A Shining Light

Friends and family help define us all, but in the case of Beth Allen that definition feels sharper than most.

Consider that in her 20s, the native Californian relocated to Europe when one friend suggested the continent’s vibe would be a good fit for her (and it was). Or that approaching her 30th birthday, she donated a kidney to her brother, a selfless act with unexpected, as well as hoped for, consequences. Her first professional win? Another friend helped out, offering vital advice and reassurance as she carried the bag.

And now, at age 40, Allen has had a third friend step up to the plate, being the catalyst for her return to California as head women’s golf coach at the Academy of Art University, an NCAA Division II program in San Francisco, the latest chapter in a golfing life that has been less a professional career than an awfully big adventure.

Yes, it’s been a rollicking ride, one that took Allen to the top of the Ladies European Tour rankings, and yet it began with faltering steps in the profes...