Hartford, CT Chapter - American Singles Golf Association March 2009

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1 CELEBRATING 16 YEARS OF SINGLES GOLF IN AMERICA Hartford, CT Chapter - American Singles Golf Association March 2009 President s Letter for March Everyone cross your fingers - I think the worst part of Winter may be behind us and GOLF is ahead!! We have had a very busy social season though. with a great Super Bowl Party, a Casino bus trip, the fabulous Jersey Boys event (see our "roving reporter" version below) and Battle of the Sexes Bowling in mid-march. Please be sure to attend our meetings on the third Tuesday of each month, and always at Angellinos in Wethersfield. We even provide free appetizers!! You will get to meet some very nice people and make friends for the upcoming golf events (and I know none of us can wait for THAT!) Our April meeting should be very busy, with opening day only 4 days later...so, all of you members that have been sitting on the sidelines, please come back to HASGA and see what you are missing. Golf Joke of the Month "Doctor, we've got an emergency! My baby just swallowed my golf tees." "I'll be there at once." "But tell me what to do till you get here, doc?" "Practice your putting." ~Betsy Schwartz, Hartford ASGA President Upcoming Monthly Member Meeting The Monthly Member Meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 17, 2009 at Angellino s Restaurant, 1115 Silas Deane Highway (located in Wethersfield Shopping Center), Wethersfield at 6:00 p.m. This meeting will include FREE hors d oeuvres and cash bar! There are no reservations just show up and bring a friend! This is a day of the Wearing of the Green, so dress like a Leprechaun in your Irish (green) outfit and join the fun for prizes! Also BRING A PUTTER, and for $1.00, you can participate in Crazy Putt! Jerry Maxwell will test everyone by providing balls that will challenge even the best putter and there will be prizes! Meeting Schedule: 6:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. FREE Hors D oeuvres and Cash Bar 7:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m. Crazy Putt, Announcement of Winners & Short Business Meeting Potential Members / Inquirees are welcome to attend the meeting to learn more about Hartford ASGA and socialize with the group. Please join us and no reservations are necessary! February Monthly Meeting Competitors, putters, and wiffle balls were in abundance at the February 17 th meeting s Winter Wiffle Smack-Down! Prudent table and chair "landscaping" enabled the creation of a nine-hole course, where wiffle balls, some innovative putting cups, and cup placement provided the putting challenge. After food and drink, members and guests paired-off in teams and the putting started. True to Hartford ASGA principles, a number of teams utilized "ready golf" principles! First place was captured by Andrea Oddi (guest) and Ellen Gregory -16 putts, second place went to Peter Borkoski and Betsy Schwartz - 17 putts, and Walter Carroll and Bob Layman came in third place with 18 putts. Sleeves of golf balls, bags of tees, and PGA mugs were available as prizes for the winning teams! ~Jerry Maxwell, Roving Reporter NEXT BIG NATIONAL EVENT: Memorial Day Weekend at The Homestead, May 22 to May 25 Details at National Website: ASGANational@aol.com New Office Hours: 8:00am to 4:00pm, M-F (Eastern) National Office: or GOLFMATE To join ASGA or renew your dues, contact the National Office at above number or go to Regular Meeting Date: The Board Meetings will be held the FIRST Tuesday of each month and the General Meeting will be on the THIRD Tuesday of each month Meeting Location: Angellino's Restaurant, 1115 Silas Deane Highway, Wethersfield, Ct. (860) Our Website: Our Hotline: (See next page for list of officers and board members.) To join, renew dues, make a change of address, phone, etc., call National Hotline at left.

