I’m originally from Swampscott, Massachusetts, where I grew up loving sports and riding horses. After six years at a day camp my father handed me a Vogue magazine and told me to write away to overnight camp ads. I was 11 and sent six letters. The only one that answered me was a camp in Colchester, Vermont, Buff Ledge Camp. I spent the next 13 years there, eventually teaching riding, swimming and archery. I married one of the counselors and moved to Vermont in 1974. That was the year I broke my back in an aqua planing accident. I was very lucky that I wasn’t paralyzed in that accident and to have a great surgeon in Ed Simpson.
Ed and his wife loved golf and they were instrumental in my golf life. Moving to Vermont was one of the best things that ever happened to me. My husband Bill Zabiloski is a good golfer and got me interested in golf too. The crazy thing was that I watched him play in tournaments for seven years. That Christmas, he bought me my first set of clubs. It was kind of surprising that I didn’t want to play before then because my degree was BS in Physical Education and I liked most sports. I joined Burlington Country Club in1985 and was obsessed with golf. Loved tournaments and started playing in the amateur my third year. Also played some state days, became the club rep and worked on the Women’s Committee for many years at BCC. During the 90s I was on the VSWGA board.
I’ve worked in sales and marketing for years but had to retire due to my back injury and four consequent spinal fusions. I didn’t want to give up golf and although the last 10 years have been a bit of a struggle trying to recreate a swing with most of my back being fused, I feel like I’m finally getting there. Also looking forward to my husband retiring so I can play golf year round!
Promoting golf to all ages is important to me. No sport has given me as much as golf has. It’s all about the relationships you make whether playing a casual round or in a tournament.