CELEBRATING 15 YEARS OF SINGLES GOLF IN AMERICA Pinehurst Chapter - American Singles Golf Association March 2008 President s Message There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, learning from failure. ~Colin Powell Our success is manifested in the continued growth both of membership and programs (and fun!) and that is definitely the result of preparation and hard work! (I d like to think we really haven t experienced much failure, maybe just some things not as successful as we d hoped. ) Special thanks to Doug Hardisty, Mikey Delle, Hollie Thomson, Al Garyantes, Charlie Hughes and Bill Freitag for the effort they ve put in so far: I know you ll join me in thanking them as the year unfolds and you see all the great things that are happening. If you have any ideas, suggestions, or comments, please send them any of the board members (and me!) we re here to make it better for everyone! We have lots of new members coming on board: welcome to Sook Shin, Bob Fazio, Tom Hempstead, Pete Hill, Scott Sheffield, Mary Ann Blake and Alice Sheridan. We look forward to getting to know them better! March brings an increasingly early beginning of Daylight Saving Time starting March 9 th (Congress did something right!) and we re excited to get our season underway! See Doug s schedule below for clinics, Nine/Dine evenings, and our weekend opener. Put Thursday, March 13, at Elliott s on Linden, on your schedule now and get ready for a little Latitude Adjustment. We re excited about trying something new for our meeting: we ll start at 6:30 and have a wine and tapas tasting between the Burgundy region of France and Washington State (honestly, they re on the same latitude). This is a great chance to get acquainted with some new and excellent wine while munching on the fabulous food that Elliott s offers. Thanks to all who attended the Souper Bowl party and contributed to the feast! Congrats to the quarterly pool winners: Doug, Bill Freitag (twice), and Ed Garrison. And thanks to Doug for hosting the Texas Hold Em party, where the women won: Jamie Fisher and Mikey Delle were the big winners! See you soon on the links! Live, laugh, love GOLF! ~Jean Peters, jeanlawsonpeters@nc.rr.com Golf Committee Report Golf Clinics The golf clinics that are held at Knollwood Golfing Center are back on the schedule this year. Once again Dale and his staff will hold a group golfing clinic throughout the spring and summer months. Each session is dedicated to a specific golfing skill. The price for the group clinic is $6.00 per person. You will be able to hit golf balls to warm up, listen in on a group lesson and then a short oneon-one tip session. Clinics start at 5:45pm. Watch for your Evites for specifics: Wednesday, March 19 th Middle Irons Wednesday, April 2 nd Driver Wednesday, April 23 rd Short Irons & Approach Shots Wednesday, May 21 st Long Irons & Hybrids Wednesday, June 4 th Putting Skills Wednesday, July 2 nd Chipping & Sand Next Big Event: Reunion at Pinehurst, May 22-25. 400 ASGA members attended last year! Registration form with this newsletter or go to the event website at www.singlesgolf.com/pinehurst National Website: www.singlesgolf.com E-Mail: ASGANational@aol.com Office Hours: 8:30-4:30, M-Th; 8:30-12:30 Fridays (Eastern) National Office: 704-889-4600 or 1-888-GOLFMATE To join ASGA or renew your dues, contact the National Office at above number or go to www.singlesgolf.com/join Regular Meeting Date: SECOND THURSDAY of each month Next Meeting: Thursday, March13th, 2008 Meeting Location: Elliot s on Linden Social 6:30, Dinner and Meeting at 7:00 Our Website: www.pinehurst.singlesgolf.com Our Hotline: 1-888-465-3628 (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.
