BIG RAPIDS – Jennifer Kangas-Brody, a former LPGA Tour player originally from the Upper Peninsula, Art McCafferty, a multi-media golf publisher and producer, and the late John Molenda, a longtime Knollwood Country Club professional who won the Michigan Open and the Michigan PGA Professional championships, were inducted by the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame (MGHOF) Sunday.
The trio, inducted in ceremonies at Ferris State University’s Katke Golf Club, home of the Ken Janke Sr. Golf Learning Center that houses the MGHOF, brought the number of inductees to 134.
The MGHOF also presented just its fifth Special Award in history to the Midnight Golf Program, the landmark program that since 2001 has used dedicated volunteers and PGA professionals to teach golf and life skills and help guide over 3,700 Detroit youth into colleges and professional careers.
Kangas-Brody, 48, a golf shop owner, merchandiser and instructor at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club in Grand Blanc with her husband, PGA professional Doug Brody, is a former LPGA Tour golfer and Michigan State University standout from the Upper Peninsula. She earned all-state honors at L’Anse High School, was an All-Big Ten golfer and team captain at MSU. She won the Michigan Women’s Open soon after graduating from MSU, turned professional in 1997 and in 1998 played full-time on the LPGA Tour. She won four times on what is now the Epson Tour.
McCafferty, 81, is a familiar figure in Michigan golf with his wife Jennie making the rounds of tournaments and events. The owner of Great Lakes Sports Publications has produced almost 6,000 YouTube interviews, reports and shows on running, skiing and golf, published the Michigan Golfer magazine from 1983 to 2003 and continues to collect and produce content and distribute a well-read digital Michigan golf newsletter. Golf and sports production was a second career for the former Eastern Michigan University educator.
Molenda, who died in 2004 at the age of 65, was a Detroit native and Novi resident who played golf at Arizona State University and on the U.S. Army team. In 1961 he was the runner-up to Dick Sikes in the U.S. Public Links Championship, and as a PGA golf professional served the membership at Knollwood Country Club for 35 years. A standout player, he won the 1968 Michigan Open, the 1971 Michigan PGA, played in the national PGA Professional Championship 10 times, played in two U.S. Opens and two PGA Championships. He was the Michigan PGA Golf Professional of the Year in 1985.
The MGHOF is a heralded collection of portraits, plaques and memorabilia that commemorates its members, including Walter Hagen and Chuck Kocsis and Al Watrous, and more current notables Dan Pohl, Meg Mallon and Kelly Robbins.
The MGHOF is administered by the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame Committee, which is funded through the non-profit Michigan Golf Foundation (501(c) (3) since 1996) and includes 16 people representing a cross-section of the state’s golf associations as well as golf media.
The MGHOF committee conducts an annual election to recognize the achievements of competitive Michigan golfers, but also accomplishments of individuals who have contributed to the growth of the game. For more information and to learn about the current members of the Hall of Fame, visit mghof.org.
