Kramer is GAM Player of the Year

Anna Kramer of Spring Lake is the GAM Women’s Player of the Year

    FARMINGTON HILLS – Anna Kramer of Spring Lake put in the work to be a better golfer and decided to enjoy the game more in 2020.

  “I focused on trying to have fun and not be so uptight if I hit a bad shot or had a bad hole,” she said. “I really tried to enjoy that I was getting to play, that I could have fun out there. I found when I stay positive it is a lot easier to play well.”

  Kramer, a University of Indianapolis golfer, especially enjoyed her play in winning the 2020 Michigan Women’s Amateur Championship at Forest Akers West Course at Michigan State University. She won stroke play medalist honors and worked through match play topping 2018 champion Kerri Parks of Flushing and Marshall University 5 and 4 in the finale.

  That win keyed her topping the Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) Honor Roll and she has been named the 2020 GAM Women’s Player of the Year, Ken Hartmann senior director of competitions and USGA services for the GAM, announced today.

  Player of the Year point totals can be found on a pull down from the PLAY tab at GAM.org. Earlier this week James Piot of Canton was named the GAM Men’s Player of the Year and over the next few weeks the GAM will announce more Players of the Year in gender and age categories.

  Kramer, a member at Spring Lake Country Club who is using a final year of eligibility granted by the NCAA due to the pandemic, totaled 460 points for the summer.

  Yurika Tanida of East Lansing, the 2019 GAM Player of the Year, was second with 435 points. Tanida, a native of Japan, is a Michigan State University golfer who plays at the Forest Akers.

  Rounding out the top five were University of Michigan golfer Anika Dy of Traverse City and Bay Meadows Family Golf Course, who had 408 points, Kimberly Dinh of Midland Country Club, who had 368 points, and Haylin Harris of East Lansing, another Michigan State golfer, who had 345 points. GAM Champion and former Eastern Michigan University golfer Julia Stevenson of Highland and Huntmore Golf Course finished sixth with 315 points.

  Kramer, who won the 2016 GAM Women’s Championship, said she doesn’t usually set goals but the Michigan Women’s Amateur was a priority.

  “I really wanted to win that one, so I guess maybe I did have one goal for the summer and I accomplished it,” she said. “Before the Amateur I played in the Michigan Women’s Open after not playing for a long time with the pandemic and I played well, not great, but consistent for two of the days and felt good about my game. Then at the Amateur I was solid the whole week, really consistent each day.”

  Kramer will have her business administration and management degree and start in a graduate business program while playing a final season of college golf this spring. She said professional golf has never been part of her plan, but she might consider trying it briefly before launching a business career.

  “I’ve started thinking it would be cool if things work out to try it, though I know it would take a ton of work and travel and time away,” she said. “I’m not sure how that would work for me and I’m still not sure I’m going to try it. I’m going to finish school and keep my options open.”

  She plans to defend her Amateur championship next summer.

  “I’ll be home in Spring Lake and working on my game,” she said. “We’ll see what happens.”

  Hartmann said Kramer’s win at the Amateur was exciting.

  “It came together for her,” he said. “She had been so close for so long in the Amateur and obviously the hard work paid off. She’s a great person from a great family.”

  He said her focus during play is remarkable.

  “When the lights go on that woman almost has tunnel vision,” he said. “I tried to give her an ice cream sandwich before the final match at the Amateur and she wouldn’t take it. She wasn’t going to let down in any way before all was said and done. It was kind of funny, but after the match she took one and shared it with her mom. She has a softer side, you just don’t see it on the course. She is all business out there.”