INSIDE2 Celebrating with Oklahoma

and Kansas4 The 411 on the Women’s

Golf Alliance’s 20 member associations

6 Who is the Women’s Golf Alliance and what is it up to?

President’s Message:

Going to WARM with women’s golf leaders

by Mary Pomroy

Each year we hear statistics from notable national golf organizations reporting that women are taking up the game at a faster rate than any other segment of our population. Yet, no one has figured out how to keep these new players in the game, let alone encourage them to play more rounds, spend more on golf equipment and accessories and become avid golfers.

We with the Women’s Golf Alliance think the answer lies not in more studies to confirm this information, or in more programs created at the national level, but in connecting with the leaders of grass roots associations who can actually influence the growth of women’s golf; the women who are already champions for the game; who spend their days promoting and managing golf for women.

We started in 2003, when the leaders of four western state women’s golf associations gathered to discuss ways to better guide their associations, improve their programs and increase their membership. The founding members were from Arizona, Colorado, California and Nevada. And so WARM—Women’s Associations Roundtable Meeting—was born.

This year on March 9-11, in Phoenix, the initiators of the WARM will mark its 12th birthday. But now, women’s golf associations from all around the nation are participating. The interest is growing and more states are continually being represented. More participants equals a more accurate picture of the woman golfer, and a larger presence in the business of golf.

MORE ON PAGE 6

The treasured Oaklahoma Women's State Amateur trophy stands almost 4 feet tall.

JUNE 2–3: KANSASThe Kansas Women's Golf

Association will kick off its centennial celebration with a banquet at its birthplace, the Salina Country Club. From there, the plan is to take the celebration to all members.

Created solely for the purpose of holding a match play championship once a year, KWGA has grown and evolved over the years to be the voice of women's golf in Kansas, forging bonds among women golfers throughout the state and beyond.

During the very early years, the clubs had wood shafts, the balls were much less resilient, the greens were sand, and of course the wearing apparel was ponderous. KWGA has conducted a Women's State Championship every year but four, the years of World War II.

At the 1950 U.S. Women's Open Championship, held at one of our member clubs (Rolling Hills CC in Wichita), the formation of the LPGA was announced. (Babe Zaharias won that Open.)

2

Starting in the 1950s, KWGA began expanding its programs and membership. In the mid-1950s, KWGA was an "early adopter" of a uniform handicap system, and by 1958, when the USGA came out with a uniform handicap system, Kansas already had 48 women's clubs indoctrinated in the need for standardized handicapping procedures. In 1958, KWGA began establishing course ratings for all its member clubs. KWGA has offered a GHIN service since 1987, and has won national awards for the quality of our GHIN

administration program.KWGA started a Junior Girls program in 1961, and in

1968, Kansas teamed with Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska to create an annual invitational Junior 4-State Championship,. (Junior styles have definitely changed over the past half-century.)

Still an all-volunteer association, KWGA now not only hosts a myriad of events and tournaments throughout the year, but provides individual and club services, and continues to develop regional and national relationships that promote and grow the game of golf and enhance the golfing experience for women and girls in Kansas.

Oklahoma and Kansas get their parties started: 100 years of women’s golf

KWGA past presidents and past State Amateur champions will be honored at the banquet, held in conjunction with our Senior/Super Senior Championship June 2-3 and kicking off the Centennial celebration. Adding to the festivities, each member club is invited to host a special "play day" during the year, each KWGA member will receive a Centennial memento, and we will wrap up our golf season with a Par 3 tournament at Rolling Hills CC in Wichita.

We honor our long heritage and the many dedicated women who have gone before us, and we eagerly anticipate the future, excited about the prospects of our next 100 years.

— By Judy Morris, Past President, Kansas Women’s Golf Association

JULY 26: OKLAHOMA

The Women’s Oklahoma Golf Association will remember, honor and toast 100 years of women’s and girls’ golf in Oklahoma at the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club in Oklahoma City on July 26.

The evening will be celebrated in conjunction with the 97th playing of the Women’s Oklahoma State Amateur Championship. The Centennial Gala will unite former State Amateur champions, special guests, supporters of women’s and girl’s golf in Oklahoma and members of the organization to celebrate at the site of the first Women’s State Amateur Championship in 1915.

About 24 prominent women gathered for that first Women’s

Oklahoma State Amateur Championship 100 years ago, whenplayers’ primary concerns were tripping on long dresses and playing quickly enough to make it to the fair. Times have certainly changed, but for 100 years women and young girls in Oklahoma have shared the common bond of golf and cherished competition as well as the friendships made on and off the course as a result of the existence of the Women’s Oklahoma Golf Association.

One of the most valued possessions of the Women’s Oklahoma Golf Association remains the State Amateur Championship Trophy. It is considered the most spectacular sporting trophy in Oklahoma and

could very well be considered a top candidate for this title worldwide. Standing almost 4 feet tall and designed by the famous Reed and Barton, her beauty serves to inspire the talented players who dream of their names being engraved on this magnificent piece of art. On July 26, 2015, the Women’s Oklahoma State Amateur Championship Trophy will shine in all her glory and pride the night of our Centennial Celebration.

The Women’s Oklahoma Golf Association is one of the most prominent state women’s golf associations in the country, yet it does not receive handicap revenue that would allow the association to employ full-time staff. It is a

true testament to the loyalty and dedication of the members whose volunteerism makes the association go and ensure that it will be enjoyed by future generations.

As Rogers and Hammerstein once wrote, “You are doing fine Oklahoma.” — By Sheila Dills, President, Women’s Oklahoma Golf Association

3

4

The Desert WGA was formed in 2000 as a regional association for Southern California desert clubs and their approximately 700 members. It issues course and slope ratings as well as handicap indexes to its members. DWGA also sponsors golf tournaments, team play competition and other events for members.

The Colorado Women’s Golf Association (CWGA) is a nonprofit amateur golf organization established in 1916. We promote women's golf in the state and preserve the integrity of the game. We represent 17,000 individuals and 250 clubs and we serve as a regional operating partner of the United States Golf Association.

The Kansas Women’s Golf Association promotes the game among women and girls by maintaining strong relationships with member clubs and individual members; conducting annual championships and other events; and offering a range of programs that develop and enhance the golfing experience for all.

The Missouri Women's Golf Association promotes women's golf by holding annual competitions for female juniors, amateurs, mid -amateurs and seniors. Scholarships are awarded each year to graduating high school golfers through the MWGA.

Founded in 1952, the Delaware Women’s Golf Association shares a mission to promote interest in golf for women and junior girls in the State of Delaware and surrounding areas. The DWGA reaches golfers of all abilities through tournaments, travel, social events and education.

The Maryland State Golf Association-Women’s Division was formed in 1995 to promote amateur golf for women of all ages and abilities. The MSGA-WD is dedicated to providing a full range of services for more than 9,000 members including competitions, handicapping, course rating and rules seminars.

The Montana State Women’s Golf Association is devoted to promoting educational, social and recreational advantages for women and girls in golf. They do this by encouraging sportsmanship, amateurism, skill and respect embodied by the honorable traditions in the game of golf.

The Michigan Women’s Golf Association was established in 1986 to help promote the game and provide competitive play and education for female amateur players of all ages and skill levels. An on-going MWGA goal is to give back to the community through our successful LPGA-USGA supported junior program.

The Nebraska Women’s Amateur Golf Association is an organization of golf clubs and individuals governed by amateur women golfers and formed in 1973 for the purpose of promoting and conserving the best interests and true spirit of the game of golf for all women in Nebraska.

MEET THE MEMBERSOF THE WOMEN’S GOLF ALLIANCE The Arizona WGA (AWGA) is the voice of

women’s golf in Arizona. We offer programs for members and the golf community that encourage and provide opportunities for women to learn, play, compete and administer the game for themselves and their clubs. Programs include information and outreach, player programs, USGA programs, and volunteer development.

Click the logos for more information

The PWGA went "red" in February.

MEET THE MEMBERSOF THE WOMEN’S GOLF ALLIANCE

5

The Women's Southern California Golf Association, established in 1922, is the largest regional women’s golf association in the U.S. Its goal is to promote and foster interest in women's amateur golf through friendly organized competition.

The TRANS Amateur Championship began in 1927 and in 1992, the TRANS Senior Four-Ball Championship for women was added. Among past TRANS Amateur champions and/or competitors are Brittany Lang, Paige MacKenzie, Nancy Lopez, Lorena Ochoa, Grace Park, Judy Bell, Carol Semple Thompson, Babe Didrikson Zaharias and Patty Berg.

