Lutherville, MD – Mike was a Marine, a graduate of West Chester University and a member of the New Jersey State Coaches Association Hall of Fame (inducted 2003) after many years of coaching several sports and teaching in high school.
One of Mike’s football players at Jefferson Township High School was the renowned Mike Leach, who later played at Boston University and the College of William and Mary. He then spent 15 seasons in the NFL, where he became regarded as the premier long snapper in the game.
Mike served as a Rules Official for the Middle Atlantic PGA as well Metropolitan Golf Association of New York, the Maryland State GA, the Middle Atlantic Golf Association, the Virginia State Golf Association, and US Kids Golf.
He served as President of the Washington Metropolitan Golf Association during 2010 – 2011 and worked as Head Rules Official for the prestigious Scott Robertson Memorial at Roanoke Country Club for more than 15 years. “The Robertson” has featured countless future LPGA Tour and PGA Tour players, including Paula Creamer, Brittany Altomare, Jessica Korda, Moriya Jutanugarn, Brooke Henderson. Hunter Mahan, Kevin Na, Webb Simpson, John Curran, Smylie Kaufman and Akshay Bhatia.
Mike cannot be discussed except in the context of his beloved wife Pat, also a teacher, who preceded him in death several years ago after a long illness during which Mike set aside almost all activities to care for Pat. Pat had done the same for him on more than one occasion after Mike suffered a stroke in the early 2000s.
Mike Yanhko was also a devoted father to his daughter Melissa and two grandsons Alex and Eric as well his daughter Heather (husband Bryce Poe, Sr.) and grandchildren Bryce, Jr., Elizabeth and Christopher.
Mike was a friend to MAPGA professionals, a dedicated rules official, and a great story-teller.
Written by Randy Reed
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