Note: This story is en excerpt from Nevada Golf and Leisure Magazine. For full story that will be release soon, visit the magazine’s official website.
Few individuals have shaped the landscape of golf in Northern Nevada quite like Pam Whalen. Maybe just her late husband, John. The Whalen duo were—and Pam continues t be—key leaders, visionaries, and promoters of the grand old game in the Silver State.
Both Pam and John served as executive directors of the Northern Nevada Golf Association, and Pam is retiring in 2026 as the leader of the Northern Nevada Junior Golf Association. Throughout the years, John also helped create the Nevada State Golf Association and was respected by area PGA of America chapters and sections. He is an honorary member of the PGA Northern California Section and was instrumental in creating PGA chapters in Northern and Southern Nevada.
John was a legend, but this story is about Pam, who has made an indelible impact on golf in Nevada and beyond. Her golf journey began as an amateur golfer, and her first foray into making a difference at the amateur level came with the founding of the St. Louis Women’s Golf Association in 1975. With a background in competitive golf in the state of Ohio, Pam realized that the St. Louis metropolitan area lacked a public golf organization for women golfers.
With the help of volunteer women golfers in the greater St. Louis area, an open invitational tournament was organized and scheduled, which would prove to be the impetus for forming the SLWGA. The tournament, held in the fall of 1976, was a huge success. Those same devoted volunteers began formalizing an organization that became known as the St. Louis Women’s Golf Association (SLWGA).
“I believed that everybody had a right to go play this game, so I started a tournament to see how it would go,” Whalen said. “Well, that first one at Paddock Golf Course about 50 years ago had 144 players. I couldn’t believe my eyes—144 women all on the course together for a special day. From that tournament, I selected my executive board, and they have been going strong ever since.”
Not long after that, Whalen made the move to Nevada and, as they say, the rest is history. She watched as John made a huge difference in golf and in the lives of many golfers before passing away in 1998, far too soon.
Given her experience and dedication, the Northern Nevada Golf Association selected her to take over as executive director. In time, the prestigious Cobb-Whalen Cup would be named in honor of her husband and longtime Southern Nevada and Nevada golf advocate Clyde Cobb.
Pam understands what the Whalen name has meant to golf in Nevada and is appreciative of the time she has spent in and around the game.
“I think everybody knows my name, and they knew John and everything he helped create,” Whalen said. “He understood that we needed to be organized and built the foundations of so many associations that are still thriving today. I believe that when people see our name on something, they understand that it should be pretty good and that they should get involved.”
Cameron MacGregor, the Nevada Golf Northern Region Executive Director, has witnessed the impact Pam has made. She has also served as a mentor to the PGA of America professional.
“Pam Whalen has had a huge impact on golf in Northern Nevada, and she has devoted her time and energy to creating and administering adult and junior golf programs for decades,” MacGregor said. “After serving as Executive Director for the NNGA, she shifted her energies to the next generation of players. She is a mentor and a builder—someone who has put in the hard work behind the scenes to give young golfers opportunities to learn the game, develop character, and grow through the sport. Her passion isn’t just for golf, but for creating a positive community where juniors can gain confidence, discipline, and lifelong values.”