Pinehurst Chapter of the American Singles Golf Association President: Jean Lawson Peters asgapinehurst@nc.rr.com 910-295-1673 Chairman of the Board: Ed Garrison egarrison@investdavenport.com 919-776-1660 Social Committee: Mikey Delle, Chairperson mikeydelle@nc.rr.com 910-603-9795 Golf Committee: Doug Hardisty, Chairperson dhardisty@usdigitalsolutions.com 910-221-9885 Jolly Erickson, Assistant jdee@nc.rr.com 910-692-6047 Membership Committee: Al Garyantes, Chairperson algary2@nc.rr.com 910-215-8105 Bill Freitag, Assistant billandsambo@msn.com 910-949-3241 Communications Committee: Hollie Thomson, Chairperson ASGAGolfpinehurst@nc.rr.com 910-215-5760 Secretary: Judy Wimmer asgapinehurst@nc.rr.com 434-975-8319 Treasurer: Charlie Hughes c.hughes@capband.net 910-603-4540 Shots Session 1 Wednesday, July 16 Chipping & Sand Shots Session 2 Wednesday August 6 th Trouble Shots (Low Shots, Flop Shots, Sidehill, Downhill) Wednesday, August 27 th Skills Challenge (similar to last year) Midland Country Club Wednesday, September 17 th Player s Choice (limited to one skill tip per player) Golf Handicaps Due to a change in the method of calculating handicaps by the USGA it is very important for you to enter your scores in a timely fashion. Beginning this year, the USGA has mandated handicaps to be calculated and published twice a month instead of just once a month. This means I will be updating your index and handicaps not only at the beginning of the month but also on the 15 th of the month. We will be using your published handicap index for all organized tournament and prize events. So post those scores promptly. Anderson Creek On Sunday, February 24 th, three intrepid members of the chapter braved the cool temperatures and the brisk wind to make the trip to Anderson Creek for some winter golf. If you haven t been to Anderson Creek you should really try to make the next outing there. It is a beautiful and challenging course. Conditions were a little wet on Sunday but you could just tell the course was waiting to blossom. Mike Morris, Bill Freitag and I had a great afternoon and can t wait to go back and try it again. Golf Schedule for 2008 The final details are coming together for our 2008 golfing season. Be sure to attend the March Monthly meeting at Elliott s on Thursday, March 13 th to learn all about some of the great events that are planned for ASGA Pinehurst this year. First up will be a spring trip to the south Myrtle Beach area at the end of April. The Evite for this trip should have been sent to you by the time you are reading this newsletter. This will be a nice trip to play two premium courses and stay overnight in a first class golfing villa. Sign up quickly as space will be limited. Did You Know? The top 10 golf courses in North Carolina you can play as ranked by Golfweek magazine are: 1. Pinehurst No. 2, Pinehurst (No. 11 classic all-time) 2. Pine Needles, Southern Pines (No. 66 classic all-time) 3. Linville GC, Linville (classic) 4. Mid Pines, Southern Pines (classic) 5. Pinehurst No. 4, Pinehurst (modern) 6. Tobacco Road, Sanford (modern) 7. Pinehurst No. 8, Pinehurst (modern) 8. River s Edge, Shallotte (modern) 9. Grove Park Inn, Asheville (classic) 10. Duke University GC, Durham (classic) ~Doug Hardisty dhardisty@usdigitalsolutions.com Social Committee Report February s monthly meeting was well attended with 22 members. Lots of salad, steak and socializing were enjoyed by all. Winning the 50/50 was a plus to my evening! "Need a Latitude Change?" Come to our monthly meeting at Elliott s on Linden on Thursday, March 13 th. Tad, the wine manager at Elliott's, will present wines from Washington State and the Burgundy region of France for sampling and comparison. Foods of both areas will be available in 'tapas' form. The cost is $20, wine tasting from 6:30-8:00 and a short meeting afterward. Nine & Dine on March 25 th will be golf at Midland CC and dine at Table on the Green. Spring is just around the corner..march 20 th YEAH ~Mikey Delle, Mikeydelle@nc.rr.com Communications Committee I will be sending out a request via email shortly looking for volunteers that would like to help at the 25 th Mid Pines Junior Invitational which is being held this year the weekend of the 28 th and 29 th of June. The kids are great to watch and volunteering is greatly appreciated by Mid Pines with a letter that gives you a free round of golf there. If you would like to let me know ahead of time as some have, please email
