Nina Whalen - Women's Golf Coach - University of Colorado Athletics

Nina Whalen

Title:
Volunteer Assistant Coach

Nina Whalen is in her second year as a volunteer assistant coach in 1996-97 with the University of Colorado, joining the women's golf team from Presbyterian St. Luke's Hospital in Denver, where she works as a nurse practitioner. Whalen graduated from Colorado State University in 1978 with a B.S. in physical education, and earned her nurse practitioner's certification from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in 1985. She has worked with Presbyterian St. Luke's since 1982 as a cardiac nurse and a nurse practitioner, and also spent three years (1993-96) working with the U.S. Olympic cycling team, where she concentrated on sports medicine research.

Whalen began golfing in 1985, and has since won four CWGA Partner's titles (including one with Colorado head coach Justi Miller in the 1995 tournament). She was also chosen one of three women's golfers to represent Colorado in the 1995 USGA Team Competition in Orlando, Fla., and has competed in three USGA Mid-Amateur events and three USGA Public Links tourneys.

And while Whalen's golf resume may not boast much "official" coaching experience, she's more than made her mark on the sport as a mentor. In 1995, she met Betsey Drambour on the driving range before the Public Links Championships in New Jersey; after two practice rounds, she offered her services as a caddie for Drambour, who ended up advancing all the way to the tournament's final, where she lost a tight match to Jo Jo Robertson of Roswell, N.M.

Whalen had her revenge of sorts a year later, when she helped J.J. McCormick smooth out her putting stroke just days before the 1996 USGA Publinks-only to watch McCormick storm to the tournament's title, defeating the same Robertson with an impressive 5-under par-tally in 17 holes in the final match.

For her efforts, meanwhile, Whalen received Drambour's USGA runner-up medal (a gift from the grateful finalist) and was featured in an article in the USGA Golf-Journal after word of her more than-helpful advice for McCormick spread.

Whalen was born April 19, 1956, in Bound Brook, N.J. She currently lives in Westminster.