LaRae Rutenbar has been named the 2026 Golfer of the Year by the Alpena Golf Club Ladies Golf Association, adding a season honor to her regular competition in the club’s women’s league.
Rutenbar received the award at the club and was photographed with the association’s perpetual Golfer of the Year plaque. The honor recognizes a member of the women’s league, which promotes golf among women in Alpena and the surrounding area.
How the Alpena league works
The Ladies Golf Association plays weekly at Alpena Golf Club under United States Golf Association rules. Each weekly outing requires members to play nine holes, while an additional nine holes is optional.
The league also holds seasonal tournaments and awards weekly prizes. Rutenbar is a regular competitor, according to The Alpena News.
Rutenbar’s 2026 results
Local results published during the 2026 season listed Rutenbar among the Flight B winners. Her recorded accomplishments included closest to the line on No. 18, a result that provided part of the competitive-season background behind her Golfer of the Year recognition.
The award connects Rutenbar’s individual achievement with the broader purpose of the Alpena Golf Club Ladies Golf Association: giving women in Alpena and nearby communities a recurring opportunity to play, compete and participate in seasonal events.