A PUBLICATION OF THE ARIZONA WOMEN S GOLF ASSOCIATION MAY 2009 ISSUE 3

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1 AWGA NewsLinks A PUBLICATION OF THE ARIZONA WOMEN S GOLF ASSOCIATION MAY 2009 ISSUE 3 In This Issue Spotlight - Carol Springer 2009 Golf Calendar Time for Nominations - AWGA Board of Directors Discount Rates for Women s Retreat at Raven Golf Club Tonto Verde WGA Rally for the Cure Raises $81,700 News About the Newsletter Don t Keep Your Head Down! Course Ratings A Little Etiquette Goes A Long Way Think Good Thoughts Sign Up for Sun City Pink Ribbon Golf Event Irons - What Should Be In Your Bag Rules Tip Rancho Manana Ambassador Program Prizes For Everyone at Spring Golfsmith Event Holes-In-One Weekend Classic Day In Hades Contributing Writer: Mary Ann Souter Marketing Consultant Help us reach more women golfers When you re finished reading this newsletter don t throw it away, pass it along to a friend! The Spotlight s On... Carol Springer By Mary Ann Souter With Carol Springer there s only one pace Full Speed Ahead! She took her first golf lessons in 1996, embraced the game and never looked back. She quickly joined the WGA at Ahwatukee Lakes and worked on her game until she moved to Mesa in There she joined the Painted Mountain WGA, became more confident as her scores improved and moved into high gear. Her list of accomplishments and volunteer activities over the past nine years is remarkable. Part of the reason she stands out in the women s golf community is related to her background as an educator as well as her work experience in the human resources field and her exceptional people skills. Put it all together and you get an amazing mix of talent, skill, congeniality and willingness to serve the ideal AWGA volunteer! Carol s move into leadership roles started in 2003 as president of the Painted Mountain WGA. She became Tournament Chair in In 2008, when her term as Tournament Chair ended, she became Team Captain and will continue in that role until In 2006, when the AWGA initiated the Ambassador Program, Carol stepped up one more time to coordinate the Ambassadors at the Arizona Golf Resort. Carol doesn t look for an end to her duties. When one is completed, she willingly moves on to another. But that s not all Carol does in her spare time Appointed as an AWGA Board Member while she served as Tournament Chair at Painted Mountain 2006 Chair of the AWGA Education and Training Committee whose role it is to assist Committee Chairs to develop Committee Members 2007 Elected to the Board for a full term 2008 Served as Treasurer of the Board which made her a member of the Executive Committee 2009 Elected as the Vice President of the Board where her duties include chairing the Nominating Committee and the Document Control Committee. Are we getting the idea of the full speed ahead mode yet? As she played more golf, Carol also became interested in the technical side of the game. Looking for a new venue to serve in, she trained to become a member of the AWGA Course Rating Team in 2005 and has been an active Course Rater ever since. In 2007 she attended a U.S.G.A. Rules School to prepare to become a member of the AWGA Rules Committee. As expected, she succeeded and is now qualified to act as a Rules Official for local, regional and state tournaments! Carol jokes as she says, I retired from work in 2002 and now I have less free time than I did while I was working! But she enjoys every minute of it and besides volunteering for her own WGA and the AWGA, she also participates in the Central District as a Forecaddie and Rules Official. Once I realized all the ways to participate in the game of golf, I was hooked, she says. I m not a tournament player. I just want to play golf for fun and by not playing in tournaments, it opened up new avenues for me to volunteer. Carol s background in education is unique. From teaching preschoolers to women prisoners, Carol thrived wherever she was placed! Working with the prisoners to teach them about personal finances was very satisfying, she remembers. Some of these women never had a legitimate job and this class helped them to see other possibilities in the outside world. She also worked as operations manager and training manager in the banking industry and taught human resource classes at Western International University where she won the Instructor of the Year Award in Carol holds a Master s degree in Human Resources. All of my experience in teaching and training brought me to my position on the AWGA Board, she says. When I moved to Arizona in 1994, I never imagined that golf would be such an important part of my life. Now that it is, I can t imagine my life without golf in it! One of the highlights of Carol s golf experience was her hole-in-one on May 10, 2002 at Painted Mountain. It didn t happen on our regular play day or it would have been an expensive feat. Instead I was playing with a group of eight and we celebrated with coffee! Carol expresses her love of Painted Mountain in various ways from the close friendships she has made to the ability to walk the course. I love to walk, she says, whether it s with my two dogs every day or playing golf. Carol and her husband, Steve, have been married for 37 years and have lived near Painted Mountain since And although he s not a golfer, he is supportive of all her golf-related activities. Steve s father was actually the catalyst that steered Carol toward the game. When he moved here, he wanted to learn to golf. Carol took lessons with him, played golf with him regularly and became passionate about a sport she had not considered on her own. Serendipity for her Good Fortune for the AWGA! Carol Springer is an inspiration to women golfers everywhere. Her accomplishments in just a few short years demonstrate the possibilities that are there for everyone. Thank you, Carol, for sharing your skill, talent and time with your Arizona golf community. And thank you for your contributions to women s golf your generous spirit, your contagious enthusiasm and your ability to spread the element of the fun of golf to everyone you meet!

