ON THE FIRST TEE...
With Nick Dietzen
Strategic Plan Guides
Montana’s Golf Future
The Montana State Golf Association (MSGA) has been quietly and steadfastly working towards collaborating and strategically determining a forward-looking approach to serving all members in Montana.
Over 20,000 passionate, dedicated golfers are members of the Montana State Golf Association. Golf in Montana has seen a meaningful uptick in participation, spurred partly by the pandemic and international trends favoring golf, but it has also been sustained locally thanks to talented staff, beautiful vistas and our desire to recreate when the conditions allow for it and even sometimes when they don’t (as our Senior Tour Members proved through their hardiness this spring).
Our growing membership deserves increased
benefits including diverse playing opportunities and information to help grow our beloved sport in Montana.
Thanks to two mergers and dedicated leadership working through the administrative work to achieve a common goal of a stronger association of members – our golf community.
Over the past two years, the MSGA Board of Directors and MSGA staff have communicated and asked and surveyed our members
- 406GOLF - SEPTEMBER 1, 2024
MSGA Board President Mary Bryson, left, with MSGA Executive Director Nick Dietzen.
and partners to help determine the most important goals and objectives in the coming 3-5 years to keep our golf community thriving.
This past year, the MSGA has dedicated resources, volunteer efforts and countless hours to build a plan that can be implemented through the next several years to continue to steward the game and serve the membership.
Thank you to all members, board members, volunteers and staff for their dedication and passion in creating the MSGA’s Strategic Plan for the next five years.
Our president and MSGA Hall of Famer, Mary Bryson, has penned a letter to our membership, which you will find on the next page. Special thank you to Mary for spearheading our planning work and for providing guidance as we move forward. The entire MSGA family will be working diligently to realize our aspirations in the coming years.
We hope you are excited as we are and if you are – continue being an involved member of our family or reach out to us or your local MSGA Member Club and find a way to contribute to this game we all love.
MSGA ABOUT US
BOARD OF DIRECTORS - OFFICERS
PRESIDENT................................. Mary Bryson
VICE PRESIDENT....................... Peter Benson
TREASURER..................................... Bill Dunn
PAST PRESIDENT........................... Carla Berg
WOMEN’S CHAIR...................... Teresa Brown
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Russ Cravens, Bill Dunn, Ron Ramsbacher, Brett Bennyhoff, Teresa Brown, Rod Stirling, Mary Bryson, Sparkey McLean, Tracy Paine, Karen Rice, Joe Rossman, Peter Benson, Lisa Forsberg, Marcia Hafner, Carla Berg, Cheri Ellis
MSGA STAFF
Executive Director......................................... Nick Dietzen Tournament Director...................................... Tim Bakker Communcations Coordinator.......................... Ty Sparing
Operations Manager............................. Michael Williams
Membership Operations Director............... Emily Hulsey Online Support................................................. Ian Hulsey
Graphic Design & Content Coordinator......... Katie Fagg
USGA Boatwright Intern............................... Josh Austin
USGA Boatwright Intern................................. Jess Miller
USGA Boatwright Intern.......................... Cora Rosanova
PARTNERSHIPS
406GOLF STAFF
Dietzen
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1 (800) 628-3752 www.msgagolf.org
Greetings!
As the golf season winds down and we enter Montana’s gorgeous fall-golfing season, I want to share with you some exciting news. As many of you know, a year ago the MSGA Board of Directors embarked on a strategic planning process to set a vision and adopt guideposts for the association in the coming years. Our intent is to grow our membership, improve our core services and increase the value and benefits that we provide to our members. We contracted with an experienced firm in the golf industry to assist us in the process. I’m happy to report that we have adopted a Strategic Plan for the Montana State Golf Association. Our vision for the future is “To be the recognized leader of golf in Montana.” To get there we have established core values and strategic pillars. Our core values – fundamental beliefs that will drive our approach and behavior in connecting with you and providing services are:
Community (Family); Respect; Integrity, Service; and Progress.
More detail on the foundation of those values is included in the plan. Our Strategic Pillars include:
Management & Staffing; Partnerships; Membership; Service, Programs and Tournaments; Finance; and Governance.
Our Strategic Plan is a living document that we will review and adjust it as necessary over the next five years. I am pleased to share our strategic plan with you. I invite you to CLICK HERE or go to the MSGA website to view the plan in greater detail.
Thank you for supporting the MSGA and its programs.