me. I need to give the volunteer organizer a count by the end of month. I want to thank those of you that have responded to your emails and Evites as it makes things much easier when trying to organize our meetings, events, socials, etc. Please let me know if your email address changes so that I can keep my address books up to date. Thanks! ~Hollie Thomson ASGAGolfpinehurst@nc.rr.com Useful Internet Links The USGA: www.usga.com Handicap Tracker System: great for those who do not have an established handicap through a club, and includes a subscription to Golf Magazine: http://www.golf.com/gdc/homepages/ handicaptracker.asp Helpful Hints: www.golfillustrated.com Yoga: www.yogaforgolfers.com. ABOUT OUR MEMBERS Happy Birthday to these members: Deborah Davis - 04/10 Elizabeth Green - 03/23 Tom Heard - 03/23 Laurence Heiden - 03/22 Thomas Hempstead - 04/01 Veronica Karaman - 03/09 Michael Morris - 04/08 Barney Odend'hal - 04/08 Dan Runk - 03/21 These members are up for renewal: (date shown is last day of membership) Mark Brewster - 03/31/2008 Mikey Delle - 03/31/2008 Tom Heard - 03/31/2008 Jean Peters - 03/31/2008 Hollie Thomson - 03/31/2008 Welcome newest members: Mary Ann Blake - Joined 02/15/2008 Bob Fazio - Joined 02/05/2008 Thomas Hempstead - Joined 02/06/2008 Scott Sheffield - Joined 02/18/2008 Alice Sheridan - Joined 02/15/2008 Sook Shin - Joined 02/05/2008 These members recently renewed: Deborah Davis Ed Garrison Sandy Haarlow Rick Hand Peter Hill Paula Post These members did not renew their dues: (date shown is date membership expired) Larry Sena - 01/31/2008 Our chapter currently has 60 members. Golf Tip - Playing in the Wind Amateur golfers and professional golfers alike all must battle the challenges of Mother Nature. There are no exceptions to this reality. The trick is to learn how to minimize the negative effects of organic conditions and, when possible, to turn them into an aid. Typically, the greatest natural weather obstacle for a golfer is wind. Rain, snow and hail certainly can affect ball flight but none are played in as regularly as a mild to wild zephyr, so for the purposes of this dialogue we will be restricting our efforts to the aforementioned. Typically, golfers in coastal areas are more adept at playing in stiff breezy weather, but even those in the middle ground -- Kansas, for example -- should be learning how to account for the bedeviling effect of this cruel handicap. Here are some keys to playing in the wind that should help to keep your scorecard in double digits and closer to par: 1. Club selection - When facing into a wind (headwind) for every five miles per hour the wind appears to be blowing choose one more club. Use the opposite philosophy for hitting with the wind. Do not trick yourself into believing the wind can help you carry the ball 250 with a four iron either! 2. Swing plane - Unless you are a single digit handicapper, do not swing any differently than you normally would. If you are an accomplished player, then be sure to always take a simple ¾ swing to avoid getting too much air under that ball. 3. Look for Tree Tops - Although the wind may appear to be blowing into your face, it does not necessarily mean that it will be doing the same thing 50 feet in the air. Look at the tops of nearby trees to indicate what direction the wind is actually blowing. 4. Balls - Choose a lower spinning ball when playing in the wind. The new line of low-trajectory, low-spinning golf balls really do perform better in the wind than highspinning accuracy balls. The wind can become your friend if you let it. Simply account for it by knowing where it is, how much it is blowing, follow club wind selection guidance, and then trust your judgment. Visit our website for all the details: www.pinehurst.singlesgolf.com April newsletter deadline: March 21st
