notes & quotes
TRANSCRIPT
PWGA NOTES & QUOTES Summer 2012
PWGA
Notes & Quotes
Pacific Women’s Golf Association
Summer 2012
Spyglass Hill Golf Course, Pebble Beach, CA
THE VALUE OF A PWGA MEMBERSHIP
PWGA was founded by Helen Lengfeld in 1947 to promote the best interest of amateur golf specifically for women living in Northern California. Our mission is to serve female golfers at public golf courses through 200+ member clubs and nearly 9000 individual members. As well as offering many opportunities to compete, we provide other services that are often taken for granted.
Camaraderie – One of the best benefits of joining a PWGA women’s golf club is making friends with fellow golfers. I joined a club shortly after moving to California several years ago. All the friends I have made since living here have been because I joined a club and some have become very close friends. I started playing in the PWGA playdays, became more involved with PWGA, and can now proudly say I have friends throughout Northern California.
Course Rating – PWGA has a force of over 60 course raters (all PWGA members) and trainees to cover its eight geographical areas. The area course rating chairs are trained at USGA Calibration Seminars every other year and they pass on that information to their committees. In
addition to member courses, PWGA course raters do courtesy ratings for courses not affiliated with a women’s golf association, and occasionally lend help to our sister organization, WGANC. All of these women volunteer their time and expertise to keep the course ratings up to date. A rating is usually good for 7-10 years.
So what makes this so important? Without a current course rating, a golfer is less likely to obtain an accurate handicap index. The USGA Handicap System uses the rating and slope of a course in its formula to calculate the handicap index.
USGA Handicap Index - This is one of the main perks of a PWGA membership. Although there are some golfers out there who feel they don’t need a handicap to enjoy golf, my guess is that the majority of them prefer to have a handicap. The beauty of the USGA handicap system is that it allows golfers at all levels to compete with each other. This is key in nearly all of the major tournaments that PWGA offers to members. You don’t have to be a great golfer to win – you just need to either play to or better than your handicap to have a chance to win.
Continue on Page 2
In This Issue
Page 2
Where did the word “Handicap” come from?
2012 Area Directors
Page 3
Wildhawk
Page 4
Hello from Redwood
Senior/Super Senior Winners
Spring Partners Winners
Page 5
Random Thoughts of Life
2012 PWGA Board Members
President’s Message by Peggy Ocrant
PWGA NOTES & QUOTES 2
President’s Message, continued from Page 1
Secondly, having a handicap is an indicator to track your personal improvement. Golf is an individual game and being able to see yourself improving is rewarding and self satisfying.
Rules Education – There are several members who are rules volunteers. All of these women have been to rules school, rove the major tournaments and provide rules seminars for our members. They are always available to answer any questions, and often poll each other to make sure the answers given are correct. They also use other resources, such as NCGA or USGA for the more difficult questions.
TPP Seminars – TPP is the Tournament Pairing Program, which PWGA uses for its major tournaments. Several of the area tournament chairs also use this program to conduct the area playdays. PWGA offers the software to all its clubs and training seminars to learn how to use the program.
Benevolent Projects – PWGA has four benevolent projects it supports. Many individual members and member clubs give generously to The Komen Foundation, the Junior Golf Association of Northern California, the United Voluntary Services Swing Club and the PWGA Jr. Girls Grant Program. In addition, PWGA annually donates money from the general fund to support all of these great causes.
This year PWGA is proposing a dues increase to cover increases over the course of at least five years. This is causing many members to question whether the membership is of any value or even necessary. It is my hope that those in doubt will consider all of the aspects of the membership before making the decision to leave. Your dues not only ensure our association stays viable, they also support your Board of Directors – a working board that consists of volunteer members who genuinely care about the association and the membership.
PWGA - we are not just playing a round!
Where did the word “Handicap” come from? by Marsha Loomis
The term originates from a trading game, popular in pubs in the 17
th and 18
th
centuries, known as “hand-in-cap.” The game required three sides: two players and a referee. Each player would have an item to trade with the other player and it was the responsibility of the referee to determine the amount that would make up the difference in value between the items.
The players would place money into a pot, and then put their hands into a cap. When they pulled their hands out, an open palm would signal an acceptance of the trade, while a fist indicated rejection. If both sides agreed – either acceptance or refusal – the referee would receive the pot.
If the traders disagreed, the player accepting the deal received the pot. The key to the game was how equitably the referee would assign the difference in value between the traded items, as he would benefit only if both sides agreed. If the referee wasn’t fair, he would lose out.