Mary Bryson, President MSGA Board of Directors
SEAN RAMSBACHER WINS 38TH MONTANA STATE MEN’S MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
BY NICK DIETZEN MSGA Executive Director
A warm third and final round of the 38th Montana State Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship at The Ranch Club in Missoula saw a local scorch the scoreboard, as Sean Ramsbacher won by four strokes to claim the victory. There were twelve golfers coming into the final day within three strokes of the lead, but Missoula’s Ramsbacher caught fire immediately and never looked back on his way to his first Mid-Amateur title.
Ramsbacher, who is a former standout golfer for Montana Tech, got the birdie train going early, carding five during his first nine holes (1, 4, 5, 7, 9) to go out in 31 (-5), which put some distance from the rest of the field going into the back nine. He didn’t let up either with birdies on holes 12 and 16 and even added an eagle on 17 to put the tournament out of reach. His -7 (65) was the lowest individual round of the tournament and put him at 209 (-7) overall over the three days, winning by four strokes over second place. This is the second Montana State title for Ramsbacher, having won the Montana State Four-Ball competition with Kade McDonough last year at the Missoula Country Club.
Coming into the third day in a tie for first place, Helena’s Nicholas Balcken was one of
the few in the field who kept the pressure on Ramsbacher, finishing the day at -2 (70) and in second place at 213 (-3). The Bill Roberts Club Champion had a consistent round with three birdies (holes 2, 7, 17) and just one bogey, finishing as just one of two golfers to finish all three rounds under par.
Tied for third place at even par were Deer Lodge’s Blake Levell and Missoula’s Adam Escobar. Levell had a +1 (73) over the final round and notched three birdies (holes 2, 7, 17). Escobar meanwhile shot even par (72) the last day with birdies on holes 7, 12, 17, and finishing his round in style with a final birdie on 18.
In fifth place at +1 was MSGA Hall of Famer Bill Dunn, who had a final round of 73 with birdies on holes 7 and 12.
Tied for sixth place at +2 was Missoula’s Sam Boyd and West Glacier’s Blake Reifsnyder. Boyd had a final round of 72 that included birdies on holes 1, 2, 9, 12, 18 and he even added an eagle on hole 17. Reifsnyder meanwhile had two birdies on the day (9, 17) and finished the round at +1 (73).
At +3, Libby’s Jonny Cielak and Big Fork’s Joseph Potkonjak tied for eighth place.
Rounding out the top ten at +4 was a fourway tie between Missoula’s Jason Chesbro
and Logan Iverson, Helena’s Dorn Brown, and Whitefish’s Shawn Tucker.
Missoula Country Club won The Gene Cook Cup which is awarded to a club based on the top two scoring players from each club, during each round. Sean Ramsbacher, Bill Dunn and Bob Hasquet all contributed to the victory for Missoula Country Club.
The Joe Tomes award which recognizes the lowest score for players age 50 and over went to Bill Dunn who won it by nine strokes.
The Dick Pittman Award which is given
to the lowest score went to Ramsbacher who made 7 birdies including an up and down from a fairway bunker on hole 16 and on hole 17, Ramsbacher stuck a seven-iron from 213 to within a foot for a tap-in eagle on hole 17 en route to his 65 and walking away with the Bill Dunn Trophy for the 38th Mid-Amateur Championship.
Note: The final leaderboard can be found online at www.msgagolf.org as well as through the Golf Genius App via GGID: 24MSGAMIDAM
Missoula's Sean Ramsbacher caught fire in the final round of the Mid-Amateur Championship, shooting -7 (65) to win by four strokes.
1. Who introduced you to golf?
My parents introduced me to golf at a very young age. I think the first time I was out on the golf course was age 3.
2. Who influenced you the most in your golf life?
Joe Cielak was the one that taught me more of the fundamentals of golf. There was a group of people that played everyday at 11:30 in Libby though that were truly the group of people that made me really love golf.
3. What is your favorite part about being the Head Golf Coach at University of Montana? What’s your favorite part about being a teaching professional at the Ranch Club in Missoula?
My favorite part about coach at the U of M is getting the ability to work with young talented golfers and help them improve their golf games but also help them figure out the growing pains that can be associated with this new stage in their lives.
My favorite part of teaching at the Ranch Club are the relationships that I have formed with members and other staff members at RC that will last a lifetime.