2 Hartford, CT Chapter of the American Singles Golf Association TM Chairman of Board Nancy Hammond President Betsy Schwartz Golf Chair George Duffy Social Chair open Secretary Ellen Gregory Membership Barbara Wysocki & Tom Woods Communications Cathy Duncan Treasurer Peter Borkoski Webmaster Rhonda Idleman A PICTURE PAINTS A THOUSAND WORDS Hartford ASGA members were invited to attend Maria Cavatelli and Joey Gnocchi s wedding on Saturday, February 14 (Valentine s Day) at the Chowder Pot! So, you must be wondering how Tom Woods got hand cuffed right? Well, the good news is he was not arrested or hauled off to jail! It was all part of the fun that evening as this was not an ordinary wedding it was a comedy show! The antics started when the bridal party started walking in and the ex-girlfriend of the groom, Viola Vermicelli, crashes in with a skin-tight red dress and leopard accessories. She voices her displeasure, since she was jilted by Joey and he is marrying Maria! The wedding goes on, despite her interruption, performed by Father Fasioli and we broke for dinner. While coffee was being served the reception continues with the bride and groom cutting the cake and the dancing begins. The audience participates in the traditional wedding dances. Meantime the family members and bridal party are visiting the tables and trouble breaks out between them and guests. It is all part of the show and no one gets hurt. We learned to do the Chicken, doing Italian gestures we cannot repeat them but they were funny! The four ushers each selected a female from the audience and they sat on a chair and the men did a dance routine (very sensual) and entertaining they brought the house down with laughter! A wedding arch, where everyone went thru, then under a limbo bar and a conga line ended the festivities. What a fun time, Pat DeWolfe, Barbara Wysocki, Sandy Hackett, Betty Washington, Tom Woods, and Linda Woodruff had at this zany wedding! ~Barbara Wysocki, Roving Reporter Do you want to update your personal information on our chapter s roster? You can now do this yourself. Simply click on the MY ACCOUNT link at the national website (SinglesGolf.com). You can update your address, phone, add your cell phone, change handicap, etc. Doing it yourself takes the burden off of your chapter leaders so they can spend more time on the golf course and less time on the computer!

3 OH WHAT A NIGHT! Through wind, rain and freezing temperatures, 20 hearty Hartford ASGA ers and friends made their way on Sunday afternoon, February 22 nd to the Bushnell in Hartford, for its penultimate performance of Jersey Boys. Once inside, we were greeted by a huge crowd that filled the house! The atmosphere was alive with anticipation of a rousing musical experience. we weren t disappointed! Heads were swaying and toes were tapping to the classic songs of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. It was all anybody could do to keep from singing out loud with the performers on stage! At the end a thunderous standing ovation thanked the cast, crew and orchestra for a memorable event! After the show City Steam provided us with our own room for drinks, dinner and camaraderie! A dozen or so Hartford AS- GA ers enjoyed the after-party, including JoAnn Bryant, Jack Curtiss, Nancy Hammond, Betsy Schwartz, Karen Skog, Chris Spence, Brian Stere, and Pat Sullivan, among others. All agreed it was an event to remember! ~Chris Spence, Roving Reporter COMEDY NIGHT! On Saturday, February 28 th, on another cold Saturday night (before the big nor easter), eleven hearty souls, members and guests, met at St. James Church in Rocky Hill for an evening of laughter and fun! Included in the group was Dave Walstrom, JoAnn Bryant, Betsy Schwartz and her daughter, Sue Rand, Cathy Duncan, Shirley Monk and friends, Chris Spence and Shari Romano. The two comedians were Jane Condon (from the TV show, Last Comic Standing ) and Donna East (from Stand Up NY ) and they both pushed the envelope on comedy, making jokes about everyday life, men, women, children, driving lessons and working off the crowd of well-over 100 people! The audience was a show in itself, with the comedians getting laughs from their antics and being in a church hall kept the jokes clean and funny! Afterward most of the group went to Ninety-Nine Restaurant in Cromwell for eats and drinks, where everyone agreed that the comical reenactment of going to get a pedicure at an Asian salon was righton and hysterical! Everyone