2 2009 Golf Calendar Date Tournament Location June 1...US Women s Am Pub-Links Qualifier...Papago Golf Course 1...NAWGA Stroke Play Championship...Silver Creek Golf Club CAGD Partner Tournament...Francisco Grande Country Club 14...Weekend Classic Tournament...Continental Country Club July 13...Day In Hades Tournament...The Gallery Golf Club 14...SDWGA Summer Scotch...Tucson National 16...US Women s AM Qualifier...Alta Mesa 28...NAWGA Seniors Championship...Pinewood Country Club TIME FOR NOMINATIONS FOR THE AWGA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Do you know someone who has already been serving in a volunteer capacity for the AWGA and is willing to step up to the plate whenever needed? This is the time to help us find competent women willing to work for the good of women s golf and the AWGA. There are several vacancies to fill with women who know and understand the mission of the AWGA. The selection process for nominations to the Board of Directors begins in July by Committee Chairs submitting recommendations to the Nominating Committee who then selects the best qualified candidates for election. You, our AWGA members, are then presented with a ballot for the election. If you know a woman who has successfully served on a working committee of the AWGA, talk with her about stepping forward to be nominated directly to the Board of Directors. Or perhaps you are exactly what we are looking for to serve in this capacity. Think about it. Get involved and be part of this most important process. Your recommendations are most welcome. TONTO VERDE GOLF CLUB S WGA RALLY FOR THE CURE RAISES $81,700 On February 13, 2009 the Tonto Verde Golf Club s WGA hosted their 10th Annual Susan G. Komen Rally for the Cure Golf Tournament. There were 220 Golfers who participated in this event. Both the The Ranch and Peaks Golf Courses were used for a full field of golfers. Our weather committee worked very hard to get a beautiful Arizona day for this event. Along with the golf tournament there was a silent auction, live auction and dinner that raised $81,700 for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Tonto Verde Night at Casino Arizona was an added event this year, which raised $7,000 of our total donation. This Rally for the Cure event would not have been possible without the 100+ volunteers and the generosity of the people in the Tonto Verde Community. One of eight women either has or will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. The participation of the Tonto Verde Golf Club through their donations will contribute to breakthroughs in breast cancer research and treatment to eradicate this disease. Thank you to all the volunteers and donors who made this event a tremendous success! Where is my Newsletter?! It s ONLINE! The next two issues of the AWGA Newsletter will be electronic versions only. DON T MISS OUT! Be sure to log into your AWGA egolfbag to update your address! DISCOUNT RATES FOR A WOMEN S MIDWEEK RETREAT AT RAVEN GOLF CLUB AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN Some of you may have already participated in this fun golf instruction, play and social event at the Raven at South Mountain. This time we are pleased to offer AWGA members a discount on their June/July session of the Raven s Women s Midweek Retreat. There are definitely some good things about golf in Arizona during the summer months!! The event includes: ½ hour of golf instruction 9 holes of golf Social hour and dinner. The Dates for Session 2 are: June 17th through July 29th every Wednesday at 5:00 pm. Their regular fee is $35 per night or $175 for the 6 week session. AWGA members pay only $25 per night or $150 for the 6 week session. Call Katie Bridger at or her at kbridger@irigolfgroup. com for more information or to sign up. Be sure to tell her you re an AWGA member to get your discount! AWGA Ne w s Li n k s is published 8 times per year and is an official publication of the Arizona Women s Golf Association. 141 E. Palm Lane, Suite 210, Phoenix, AZ (602) AWGA Fax: (602) awga@awga.org Website: BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kathy Ehrlich... President Carol Springer... Vice President Barbara Simmons...Secretary Barbara Byrnes... Treasurer Barbara Kahler...Officer at Large Melanie Bridges Robin Lane Kelly Loeb Katherine Olson Judy Polidori Jane Ross Jan Wobken Ginny Zak STAFF Mary Pomroy...Executive Director Jody Chandonnet...Communications Manager Logan Erickson...Manager, Handicapping & Course Rating Erin Groeneveld...Tournament Operations Manager Susan Woods... Business Operations Coordinator Vivian Kelley... Administrative Assistant Mackensie Jimison...USGA PJ Boatwright, Jr. Intern