4. Outside of Ranch Club, what is your favorite course in Montana and why?
My favorite course to go back and play because of all of the memories in Cabinet View Golf Course.
If we are looking for more of the destination type course that I really enjoy to go play when I get a day off it would have to be Rock Creek Cattle Company.
5. What is a dream golf course you’d like to play once?
Augusta National Golf Club.
6. What is your dream celebrity foursome (living or deceased)? Why would you choose them?
Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, and Jack Nicklaus. They are three of my favorite athletes of all time and it would be a blast to get to pick their brain on how they handle the pressure situations associated with their sports.
Montana Athletics
7. What’s your most memorable moment on a golf course?
It would have to tie between winning the conference championship at Carroll my senior year and our team getting to go to nationals, and playing in my first professional tournament, the Montana Open, with my Grandpa on the bag and being lucky enough to win.
8. If you could change one thing about the game of golf what would it be?
If I could change one thing about golf it would be making it more available to everyone.
Today golf is getting very expensive so it can limit some of the people that get a chance to play the game.
9. What advice would you give to beginner golfers?
Golf is really hard. The best players in the world will go through major struggles at some point in time so keep your head down and keep grinding.
Bonus: Lay up or go for it?
Depends on what the situation calls for!
1. Who introduced you to golf?
We lived on Lake Hills in Billings, so both my parents would play and I would mess around on the course at night when no one was playing. I also played with my Uncle Rick and Grandpa Lewis
2. Who influenced you the most in your golf life?
Both of my parents were my rock and support always. My high school Coach Charlie was also a very big support person for me.
3. What is your favorite part about being the Head Golf Coach at Montana State University?
I love being a part of the ladies growth process as incoming freshman till they graduate, seeing the friendships they build over their time at MSU and the competitive fire they display of being a D1 athlete.
4. What is your favorite course in Montana and why?
I love Old Works - the scenery of the area and the Black Slag
5. What is a dream golf course you’d like to play once?
Pebble Beach Golf Links.
6. What is your dream celebrity foursome (living or deceased)? Why would you choose them?
I don’t really have a celebrity 4 some that comes to mind, but my immediate thought I would love to tee it up with now would be my Uncle Rick (passed), Grandpa Lewis (passed) and my dad (living) and my son Jackson (living). I would love to watch these 4 guys play together. I would choose them because they are/ were fun amazing men, who love/loved to have fun on the golf course.
7. What’s your most memorable moment on a golf course?
My dad caddying for me in the 1995 U.S. Open in Colorado, played at the Broadmoor.
8. If you could change one thing about the game of golf what would it be?
I don’t think I would change anythinggolf is unique, and very hard.
9. What advice would you give to beginner golfers?
Have fun, golf is a GAME, and enjoy being outside!
Bonus: Lay up or go for it?
Me – I am going for it. lol
Montana State Athletics
MONTANA COLLEGE GOLF PREVIEW
BY TY SPARING MSGA Communications Coordinator
The Montana college golf season is about to start and here at the MSGA we are excited to follow along as the next nine months will showcase some of the best golfers in the state. Over the last few years fans have witnessed a rise in expectations across the board, from the Frontier Conference to the Big Sky Conference to the MSU-Billings men’s and women’s golfers who compete in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC). With an abun-
dance of collegiate talent littered throughout the state, last season saw records broken and tournaments won, and this year figures to be no different.
BIG SKY CONFERENCE
In the realm of the Big Sky Conference, both the University of Montana and Montana State University’s golf teams are bringing back much of their rosters, and some exciting recruits. Both squads are looking to build off of last year’s progress and they’ll have ambitions of ending up within the top tier of the conference.
Montana State University star Lauren Greeny is the reigning back-to-back Montana State Amateur Champion.
Montana State finished second at the conference championships back in 2023, and fourth last year, and with a talented and experienced roster coming back they have what it takes to win the Big Sky title this year. All-Conference golfers Scarlet Weidig and Lauren Greeny are set to lead the team in 2024-25, coming in probably as confident as ever. This past June, Weidig won the Montana State Match Play title for the second time in a row, while Greeny successfully defended her Montana State Amateur crown with a win at the Butte Country Club in late July.
Along with Weidig and Greeny, Eva Heinz and Maddie Montoya are coming back and all four golfers finished last season in the top eight for individual scoring averages in program history—broken records being something of a theme for the Bobcats these last few years. That will be the expectation again this year, especially considering MSU’s most recent addition Becca Tschetter, a graduate transfer from Grand Canyon University who finished runner-up at the 2024 WAC Championships. Head Coach Brittany Basye has done a great
job in recruiting talented athletes and leading one of the most competitive teams in the Big Sky Conference.