had a great time and headed for home still laughing! ~Cathy Duncan, Roving Reporter Membership Committee Report With the opening day just a month away, social events are being planned and advertised to promote our Chapter to build the membership. A major ad will be in The Hartford Courant at the end of March, to attract new faces to our Singles Mingle Leap into Spring Happy Hour Social at Chuck s Steak House in Rocky Hill on April 3 rd. Read your tee blast for more about this event as well as a Battle of the Sexes Bowling Blitz on March 14 th at BowlO Rama and a scavenger hunt to distribute yellow flyers to golf courses and area business on March 21 st. Please welcome Mary March and Walter Carroll to our Chapter! Shari Romano and Andrea Oddi were guests at our recent meetings. We hope everyone is surviving the winter and partaking in the fun events to take away the winter doldrums! ~Barbara Wysocki & Tom Woods, Membership Co-Chairs ABOUT OUR MEMBERS Happy Birthday to these members: Helen Bessoni - 03/31 Peter Borkoski - 03/01 JoAnn Bryant - 03/31 Robert Layman - 03/09 Sheldon Lubin - 03/05 Brian Stere - 03/11 Karen Young - 04/01 These members are up for renewal: (date shown is last day of membership) Helen Bessoni - 03/31/2009 Paul Figura - 03/31/2009 Martey Rhine - 03/31/2009 Brian Stere - 03/31/2009 Elizabeth Washington - 03/31/2009 Linda Woodruff - 03/31/2009 Welcome newest members: Walter Carroll - Joined 02/09/2009 Shirley Monk - Joined 01/22/2009 These members recently renewed: Harry Mackenstein Elizabeth Montgomery Elisabeth Schwartz These members did not renew their dues: (date shown is date membership expired) Richard Becker - 01/31/2009 David Bromley - 01/31/2009 Nancy Faraci - 01/31/2009 Brian Frisby - 02/28/2009 Richard Lee - 02/28/2009 Patricia Rogers - 01/31/2009 Marion Roscio - 02/28/2009 Patricia White - 02/28/2009 Our chapter currently has 64 members.

4 Golf Committee Report Winter is just about over and we are anxious to play Golf...remember Golf? Watch for news about the opening day at Westwoods in Farmington on Saturday April 25th...we want TOTAL participation from everyone! We need to start off 2009 with a great tournament with maximum participation from our members and guests! Please get your entry in early so that we can have all our folks excited about a super turnout for the opening event! Now is the time to contact us about joining our elite and aristocratic HOOKY CLUB and it's free to join! By indicating that you want to be a hooker...er, perhaps hooky person, you will have the right to vote for where and when our hooky events will be in The first HOOKY DAY will be May 11th at Timberlin in Berlin and all other dates and locations will be selected by the brilliant Hooky Club members so sign up and join this prestigious group! Friday Night Golf (FNG) will be starting the first Friday of May more details soon! Sunday Night Golf (SNG) will be starting in early May, also Wow! We are in for some great golf and fun socialization and don't we deserve it after this horrendous winter?! Once again, we Golf Committee members urge you all to let us know what you want this year...give us your thoughts and opinions. In particular, we need your input in helping choose event formats that interest you and make the golf fun for you and everyone! SIGN UP FOR OPENING DAY AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THE INFORMATION! ~George Duffy, Golf Committee Chairman HARTFORD ASGA 2009 GOLF SCHEDULE April 25-Opening day at Westwoods in Farmington May 17-Topstone in So. Windsor May 25 - Hawks Landing in Southington June 13 - Simsbury Farms in Simsbury July 3-18 holes at Portland West (the annual Splash Classic) in Portland July 19 - Reunion Classic at Tunxis in Farmington Aug - Ryder Cup (practice round & event date TBA) Sept. 7 - Blue Fox Run in Avon Sept Blackledge in Hebron Sept Franconia in Springfield Oct Southington Country Club in Southington Monday, May 11 - First play hooky day at Timberlin in Berlin-other dates TBA **Friday nights we play at Portland West in Portland in the early evening **Sunday afternoons we play at Rockledge/Tunxis-schedule TBA Visit us at for further updates George Duffy is our Golf Chairperson and can be reached at or by george41500@aol.com