CELEBRATING 15YEARS OF SINGLESGOLF IN AMERICA AMERICAN SINGLES GOLF ASSOCIATION MARCH 2008 Event Dates: Thursday, May 22 Sunday, May 25, 2008 Registrations Coming in Fast n Furious - With great excitement and anticipation, we re happy to announce our continued association with the fine folks at Pinehurst Resort in announcing our Reunion in Pinehurst again. Dates set for this year are May 22-25. With over 400 in attendance last year, we expect a full sellout. As a result, we have reserved four courses for the event. One major attribute that Pinehurst possess is their ability to handle our group size. We re proud to see the American Singles Golf Association host their event at Pinehurst again this year, said Wayne Kearney, Director of Sales at the resort. The showing ASGA had last year is a testament to the match we have with our resort and your members. Pinehurst has a tradition that goes way back into the last century. All of the greats have played there. The No. 2 course will not be part of our standard package, but you ll have an opportunity to play it if you want to pay the price (a mere $287 vs. the $359 normally quoted). This year, No. 2 will NOT be aerated one week prior to as it was last year, so expect nothing but the best. The standard package is a great deal. If you priced this on your own, you d easily pay twice as much as what you get as an ASGA member. You can t fine a value like this at any great golf resort in the country. Of course, outside of everything Pinehurst has to offer, you get to meet hundreds of singles from various ASGA chapters. As with all ASGA multi-chapter events, you must be a member to attend. Here s what s included in the standard package: 4 days / 3 night s stay, based on double occupancy 2 rounds of golf, cart, range balls, prizes for winners + welcoming gift for all 6 food functions: cocktail party (with 2 free drink tickets if you register by April 18), cookout Friday after golf, Saturday sitdown dinner and 3 lavish buffet breakfasts (live piano playing!) Dancing with our DJ on 1st and 3rd nights (does he dance?) Tiger on Pinehurst: Fun golf is Pinehurst. Fun golf is playing links golf. Fun golf is learning how to maneuver the ball on the ground and give yourself options." All resort service fees and taxes. The resort service fee pays for bicycle rental, practice green, afternoon tea, on-site transportation, fitness center, tennis courts, outdoor pools, etc. In addition, Pinehurst is offering ASGA members a coupon good towards a 25% discount on spa services or one round of golf club rentals. See SinglesGolf.com for details on this coupon. Non-golf packages are available and non-hotel packages are available only to our Pinehurst chapter members. We will again group players into those who have established handicaps (and will play USGA your own ball format) and those without established handicaps (and will play a shamble format one day and a scramble/captain s choice the other day). Players have really enjoyed this grouping method and we ve received zero complaints over the last four events where we ve done this. Understand though that if you are listed as a player with an established handicap and you want to play golf with a person who is not listed as established, you won t be able to play together unless you re both in the non-established division, unless, however, you indicate you want to play the optional round together where there is no team competition. Please review the Pinehurst.com website and check out their hotel accommodations. They re offering the Carolina Inn, the Holly Inn, Manor Inn and their condos again. In addition to these hotels, if your chapter (or group of friends) would like to get eight (8) of your members together and get a villa, which has a common living room and kitchen facility, review the Pinehurst.com website and indicate such on your registration form. Packages start at $512 per person, based on double occupancy and $779 per person based on single occupancy. If you priced this event on its own, you d easily pay $1200-$1300 (dbl. occ.) for all that s included. An optional round at 9:00am on Sunday is offered as well. A registration form is enclosed with this newsletter and you can also obtain one at www.singlesgolf.com. - - Tom Alsop, President/Founder, ASGA Phone 704-889-4600 or 1-888-GOLFMATE GolfASGA@aol.com
