Joan Garety (2022) - Hall of Fame - Michigan State University Athletics

Joan Garety

Induction:
2022
Class:
1978

Joan Garety
Women's Golf (1974-78)
Caro, Mich.
MSU Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2022

HIGHLIGHTS:

Four-year letterwinner and two-time co-captain
Tied for the school record with nine tournament wins
Led MSU to four straight unofficial Big Ten Conference titles
1978 MSU Feurig Achievement and Service Award Recipient
Won Michigan’s Women’s Amateur title in 1982 and 1997
1997 and 1999 GAM Amateur Woman Player of the Year
Inducted into the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame in 2005
2000 Rolex Achievement Award Recipient

HALL OF FAME FEATURE: CLASS OF 2022

When she first heard learned of her election into the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2022, Joan Garety couldn't help but think back to 1972.

It's only fitting that Garety, who helped start and build the MSU women's golf program into not only one of the best in the Big Ten Conference, but also among the best in the country, is part of a class being inducted during the 50th Anniversary of Title IX.

"It does mean a lot more to me," Garety said. "It was one of the first things I thought about. Here we are 50 years later. Time goes by pretty darn quickly; it's exciting. The opportunities that kids have today are just incredible.

"It's so cool and you just want to make sure that they know how cool that it is. They're being given tremendous opportunities and it's a privilege to have that opportunity. You want every kid to make the most of it, and to appreciate that they have it because nothing is a given."

Garety started playing golf when she was 6-years-old, and it became a way for her to spend more time with her father. Her older sister and brother didn't have the interest in the game that she did and that became her time with dad.

It wasn't until Title IX was passed into law in 1972 that Garety began to have more opportunities to play.

"What was exciting was that we had an opportunity to compete," she said. "That was really the beginning. Title IX had just come through in 1972 and Michigan State was kind of a forerunner in terms of having teams and opportunities for women. In fact, when I got out of high school and was making my decision about college, I wanted to play golf somewhere and stay in the state of Michigan. That meant I had three choices, one was Ferris State, one was Central (Michigan) and the other was Michigan State."

Garety had played at a summer camp run by then-MSU coach Mary Fossum and the rest, as they say, is history.

"I knew Mary, and she was incredible," Garety said. "Her spirit was infectious so I was excited to come to Michigan State. Even though there wasn't any scholarship money, we didn't have team uniforms, we didn't have school-provided equipment. What we did have was the chance to compete and the chance to travel and that was very exciting and so fun."

Compete she did.

As a four-year letterwinner and two-time co-captain, she won nine tournaments, which is tied for the school record. Prior to the conference recognizing the sport, Garety helped lead the Spartans to four-straight Big Ten Conference titles. After her senior season, she was awarded MSU's Dr. James Feurig Achievement and Service Award, one of just two Spartan golfers to win the award. Garety also received the Nell Jackson Outstanding Alumna Award in 1995 and MSU's Scholar-Athlete Alumni Award in 2000.

"What we had was the chance to be on a team," Garety said. "Golf is an individual sport, but when you're representing the school, it's a team and you're all very much pulling together. And to be able to compete as a team and have success as a team, which we did, was so much fun.

The core group of us, the four of us were a nucleus on that team for three years and that was really fun."

Her record in the state is highlighted by two Michigan Amateur Championships, which she claimed in 1982 and 1997, the 1996 Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) Women's Championship as well as the GAM Mid-Amateur Championship in 2004. As a senior she has continued to win, claiming five GAM Women's Senior Championships and two Michigan Women's Senior Amateur titles.

Overall, she also qualified for 30 USGA championships, including 16 Mid-Amateurs. She was on the GAM Honor Roll 19 times, was a six-time GAM Senior Player of the Year and part of 25 Atlas Cup Teams. She was named the GAM Senior Player of the Decade in 2010 as well. In addition, Garety is a member of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame and the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame.

Garety, who earned her degree from MSU in accounting, worked as an auditor at Arthur Anderson before spending the bulk of her professional life working for Meijer, rising to Vice President of Finance and Treasurer.

She retired in 2014 and lives in Grand Rapids, spending most of her time golfing, traveling and fishing. Through all the years, she does not forget where her golf journey really started, at Michigan State.

"I take a tremendous amount of pride in the program," Garety said. "The women's golf program at MSU has always consisted of incredible golfers, incredible students and incredible people. That has been consistent since I was involved, Fall of 1974 is when I came on campus. It's really been cool in terms of what they have accomplished and what they continue to accomplish."

When she received the call from Vice President/Director of Athletics Alan Haller that she was part of the 2022 MSU Athletics Hall of Fame class, Garety's emotion was evident.

"I was surprised and absolutely thrilled," she explained. "It was something that I didn't think was going to happen because I thought for one reason or another, it just wasn't ever going to happen.

"When I got the call, I was just absolutely thrilled. I told Alan (Haller) that my grin went from ear to ear and then I stopped and said, 'No, it meets in the back of my head.'"

But for Garety, her induction into the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame, along with awards she has earned, stems back to 1972.

"The only competitive golf I played as a junior was when I played on the boys team the last two years in high school once Title IX came through," Garety said. "I really thought about, 'I want to do my best in every tournament and I was tickled when my best was the best score.'

"Sometimes there needs to be a little outside push to make meaningful change. Title IX was a world changer. It wasn't immediate, but it happened. You don't quite have parity. Things don't happen willingly sometimes. Without Title IX, the ball wouldn't have been rolling. Being on the early end of that, what was exciting for us, the little things, the chance to compete, it was the chance to be on a team, the chance to travel. It was getting to get our classes without having to go through a process. And that was huge, absolutely huge.

"It was those little things that at the beginning made such a difference. And then over the years to see what it is today, with full-ride scholarships and training. In golf's case, the Lasch Center and all the things that are done to give our athletes the absolute best opportunity to be their best is so exciting. And none of that would have happened without Title IX."