5 CELEBRATING 16 YEARS OF SINGLESGOLF IN AMERICA AMERICAN SINGLES GOLF ASSOCIATION MARCH, 2009 Event Dates: May 22-25, 2009 Just Announced Over 60 Signed-Up Already! In 2005, 300+ ASGA members attended our annual Memorial Day Reunion at The Homestead in Hot Springs, VA. We haven t been back since. After three great years at Pinehurst, members felt it was time for a change. (Isn t this the year of change? ) Choosing a location for this many golfers always presents its issues. We can t simply take any hotel in any city and move 300 folks from golf course to golf course. But once you re in Hot Springs, you ve got everything within arms reach: a beautiful hotel with a bunch of your friends, food, fun, fellowship and fairways. The Homestead is a unique venue in itself. It s difficult to think of a president of the United States who has not visited or stayed there. Calvin Coolidge and his wife celebrated their honeymoon there. It s history goes back ten years prior to when our nation was founded (1766). The Old Course, on property, has the longest continuous operating first tee box in the country. If you like history, this place is historical. If you like hanging out for 3-4 days with fellow members and having more fun than you can imagine, you need to look at what we have to offer. All details are on the website: SinglesGolf.com/homestead and you can certainly review the enclosed registration form. We announced this via a national broadcast recently, and within two weeks of the announcement, 60 people had already signedup. There s no need to wait. You can register now and the hotel will not charge the package price until April 22. We have many other events scheduled for you this year as well. All events are posted at SinglesGolf.com/events Want to Go to the Homestead Free? Well, as you know, nothing in life is really free. But this is pretty close to free. Here s the deal: you know people. We know that. Simply get a friend, relative business associate to start a new chapter in a new city and if at least ten folks join the new chapter by May 20th, your registration for the Memorial Day event at the homestead, a $539 value, will be paid. Simply refer them to our start-up page at SinglesGolf.com/start and let s get it rolling. For more info, contact Tom Alsop at GolfASGA@aol.com. How s Your New Year? We re not talking resolutions here, but your chapter. Hopefully by now, your new Board of Directors is operating in full fashion and all positions are filled and your chapter management folks are fully trained. In late January, we held training webinars for incoming chapter presidents and each of your four committee head positions (golf, social, membership and communication) so everyone ought to know their duties and responsibilities. The first job, of course, is to have fun. If you missed any of the leadership webinars, just go to the Chapter Management section of SinglesGolf.com and there s plenty of information there to help you do your job a little better. If at anytime you believe your chapter needs a little advice or you re just concerned about anything, you re welcome to use the CONTACT US form on the website and we ll be back in touch usually same day. Never hesitate to contact ASGA about anything! Is Your Website Updated? Golf season is officially open by declaration of Mother Nature. She s also asked that you update your website with a lot of new and exciting information. Why? Because those new folks checking us out want to see a whole-lot-of-things-goin -on and if you ve only got one event planned for the Spring, well... think about it... would you join? Your golf and social committees should be hard at work putting together an agenda, so get that stuff posted right away. In February, the national website got 621 unique visitors EACH DAY. And just like all politics is local, people join SinglesGolf to see what s going on locally. So give your website a run-thru and see it for the first time through the eyes of a new person visiting your organization for the first time. Make sure all the links work and that there is ample contact information and your chapter looks EXCITING! Did you know your chapter can get a free website? If you re paying $ per year for your site, you can have your own as a sub-site of the national site. Your new chapter website would be Think about it! Two New Chapters Forming We re happy to announce ASGA has two new chapters being created. David Greiner and Robin Sutton are forming the Fredericksburg, VA chapter. Juanita Crawford is getting the Winter Haven, FL chapter off the ground. - - Tom Alsop, President/Founder, ASGA GolfASGA@aol.com

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