, she recalls winning her first state titles, learning from her golf-influencing father, and the mentorship she received from legends like Davis Love Jr. and Jack Lumpkin.
We explore the influence of her faith, her academic excellence, and the early development of her short game—skills and values that would serve her throughout her career. Donna also takes us back to her decision to attend the University of North Carolina, where she balanced a demanding academic load with college golf, and reflects on the pivotal moments that convinced her to pursue a professional career.
Filled with personal stories, candid reflections, and the early signs of the champion she would become, this episode lays the groundwork for the remarkable journey of one of the game’s most respected figures. Don’t miss this engaging beginning to Donna Andrews’ inspiring story—told in her own voice, with heart and humor, "FORE the Good of the Game."
Give Bruce & Mike some feedback via Text.
Follow our show and/or leave a review/rating on:
Our Website https://www.forethegoodofthegame.com/reviews/new/
Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fore-the-good-of-the-game/id1562581853
Spotify Podcasts https://open.spotify.com/show/0XSuVGjwQg6bm78COkIhZO?si=b4c9d47ea8b24b2d
About
"FORE the Good of the Game” is a golf podcast featuring interviews with World Golf Hall of Fame members, winners of major championships and other people of influence in and around the game of golf. Highlighting the positive aspects of the game, we aim to create and provide an engaging and timeless repository of content that listeners can enjoy now and forever. Co-hosted by PGA Tour star Bruce Devlin, our podcast focuses on telling their life stories, in their voices. Join Bruce and Mike Gonzalez “FORE the Good of the Game.”
Thanks so much for listening!
Andrews, Donna
Golf Professional and Instructor
When Donna Andrews was 26, she had a decision to make. She had just sunk a six-foot birdie putt on the final hole of the 1994 Dinah Shore to clinch her first LPGA major championship. She signed her scorecard and gave a television interview, but the gallery at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif., wasn’t going to let her slip back to the locker room to celebrate. There was a tradition to uphold: A dip in Poppie’s Pond.
Since 1988, when Amy Alcott convinced her caddie to spontaneously jump into the lake near Mission Hills’ 18th green, the Dinah Shore champion had taken the plunge. Andrews couldn’t turn down her chance.
“I was dry when I signed my card and did TV, but then the crowd was yelling for me to go in,” Andrews told the Washington Post. “Anything to please the crowd.”
Andrews’ major victory was of no surprise to anyone who had followed her amateur career, in particular, her success in Virginia State Golf Association events. Andrews, a native of Lynchburg, won her first VSGA Junior Girls’ Championship in 1983, starting a seven-year run of dominance on the Commonwealth’s golf scene. She won another junior girls’ title in 1984 and grabbed her first VSGA Women’s Amateur Championship title in 1985.
She won four more Women’s Amateurs before turning professional in the summer of 1989. Andrews, who played at the University of North Carolina, also won three VSGA Women’s Stroke Play Championships, leaving her with 10 career titles. She’s the only woman in VSGA history to have won 10 championships.
She won six times on t… Read More
