WPGA expands women's golf commitment with hiring of Kim Kness
By Josh Rowntree, Director of Communications • April 9, 2025
The Western Pennsylvania Golf Association has added a new position to its Association to better aid female golfers in the region.
Kim Kness will take over the role of Manager of Women’s Events for the WPGA, while also continuing in her role with the Women’s Golf Association of Western Pennsylvania.
“Western Pennsylvania has played a vital role in the country’s women’s golf landscape for generations,” says Terry Teasdale, Executive Director of the WPGA. “Adding Kim Kness to our staff is indication that women’s golf is not only healthy, but thriving both regionally and nationally, and will continue to do so for generations to come.
“We welcome Kim to our team and look forward to her contributions in the 2025 season.”
Kness is no stranger to the game and its operations, having worked with the Women’s Golf Association of Western Pennsylvania for the last 14 years. She will continue to serve in that position in a collaborative partnership between the two Associations.
In that role, Kness has bolstered event operations with the use of Golf Genius event management platform, which is also used by the WPGA for competition registration and coordination.
Kness’ history in golf is directly linked to her daughter, Mia, who was a standout player at Peters Township High School and went on to play collegiately at Seton Hall and Georgia Southern, where she is now an assistant coach.
“When Mia was playing and when she was young, I wanted to get more involved,” says Kness. “I wanted to know what tournaments to put her in, who to meet, all of that.”
Mia was a Boatwright Intern with the WPGA in 2018
Kness will now play an integral role in helping other female golfers in their journeys in the game, while streamlining the registration and structural processes for competitions.
“I wanted to simplify running tournaments for women,” says Kness, who has seen a prominent rise in women’s golf in recent years. “My husband and I are still involved in all of golf. We go to high school tournaments, college tournaments, we follow Mia’s career. It’s all we do, follow golf."
In addition to Mia, Kness and her husband, Mark, are also parents to two boys, Jack and Max.
The Western Pennsylvania Golf Association will host six events for women, senior women and junior girls in 2025:
• The 105th WPGA Junior Championship at June 9th at Lone Pine Country Club (junior boys and girls play same yardage in this event).
• The 13th WPGA Parent/Child Tournament on June 23 at Diamond Run Golf Club.
• The 6th WPGA Girls Match Play Invitational from July 7-8 at Indiana Country Club.
• The 18th Women’s, 9th Senior Women’s and Inaugural Women’s Mid-Amateur Championships on July 28 at Fox Chapel Golf Club.
• The 2nd WPGA Women’s Triple Play on September 8 at Grove City Country Club.
• The 9th WPGA Net Championships on September 23 at Chartiers Country Club.
The WPGA will also operate qualifying events for three USGA National Championship qualifiers, including:
• 80th U.S. Women’s Open Qualifying on May 6 at Shannopin Country Club on May 6.
• 76th U.S. Junior Girls Amateur Qualifying on June 9 at Willowbrook Country Club.
• 63rd U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Qualifying on July 22 at Edgewood Country Club.
The WPGA offers memberships through the USGA to golfers in Western Pennsylvania. Membership benefits include a GHIN account for a Handicap Index®, WPGA Play Days, competitions for all ages and varying skill levels, clothing and travel discounts and much more.
For any media inquiries, please contact WPGA Director of Communications Josh Rowntree.
About the WPGA
Founded in 1899, the Western Pennsylvania Golf Association is the steward of amateur golf in the region. Started by five Member Clubs, the association now has nearly 200 Member Clubs and nearly 37,000 members. The WPGA conducts 14 individual competitions and 10 team events, and administers the WPGA Scholarship Fund and Western Pennsylvania Golf Hall of Fame.