published: Sunday, December 16, 2012

Frewin-Hays inducted to LPGA Hall of Fame

By BARRY FOSTER

News-Sun correspondent

SEBRING - Many people know Nell Frewin-Hays in her capacity as the public information officer and crime prevention specialist for the Highlands County Sheriff's Office or perhaps her work with the SALT group - that's Seniors and Law Enforcement Working Together.

What many may not know is that she is an accomplished golfer - so accomplished in fact, the Ladies Professional Golf Association has named her as one of three Teaching & Club Professionals to be inducted into the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional Hall of Fame.

Among other things, Frewin-Hays was the head professional at Placid Lakes Country Club in Lake Placid for eight years. Pursuing a golf course management goal, she signed on with American Golf Corporation in 1987. At the time it was the largest golf course management company in the nation. She then was assigned to the south Florida market where she managed AGC courses for more than nine years. In 1997 Frewin-Hays returned to Highlands County and managed Golf Hammock Country Club until 2001.

For 14 years Frewin-Hays served in various officer positions in the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional Division, including a two-year stint as national president.

This is not her first honorarium. In 1982 she was voted National LPGA Golf Professional of the Year. Then, in 2000, she was tapped as one of the most influential people in the development of the LPGA during the past 50 years.

In 2001, 2005 and 2006 she was voted the People's Choice Best Golf Professional by the News-Sun.

In 2001, Frewin-Hays retired as a full-time golf professional, doing some independent teaching work but also getting involved with law enforcement by volunteering with the Highlands County Sheriff's Office. It was a natural transition, having dealt with law enforcement agencies during her tenure as a troubleshooter, taking over and eliminating problems at different golf courses for American Golf.

"There might be theft or other illicit activities at some of the locations and I dealt with law enforcement on those," she said. "I even had a shooting at one of the courses that I was working with and we had to deal with that."

When she volunteered, Frewin-Hays already had a background in law enforcement. In 1993 she successfully completed the Broward County Citizen's Police Academy.

Over the course of the years, Frewin-Hays moved from a volunteer to a paid, part-time worker and finally went full time with the election of Susan Benton as Highlands County sheriff. Frewin-Hays now works with numerous programs, including the Neighborhood Watch program, which involves between 70-80 individual communities throughout the county.

She has continued her law enforcement education. In 2004 she completed an Associates of Science degree in Criminal Justice from South Florida Community College and attained the designation of Crime Prevention Practitioner in 2004.

As to her election into the LPGA Hall of Fame, Frewin-Hays said it came as somewhat of a surprise.

"I had been nominated but not selected twice before, so I was a bit shocked when they called and said I had been selected," she said.

The LPGA T&CP Hall of Fame was established in 2000 to recognize LPGA T&CP members who, through extraordinary dedication and outstanding achievement, have positioned themselves among the greatest women professionals in the game of golf.

In addition to Frewin Hays, the LPGA will induct Mary Dagraedt, a 45-year veteran of women's professional golf, is one of the LPGA's foremost teaching professionals and 30-year veteran Nancy Quarcelino, co-owner of the Nancy Quarcelino School of Golf is a member of both the LPGA and PGA of America.