3 DON T KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN! Swing Tip from Marvol Barnard, LPGA/PGA Teaching Pro The Haven at Green Valley seagolfpro@juno.com A common bit of advice that ladies constantly hear is Keep your head down! I frequently hear men giving this admonition to women while playing or practicing golf. These same ladies then come to my lesson tee saying they know they should keep their head down but that they just keep topping or chunking the ball. I know, from this opening interview, that the first thing I ll see in the golf swing is the student lifting up in her backswing, with little or no turn, with the resulting shot being either thin or fat. Keep your head down really means watch the ball. When we literally keep our heads down (tucking the chin onto the chest), we have flexed our neck/ cervical spine, which greatly decreases our ability to rotate or turn. When we can t turn, we lift in an attempt to get a bigger swing. This is the cause of topped shots, or even fat shots as we hurry to get back down to the ball. Since the golf swing is a rotational motion, any lifting makes it difficult to contact the ball squarely. Try this simple test. Either sitting or standing, with your head up, turn your head to the side as far as possible. Now, look down, tuck your chin to your chest and try the same thing. You can even try lifting your arms, as you would in your golf swing. You will see that your ability to turn to the side is greatly diminished in the second position. In the golf swing, lack of ability to turn causes us to lift, in order to steal motion and get a bigger swing. Instead of keeping Dorothy Theodorson and Marvol your head down, simply Before LOOK down. Your head should be in the same position relative to your chest as when you were standing upright. In other words, the bend happens from the hips, NOT the neck. Now that you can rotate freely in the backswing, a level, smooth turn is possible, without lifting. You will see an improvement in ball striking, as well as distance and we all want more distance! The next time you hear Keep your head down, you ll know it really means Watch the ball! AFTER Course Ratings Gainey Ranch Golf Club Arroyo/Lakes Green /138 White /132 Magenta /125 Lakes/Dunes Green /132 White /127 Magenta /122 Dunes/Arroyo Green /134 White /128 Magenta /120 Lone Tree Golf Club White /128 Red/White /119 Red /113 Poston Butte Golf Club White /132 Red /125 Green /119 A LITTLE ETIQUETTE GOES A LONG WAY! Some of these tips may be common knowledge to some but it never hurts to reinforce good habits on the course. Here are a few that might make the difference between being the group bully or the group favorite! Cell phones are part of everyday life for all of us. It is best to put the phone on vibrate or turn it off during a round of golf. But if you are expecting an important call, let your group know ahead of time. If it comes while playing and lasts longer than a couple minutes, take yourself out of the hole. Be conscious of other players. Always stop the cart when another player close-by is hitting. Take extra care to look around before hitting the Reverse button. The high pitched sound can definitely influence a person s swing. Try to be gracious whether you re playing the game of your life or you re struggling with every shot. No-one likes a show-off and everyone appreciates a good sport. Take only one practice swing before each shot. Taking two or more is one of the main contributors to slow play. If you are holding up play, offer to let the group behind you play through. It s easiest to do this on a par-3 hole. ALWAYS have fun. Isn t that the reason we play golf to begin with?? THINK GOOD THOUGHTS Ability is what you re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it. ~ Lou Holtz, College Football Coach (Yes you can!)