“Hand-in- cap” became known as “handicap,” and the word transferred to other endeavors associated with betting – first horse racing in the 1850s followed by golf a couple of decades later.
Today, GHIN has incorporated a handicap system that far exceeds previous centuries and one that will give each player reassurance their handicaps are more fair and accurate.
2012 AREA DIRECTORS
East Bay
Jane Sullwold – [email protected]
Fresno
Freddie Swing - [email protected]
Monterey
Mickey Fox - [email protected]
North Central
Vivian French – [email protected]
Redwood
Joanne Holman – [email protected]
Sacramento
Kathy Boys – [email protected]
San Jose
Diane Long – [email protected]
Stockton
Sandy Ferrario – [email protected]
Don’t forget to sign up for the PWGA Championship Tournament!
Entries open July 20th and close August 3rd
PWGA NOTES & QUOTES 3
Wildhawk by Brittany Bradley
Thursday May 18 marked a milestone for the ladies golf team of Elk Grove High school, when the team received a monetary grant from the Pacific Women’s Golf Association.
Sacramento Area Director for PWGA Kathy Boys was delighted at the opportunity to help the Elk Grove High ladies golf team.
“ The team had to fill out an application saying what they would do with the (grant) money and how it would benefit their team. It was their first time applying and one of the fathers sent in a letter saying why he thought the team was deserving. It was nice to have the perspective of someone who wasn’t a coach as well.”
PWGA is a California non-profit organization that caters to amateur golfers and uses its influence in the community to advance, support and nurture the sport of women’s golf.
“(Receiving this money) means that we’re going to have a lot more opportunities,” said Hannah Perera a sophomore and second year member to the Elk Grove High golf team. “It’ll be a lot easier to do everything like getting to practice and membership fees. It means a lot.”
The organization, which often gives grants to teams and schools of ladies golf across the state, chose to award the local Elk Grove ladies golf team with a $500 grant to aid with the fiscal strains that are often a
deterring factor in the advancement of the sport and its presence in public schools.
“We are really grateful,” said Lynze Thornburg former captain and Elk Grove sophomore. “We are very thankful because this means we will be able to pay for things like transportation and membership. We just want to do our best.”
“ What a great opportunity for us to set up so we can play in tournaments. It’s also a great way to get the girls together and get them excited about playing next year. We are already talking about getting together this summer to practice. This gives us that next step, that next jump into competition,” said women’s head coach Bob Levin of Elk Grove High School.
The grant which Levin and parent Peter Perera decided to apply for in an attempt to connect with the Sacramento area golf community opens doors to competition and opportunities the team may not have otherwise had.
“This money gives us a chance to pay for our usage at Wildhawk (Golf Course) and to eventually play in outside tournaments that are really outside the financial responsibility for the school and the league. This is where the
girls can really be exposed to tournament type play and higher level of play which is the opportunities we are really looking to give them.” Levin said.
The team hopes to be able to win the league and go on to post-season qualifications and looks forward to sending one or two ladies on to the master rounds this year.
“It’s exciting. It really is exciting to see the girls get excited to receive the money. We give money to kids all over. The applications are from all over the area and the girls seem excited and stoked up to play,” said Boys.
If you are interested in obtaining
information about our grant program, or making a donation, please contact the PWGA office or go to our website,
www.golfpwga.org.
PWGA NOTES & QUOTES 4
Seniors Low Gross Tina Barker, Paradise Valley
Seniors Low Net Kay Robinson, Healdsburg
Low Net
Nancy A. Bitner & Julie Lopez, Indian Creek
Super Seniors Low Gross
Irene Gotta, Dry Creek
Super Seniors Low Gross Irene Gotta, Dry Creek
Super Seniors Low Net Jo Ann Steele, Micke Grove
Low Gross
Dolly Coleman & Tina Barker Paradise Valley
Hello from Redwood… by Joanne Holman
I became a member of PWGA in 1982. (Please don’t tell me that was the year you were born!)
I have belonged to Rob Roy Golf Club the entire time. (The old Hoberg’s Golf Club in Lake County)
The ladies signed me up for the playdays and it was the beginning of a love affair with golf and the ladies who play. I have been fortunate to take advantage of the many hours of work the volunteers put in to make the events so special.
Five years ago I decided I had “taken” a lot from PWGA and now it was my time to “pay it forward.” My first assignment was Secretary of the Redwood Area. Apparently did that job OK … then I was asked to become the Membership Director for PWGA. Held that position one year and then took over as Director for the Redwood Area. This is my second year and I signed on for another two years.
