Shelly Stouffer (right) tees off on the first hole at Fairwinds in Nanoose Bay, another round for the world's best senior amateur golfer. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

number one

VIDEO: Nanoose golfer sits atop world senior amateur rankings

Jun 29, 2022 | 5:29 AM

NANAIMO — Of all the senior, amateur female golfers around the world, no one is hitting the ball better right now than Shelly Stouffer.

The Nanoose golfer, who is a popular and regular fixture at Fairwinds Golf Club, recently shot to the top of the world rankings, being made aware of it by a friend in Germany who is right behind her in the list of amateur golfers aged 50 and up.

Stouffer, 52, told NanaimoNewsNOW ahead of a Tuesday, June 28 round at Fairwinds, the added attention of being the world’s top-ranked golfer in her category doesn’t faze her.

“I don’t even really think about it, I’m pretty comfortable with it. It feels good, I feel like I’m playing really well right now considering I’m older. I’ve changed some of my swing a little bit, I’m working more on my body…and when you have people behind you, it’s exciting and it feels like you have more confidence.”

Shelly Stouffer drains a few practice putts ahead of a Tuesday, June 28 round at Fairwinds in Nanoose Bay. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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A recent string of solid results through May and early June helped catapult Stouffer nearly 100 places to top the rankings.

She started her season in Bellingham, Washington, at the PNGA Lamey Cup, a matchplay event which saw Stouffer play Lara Tennant, the three-time, defending US Senior Women’s champion.

“It was a singles match against her…I beat her quite handedly, I was ‘four and three’ and had six birdies in 15 holes. That was my first real tournament of the year.”

Stouffer then finished second at the B.C. Mid Amateur in Chase before winning the B.C. Senior Women’s title at Fairwinds between May 29 and June 1.

A week later, she beat the field by nine shots to win the Pacific Northwest Senior Women’s Amateur Championship in central Washington state.

Stouffer is a popular figure at Fairwinds, casually chatting with fellow golfers before and after their rounds. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Highlights of her 2021 season included being the top senior at the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur & Senior Championship in Quebec followed by a third-placed finish at the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship.

Her schedule is due to remain busy through the remainder of 2022 with tournaments in Kamloops, Ohio and Manitoba, as well as the USGA Women’s Senior Amateur in Anchorage, Alaska.

The improved ranking and the busy schedule is coming at a time where Stouffer feels her game is improving.

“I feel like I’ve gotten better in my short game, my putting is usually pretty good but it depends on the day and I’m pretty good off the tee, my driver is pretty straight. I really felt last year I had to improve my short game so I worked on that pretty hard, I feel like it improved a lot.”

Stouffer’s love affair with golf started around 15 years old and she’s been playing regularly ever since.

Former pro at Fairwinds Ben Calk took her under his wing and taught her to play, then Stouffer married future Fairwinds pro Ward Stouffer to further cement her connection to golf.

She played professionally from 1987 through to the early 2000’s contesting at six major tournaments including the 2001 US Open and several Canadian tour events.

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alex@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley