Burkhart is a natural athlete, having been a nationally ranked swimmer and a finalist to compete in the 1970 Pan Am Games in Women’s Basketball. She has competed in two AAU National Championships in Basketball and two National Softball Championships. Also a track and field standout, Burkhart held University of Washington women’s records in shot put, high jump and discus. Burkhart also earned a letter in tennis at UW, winning the second women’s Pac Eight singles title.

Golf being the first sport to offer career possibilities for women, Burkhart honed her skills in the game and decided to make a living at it. As an amateur, Burkhart won the Riverside, California Amateur Championship two years in a row. She was also the Women’s Amateur Golf Association (WAGA) champion twice. Shortly after turning pro, Burkhart earned Rookie of the Year honors on the Women's’ Professional Golf Tour, carding wins at Valencia and Bakersfield in California. The first woman to participate in the PGA Pacific Northwest Open, Burkhart also won the PGA women’s golf tournament in 1986.

“I guess you could say I was always an athlete,” says Burkhart, who missed playing golf in school because it wasn’t offered at the time. From 1990 to 1996, Burkhart was one of only two female head coaches in the nation at the NCAA Division I level; she coached both the women’s and men’s golf teams at a Pac Ten university. Now a full-time teaching professional in Modesto, California, Burkhart has had plenty of opportunity to share her skills and experience with students at any level.

“People say they enjoy taking lessons from me because I find ways to help them improve their natural ability rather than try to fit them to only one prescribed way to hit a shot,” says Burkhart. “I build their excitement to continue playing and working on their game.” With her vast athletic background, Burkhart finds golf to be the only sport that people believe they should be able to play well without practicing or playing often. Toward improvement, Burkhart highly recommends golfers of all abilities find a student-centered instructor and commit to playing and practicing frequently.

While Burkhart’s schedule is pretty full – up to 14 hours a day of lessons – she hopes to get back to practicing her own game a bit more this coming winter. Her daily plan includes stretching, hitting the driving range, putting and pitching and playing 18 holes at least three times a week. Burkhart is preparing for the LPGA National Teaching & Club Professional Division Championships in December. Burkhart enjoys a good contest, always her own greatest motivator, partner and competitor. She is also inspired by the play of others, particularly Tiger Woods. “I love to watch Tiger,” she says. “Most of the women competing today are too serious and don’t have great form. He stands out because he has great form.”

For the moment, helping others improve their form is job one for Burkhart, who once took a high school freshman with average scores of 118 to an average of 74 in two years. This student nearly won the Oregon State High School golf championships in her junior year. Another student benefiting by Burkhart’s expertise was an 84-year-old who improved his game so much he was able to make a hole-in-one on a 143-yard hole in his first season of lessons with Burkhart.

“I enjoy how excited students get, whether they’re male or female, regardless of age or ability, when they actually GET it,” says Burkhart. “I am always patient with each student, and I don’t try to change their whole game.” In April 2001, Burkhart was named one of the top 50 teachers in the United States by Golf for Women Magazine. In addition to teaching regularly on the lesson tee at Dryden Park Golf Course, Burkhart is a National Education Program instructor for the LPGA Teaching & Club Professional Division, leading workshops attended by LPGA teaching professionals. “I teach LPGA pros how to be more effective teachers,” explains Burkhart.

As busy as she is, Burkhart may some day sneak in a trip to Hawaii, her favorite golf travel destination. 
Or perhaps she’ll make her way back to Royal Troon in Scotland or the Hong Kong Golf Club, two of her all-time favorite courses to play. Burkhart has given up on past superstitions now that she’s finally found clubs well-suited to her game, but she does collect tees, visors, balls and more from courses all over the world. “That’s just for fun,” smiles Burkhart.