4 SIGN UP NOW FOR THE SUN CITY PINK RIBBON GOLF EVENT TO BENEFIT BREAST CANCER CHARITY The 14th annual Ladies golf event to benefit the Phoenix Affiliate of Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure will be held October 6, 2009 at Sun City Willowcreek and North courses. Last year the group raised a total of $14,000 to donate to their local chapter. This year they hope to contribute even more. The two-course field is limited to 288 lady golfers and has an entry fee of $ The fee includes coffee before the 8:00 shotgun start and lunch at the Mountain View Recreation Center. Mulligans will also be available. Golfers must pay their own green fees and have a certifiable handicap from the AWGA. Deadline for the entries is Sept. 15th. Ethel Carey, Sun City resident and cancer survivor organized the first Ribbon Tournament in An inspirational poem written by Ethel Carey is read prior to the tournament s shotgun start. Pink balloons with names of cancer victims are released at each course. Please join us for this special event to raise money for this most worthwhile cause. Registrations forms are available at all Sun City golf courses. Bring a friend to enjoy a beautiful October day on the course and to help increase the donation made toward research and treatment of breast cancer. Contact Pat Thompson at or her at pat-mark@cox.net for more information. IRONS WHAT SHOULD BE IN YOUR BAG? Our golf games are as individual and unique as our personalities. Let the set makeup of irons in your bag reflect your game and your talents. Put the clubs in your bag that work for you on your course and work best for your game. Don t carry a club if you don t use it. Just because the rules allow for 14 clubs doesn t mean you must have that many in your bag. Are you only comfortable hitting a 5 iron as your least lofted iron? Do you play course setups that render your 3 and 4 irons useless? Do your 4 and 5 iron both go the same distance? If you don t use a traditional 3 or 4 iron then take them out of your bag. If you want or need a club to cover that gap in distance try a utility iron. Their design and weight distribution compensates for the lack of loft in the ease of playability. These irons have wider soles allowing the weight to be set lower and further from the face which makes them launch the ball more easily. The utility irons can be used off the fairway, out of the rough, and off the tee. Hybrids are another great idea to use in place of traditional low irons. These clubs have been designed to utilize the playing characteristics of both irons and woods. Lofts, lengths, and shaft options in hybrids make them easy to get the ball airborne. Consider blended sets where the low irons are hybrids or utility irons and the set transitions to more traditional looking clubs in the wedges. These are great alternatives and are designed to launch the ball quickly and easily. Don t restrict yourself and assume you have to play a traditional set use what works for you and your game so you can play better golf! Sue O Connor, Club Fitting Specialist, Cool Clubs, Scottsdale, AZ sue.oconnor@coolclubs.com, (480) RULES TIP: Submitted by: Jan Wobken Rules Chair rwobken@cox.net MORE BUNKER RULES We will continue with more rules that may occur in a bunker. You cannot ground your club or touch the sand with your hand to test the surface or to remove a loose impediment. But you can touch the sand to look for a buried ball, to prevent yourself from falling, or to remove an obstruction (a soda can or cigarette butt). These three exceptions do not apply if in doing so you have tested the condition of the hazard or improved the lie of the ball. (Rule 13-4) If your ball is in casual water you may drop it in a dry area of the bunker no closer to the hole. (No penalty) If the bunker is completely under water, you may drop outside the bunker (penalty one stroke), keeping the point where the ball lay between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped. (Rule 25-1) Even during the backswing you cannot ground your club. (Rule 13-4) RANCHO MANANA AMBASSADOR PROGRAM GETS NEW PLAYERS HOOKED ON GOLF! Each session we have new locations coming onboard for the AWGA Ambassador Program. This spring Rancho Manana was one of the new sites. Sandee Simcox, AWGA Regional Program Leader and Site Leader for that location, was proud of the accomplishment of the new golfers. Ladies were hitting straight and up in the air in two weeks, Sandee said. One of the students never picked up a golf club before and a couple others hadn t played in many years, she continued. These ladies really enjoyed the experience and will most likely continue to work on their games. That s exactly what we want to happen when women complete the six week session of beginner golf lessons. John Kuenster, the golf teaching professional at Rancho Manana, stayed with the students each week until he believed progress was made. He also helped the three Ambassadors, Sandee Simcox, Mary Anderson and Sue Erredge, by giving them golf tips. We look forward to another session at Rancho Manana in the fall. Thank you, Ambassadors! John Kuenster, Mary Anderson and Sandee Simcox