I was extremely hesitant to volunteer because I was so unsure of my capabilities. But the Board of Directors are a wealth of information and help. I certainly encourage all members to take a good look at what you can give back to an organization that has provided ladies with the opportunity to travel and play some wonderful courses.
Many times, especially at a major tournament, I will hear complaints about a variety of items. My first thought is …. if some lady did not volunteer for the job there wouldn’t be anything to complain about.
PWGA ‘s Junior Golf Grant Program has given grants to a couple of high schools in this area. It is really a pleasure to present the check to the girl’s team and talk with them about golf and the enjoyment of competition. Always encouraging them to keep playing… it is a fabulous sport at any age.
I have enjoyed serving on the Board of Directors and am looking forward to another two years. Thanks to all the volunteers who have given their time and energy to add so much to my life.
Senior/ Super Senior Tournament Winners!
Spring Partners Tournament Winners!
PWGA NOTES & QUOTES 5
Random Thoughts of Life by Deirdre Bragg
I was sitting in my guest bedroom. This is the room that has become my sewing, ironing, storage of old pictures, you name it room, I’m sure you have one just like it. Today I’m working on a quilt; the rain on the window is as steady as my piecing together this quilt. The fabric was given to me by my sister. She started it and is unable to finish it. Unfortunately her life is shortly coming to an early end due to illness and hopefully the life of the quilt is just beginning.
Threads of thoughts are all about me. My grandmother, known to all as Mémé, had 5 children and both the boys and girls knew how to sew. My mother passed it on to me. My father also knew how to sew, maybe that was because each was raised in very rural areas of Vermont, where you grew what you ate and made what you wore and there was very little difference between boy or girl household chores. Meme’s quilts are a far cry from mine. She didn’t go to the local store and pick her favorite colors, prints, etc. Hers were from old clothes. So one of my quilts has material from a dress I wore, a dress she wore, a shirt from Pépé (my Grandfather), and I'm sure other material from my aunts, uncle and other family members. These are my pieces of life and memories.
Golf, on the other hand came to me when my husband and I were trying to find something to do together. Our cumulative children were out of the house and weekends were no longer going to basketball, volleyball, swim, football and baseball games. Bob knew how to play, but me – ouch, I wasn’t about to chase that little white ball all over the place. We took lessons together and hooked I got.
Golf has given me a great deal, just like the quilts I put together. They both take time and a very different discipline. Unfortunately Bob is no longer able to golf so I do have some extra time. When I accomplish sewing the 8 pieces into an 8 point star and they all match, there is certain joy. When all the pieces go together easily, how beautiful it is. Like golf, when the shot is good, you feel like you can win on tour. If you’re like me, then reality sets in and the next piece has to be ripped out several times before it works it’s magic again. That is sort of like my putting.
Quilting can be pretty solitary, so it allows my mind to wander (maybe that’s why I need to re-sew pieces). When I hold Mémés quilt in my hands and remember her, I wonder will my daughter have those same thoughts when she holds the quilt my mother made her. Will the quilts I have given to family be remembered in some way years from now?
I am still able to walk the golf course, and how beautiful it is, in the early morning when you are the first on the course and all is quiet. One summer we watched a mother deer show her young ones how to jump a
fence. All of us just sat in the cart forgetting golf altogether, mesmerized by this mother and her young. Other times, the chit-chat turns to cooking, flowers or just the sheer enjoyment of encouraging each other.
Golf is a different kind of quilt. The pieces have to come together, the friendships have to be cultivated, and the laughter endures even when the end result might not be to our liking. It has taken me to beautiful vistas, encouraged me to try different foods and reach out to others.
We all have a life outside of golf, but golf has become a part of it and as I have aged, I have become Mémé.
2012 PWGA Board Members
President, Peggy Ocrant – [email protected] Past President, Kay Robinson – [email protected]
Vice President and USGA Liaison, Julie Gonzalez – [email protected] Secretary, Adele Curtin – [email protected] Treasurer, Deirdre Bragg – [email protected] Handicap Director, Marsha Loomis – [email protected] Course Rating Director, Karen Mabe – [email protected] Tournament Directors, Bette Hinkley – [email protected] & Denise Kosak – [email protected] Rules Director , Nancy Boggs – [email protected] Publicity Director, Dianne Davis – [email protected] Nine Hole Director, Jean Eissner – [email protected]