The New Hampshire Women’s Golf Association (NHWGA), founded in 1923, is a nonprofit organization governed by a volunteer 15-member board. We offer our 750 members more than 40 golf events: weekly tournaments, mixed events, specialties, juniors and championships. We conduct rules clinics and annually award college scholarships.

The WGA of Northern California promotes and serves the interest of women's amateur golf in Northern California. We provide services for more than 100 member clubs' women's organizations from Tulare County north to the Oregon border, with a membership of more than 11,000.

The Women’s South Carolina Golf Association was founded in 1949. The WSCGA membership consists of women’s golf associations throughout the state: 140 member associations with more than 12,000 women golfers receiving USGA handicaps. The WSCGA is licensed by the USGA to provide handicapping and course rating services.

Pacific WGA was founded in 1947 to promote the best interest of amateur golf for women. PWGA supports women golfers playing at public and semi-private courses in Northern California. In addition to funding several benevolent projects, we provide educational, competitive and social opportunities for our members.

Founded in 1899, the Women’s Metropolitan Golf Association is the second oldest women’s golf association in the U.S. and has a membership of 201 clubs and more than 2,300 individuals In Connecticut, New Jersey and New York. The WMGA annually conducts spring team matches and more than 30 competitions, including a USGA Championship qualifier.

Founded in 1934, San Diego County WGA is a nonprofit organization, chartered to promote, supervise and conduct competitive golf for SDCWGA members in accordance with the Rules of Golf of the USGA as modified by Local Rules determined by the Board of Directors.

The Women’s Oklahoma Golf Association began in 1915 at the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club with the goal of crowning a Women’s Oklahoma State Amateur. Its mission is to support, promote and grow the game of golf for women and junior girls in Oklahoma.

Founded in 1916, the Women’s Texas Golf Association encourages and promotes women's golf in Texas. We also raise funds for college scholarships and educate others about USGA rules.

We-Ko-Pa's Cholla course in Arizona.

6

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

I see these meetings as invaluable to the health of women’s golf. There’s no such thing as the typical association. We are all unique in at least some small way, and we all have something to learn from each other. In even the largest (with as many as 30,000 women), we depend heavily on volunteers who, because of our small staff sizes, play key roles in the daily management of our business. In many cases, all of the work to manage the associations and their programs is done by volunteers, with no paid staff.

There has long been an association for executive directors , the IAGA (International Association of Golf Administrators), that conducts an annual conference for staff members. We wanted our volunteers to get to participate in this sort of industry learning and networking experience. We needed to create an outlet for them to share successes and challenges and learn from each other. The WARM has opened up that avenue.

So what happens at these annual WARM events? The three-day meeting is full of group discussions, brainstorming sessions and evaluations of past projects. Participants share information about their methods of communication with their members, sponsorships to support their programs and services, publicity materials, educational programs, member benefits and charity tournaments. They also discuss tournament administration and sites, golfer development programs, long-range planning, board configuration and responsibilities, interaction with men’s associations, junior girls’ golf, annual meetings and membership campaigns. There

are speakers who teach best practices on board development, sponsorships cultivation and alternative revenue stream development.

Of course there’s a little fun too. This year we’re sandwiched between the Legends Tour event in the west valley, and the LPGA Founders Cup in the north valley, and there’s plenty of golf to be played in all corners of Arizona.

Over the years, the WARM has spawned a brand new organization, the Women’s Golf Alliance, which was incorporated in 2011 to make sure that the WARM continues and grows and that the grass roots leaders of women’s golf have the numbers, the visibility, and the voice they need to make their contribution to our game that they so passionately support.

If you missed this year’s WARM, it happens every March in Phoenix. Join our email list so you keep up with announcements on next year’s event.

In case you were wondering...What is the Women’s Golf Alliance?

Formed in 2009, the Women’s Golf Alliance represents 20 state and regional women’s golf associations comprised of 120,000 women golfers. Its goals are: to increase the voice and visibility of women golfers; to enhance the benefits and services provided by member associations; and to offer marketing, management and governance resources and tools for member associations, staff and boards.Who can join the Alliance?

The Alliance has various levels of membership. Please contact your local women’s golf association if you are interested in joining the Alliance.How can I get more information about the Alliance?

Go to www.womensgolfalliance.orgWhy am I receiving this magazine?

Because you are a member of a state or regional women’s golf association that belongs to the Alliance, you are entitled to receive a free copy of GottaGoGolf Magazine.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1