5 CONGRATULATIONS To The Following Ladies on Their HOLES-IN-ONE!!! PRIZES FOR EVERYONE PLEASE LADIES AT SPRING GOLFSMITH EVENT! Women lined up to get inside the store for this special event just for women. They knew what was waiting inside entry gifts, raffle for a trip to Hawaii, food from Rubio s, contests and prizes. Each woman received a sleeve of balls upon entering the store along with a $25 gift card. That, in itself, would have been worth the shopping trip but then Golfsmith went the extra mile with special promotions throughout the store. Golfsmith holds these special events twice a year at all four Arizona stores. The AWGA has a table at each store to promote our state association and to raffle off a prize to our members that come by. The next Ladies Night at Golfsmith will be in the fall. Watch for more information as the time gets closer. It s a win-win for Golfsmith and AWGA members. They are able to reach more women golf shoppers and AWGA members receive prizes and special discounts. We re happy to support Golfsmith stores as an AWGA Partner! Take advantage of your valuable discount on golf merchandise offered to AWGA members at all Golfsmith stores and at their online store. Putting Contest at Golfsmith. Golfsmith ladies lined up outside the store. 12/6/08... Jean Goodin... Pebblecreek LGA 2/09/09... Dani Sheehan...The 500 Club-Women 2/13/09... Lorraine Malloy... Palmbrook CC Ladies 2/23/09... Jane Larsen...Trilogy LGA 2/26/09... Priscilla Harand...Antelope Hills WGA 3/02/09... Kathy Dussault...Trilogy LGA 3/15/09... Irene Schaufele... Apache Wells CC WGA 3/15/09... Cindy Holcomb...Rio Verde CC WGA 3/15/09... Sandy Osterhoudt...Sun City Lakes West Women 3/16/09... Helen Houck... Papago WGA 3/17/09... Dede Harrington... Pebblecreek Ladies Niner s 3/19/09... Ursula Bird...Ironwood G. C. WGA 3/24/09... Jan Stickel...Rio Verde CC WGA... 3/26/09... Sylvia Whitehead... Estancia Club WGA 3/27/09... Beverly Bell... Sun Lakes CC WGA 4/01/09... Margo Seck... Anthem CC Ladies 4/01/09... Mary Lee Fung...Arizona Golf Resort Women 4/02/09... Anne Passage... Sun City South Women... 4/04/09... Gerry Kurlinski...Sun City Lakes West Women 4/05/09... Linda Gorton... Sunsites WGA 4/07/09... Irene Bellville...Trilogy LGA 4/09/09... Joanne Kies... Ironwood CC WGA 4/10/09... Tina Huiskamp... Papago WGA 4/13/09... Janet Miller...Scottsdale Silverado WGA 4/15/09... Lynne Connelly... Davis Montham Lady 9 ers 4/14/09... Connie Scott...Sun City Lakes West Women 4/17/09... Gladys Utoft... Desert Hills WGA 4/17/09... Kathy Jenkins... Ironwood CC WGA 4/17/09... Marjorie Jones... Fountain of the Sun WGA 4/18/09... Christi Grant...Rio Verde CC WGA 4/19/09... Bonnie Wenzel... Cactus Wren 4/21/09... Jeanne Freese... Union Hills CC WGA 4/22/09... Monique Berger... Starr Pass Golf Club Ladies 4/24/09... Barbara Solomonson... Oakwood CC WGA 4/27/09... Fran Kelly...Ironwood Golf Club WGA 4/27/09... Charlene Petragallo...Ironwood Golf Club WGA 4/27/09... Sue Henson...Desert Hills Municipal WGA 4/29/09... Carol Morrow... Fountain of the Sun WGA Reminder, please report all holes-in-one as they occur. Holes-in-one occurring prior to the previous newsletter publication date may be excluded from publication.

6 upcoming tournaments Weekend classic Continental Country Club June 14, 2009 Entry Opens - May 4, 2009 Maximum Handicap Index Entry Fee - $90.00 Day in hades The Gallery Golf Club July 13, 2009 Entry Opens - June 1, 2009 Maximum Handicap Index Entry Fee - $90.00 Registration available online. Entry forms are available at and in the 2009 AWGA Club Directory & Tournament Calendar. Registration available online. Entry forms are available at and in the 2009 AWGA Club Directory & Tournament Calendar. ARIZONA WOMEN S GOLF ASSOCIATION 141 EAST PALM LANE, SUITE 210 PHOENIX, ARIZONA NON PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #744 PHOENIX, AZ