Memorial Day Weekend 2008 Thurs., May 22 Sun., May 25, 2008 4-days, 3-nights + 2 rounds++ Limited to the first 500 players. This is our largest event of the year. Choose to play two or three rounds of golf. Optional round on Pinehurst No. 2 at discounted price. You can stay 3 additional nights, before or after event, at special ASGA Member-Only prices. SPONSORED BY THE AMERICAN SINGLES GOLF ASSOCIATION Phone 704-889-4600 or Standard Package Includes: 2 rounds of golf (incl. cart, green fees, range balls, prizes) 3 nights lodging (Carolina Hotel or Other check below) 6 food functions: 1 cocktail party (dry snacks; also 2 drink tickets if you register by April 2), 3 lavish breakfasts at the Carolina, 1 cookout and 1 sit-down dinner DJ dancing on 1st and 3rd nights, welcoming gift and prizes. Includes all resort service fees & taxes. Resort services include on-site transportation, bicycles, afternoon tea, practice putting, driving range and more. Add l. Nights: If you come early or stay late, add l. nights, which includes the buffet breakfast, are $163.50 for a single room and $90.75/person if dbl. occ., regardless of inn you are staying in. Tax & resort service fees are included in these rates. (Roommate must stay or your must pay single occ. rate of $163.50/night.) See Pinehurst.com for details on room types. GOLF: You ll play two of their 8 courses. Pinehurst arranges courses. Package play dates are Fri., May 23 & Sat., May 24. Optional Day-of-Arrival Golf and Dayof-Departure Golf. Also, optional play on the 2005 U. S. Open Course No. 2 at a rate of $287 on Sunday (straight tee times begin at 7:50am). Established handicapped players play USGA Rules and play your own ball. For non-established handicaps, scramble one day and shamble next day. PAYMENT: Full payment due by April 22th. There is a 25% cancellation fee on or prior to 04/22/08. Absolutely NO refunds after 4/22/08. If your plans change, you can sell your position to another member. See website for official cancellation policy. A letter or e-mail confirmation will be sent to you upon receipt of payment. If you do not receive confirmation by 04/29/08, you must call us at above number. NOTE: This is a MEMBERS ONLY event. Non-members must join ASGA to secure these rates. Call 704-889-4600 or go online at SinglesGolf.com/join. SPECIAL PKGS.: Non-Golf, Pinehurst Chapter members, see website or call us. ONE FORM PER PERSON, PLEASE PRINT. NAME SHOWN BELOW IS HOW NAMETAG WILL APPEAR. NAME ( ) MALE ( ) FEMALE CHAPTER NAME AD- DRESS CITY STATE ZIP HOME PH ( ) WORK/CELL PH ( ) E-MAIL AD- DRESS ASGA NATIONAL EVENT CHECK APPROPRIATE PACKAGE: (Resort has shuttles to transport you between hotels, courses, etc. Details at Singles- Golf.com) ( ) $512.00 STANDARD PACKAGE staying at the HOLLY INN, MANOR INN OR PINEHURST CONDO (YOU LL HAVE A ROOMMATE) ( ) $559.00 STANDARD PACKAGE staying at the CAROLINA HOTEL (YOU LL HAVE A ROOMMATE) ( ) $779.00 ROOM-BY-MYSELF PACKAGE staying at the HOLLY INN, MANOR INN OR PINEHURST CONDO (incl. everything in St d. Pkg.) ( ) $873.00 ROOM-BY-MYSELF PACKAGE staying at the CAROLINA HOTEL (incl. everything in St d. Pkg.) ( ) $69.00 OPT. DAY-OF-ARRIVAL GOLF ON THURS. ( ) $89 OPT. ROUND ON SUN. w/lunch ( ) OPT. Pinehurst No. 2 $287. ( ) $512.00 STANDARD PACKAGE / 4-bedroom villa (sleeps 8). Must be part of a group of 8, all staying in same villa, not an inn. ( ) I have an ESTABLISHED HANDICAP of at GOLF CLUB ( ) My chapter issues my handicap (ASGA chapters count as a golf clubs without real estate according to USGA handicapping rules. Your chapter s handicap chairperson or committee must be able to verify this number as your handicap.) CREDIT CARD AUTHORIZATION: All major cards accepted. I hereby authorize ASGA or the Pinehurst Resort to charge / debit my account for the TOTAL AMOUNT indicated above on this form. There is no credit card processing fee for this event. Resort may not charge card immediately. Acc t. No: Exp. Signature * Details of Million Dollar Hole-in-One at SinglesGolf.com/pinehurst ** There is a 4% svc. chg. for any check returned unpaid by the bank. Cancellation policy applies. See www.singlesgolf.com for complete details of policy and events. Check SinglesGolf.com on a regular basis for details & updates. QUESTIONS? E-MAIL TOM ALSOP at GolfASGA@aol.com OR CALL 704-889-4600 or 1-888-GOLFMATE 2008 ASGA, Inc.