On the other side of the state, the University of Montana golf team will play its first full season under new Head Coach, Jimmy Mee. Mee – a Libby native and Hall of Fame golfer at Carroll College – had served as an Assistant Coach for four years before taking over head duties last January after longtime coach Kris Nord retired. After a strong finish last year, Mee has injected some energy into the program and has the team feeling confident going into the 2024-25 season.
The Griz will miss the leadership of outgoing senior Tricia Joyce but are otherwise bringing back much of last year’s roster. Sophomore Elle Higgins is a name to watch coming off a strong freshman season. She showed the entire conference what she’s capable of after firing a 68 in the first round of the Big Sky Conference Championship last year which had her in first place by two strokes going into day two. Also coming back are the Ports sisters, Raina and Hannah, along with senior Kylie Franklin, all
University of Montana sophomore Elle Higgins is a player to watch after a strong freshman season in Missoula.
of whom had a solid summer of competition around Montana. Raina Ports was an All-Conference recipient last spring and this summer won the 4th of July tournament in Whitefish. Her sister Hannah placed second in Whitefish and later tied for fourth at the Montana State Women’s Amateur in Butte. Franklin meanwhile tied for second at the Women’s Amateur.
UM will also have two incoming freshmen on the team that could make an impact. Anna Stensrud kept with family tradition (her dad Kelly was a Running Back for UM on the 1995 title winning team) and signed with her hometown university, while Billings’ Bella Johnson will travel a bit westward. Johnson is a twotime Class AA state champion for the Billings West Golden Bears and will look for similar results as a Grizzly.
FRONTIER CONFERENCE
It's been a little confusing with the Frontier
Conference lately as they joined forces with the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) for the final tournament last year to ensure an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championships. They will do so again this year but coming in 2025-26 the Frontier Conference will add several teams from the North Star Athletic Association, most of whom are from North Dakota. This will offer the Frontier Conference an automatic bid to the National Championships, rather than having to continue collaborating with the RRAC.
Regardless of conference alignment, it’s been all about the Rocky Mountain Battlin’ Bears for a while now, as the women’s team has won six of the last seven Frontier Conference titles, while the men’s team has ended up in the top spot for seven years straight. Both teams have been nationally ranked in recent years and both are loaded with talent.
On the women’s side for RMC they’ll be looking to make up for the loss of All-Amer-
All-Conference star Grace Metcalf will be one of Rocky Mountain College's leaders this coming season.
ican golfer Valentina Zuleta, who after three years dominating at Rocky transferred to D-1 Utah Valley University. Nevertheless, with plenty of depth on the roster they come in ranked 22nd nationally and will remain the team to beat in the Frontier Conference. All-Conference golfers Grace Metcalf, Kadence Fischer and Tyla Potgieter are all returning this year and each one of them could wind up as the conference player of the year. Metcalf, who placed second at the conference tournament last season, happened to spend her summer as a P.J. Boatwright Intern for Washington Golf, a fellow Allied Golf Association. She’ll enter the season more informed about golf than ever!
RMC’s men’s team will likely remain the frontrunners this year as well, with All-Conference golfers Jared Smith, Jake Johnson, Aidan McDonagh and William Dexheimer all returning. At last year’s shared conference tournament with the Red River Athletic Conference,
Jared Smith finished in third place and Jake Johnson finished in eighth place, as they were the only two Frontier Conference golfers to end up in the top ten.
Although the Battlin’ Bears have dominated the conference for a few years now, both Montana Tech teams are coming into this season more determined than ever to grab the crown for themselves. Returning for the men’s team are All-Conference golfers Joe Opitz, J.R. Small, and Gabe Witham. Sophomore Tyler Avery, a two-time Montana State Junior Champion (2020, 2023) will also be a name to watch after a successful freshman season that included Frontier Conference Golfer of the Week honors after winning the Yellowjacket Fall Invite in Billings.
Montana Tech’s women’s team likewise returns many key golfers this year, with All-Conference golfers Samantha Benson, Emma Woods, and Kodie Hoagland coming
Two-time Montana State Junior Champion Tyler Avery will look to build on a stellar freshman season at Montana Tech.
back for another year of competition. At last year’s Frontier Conference/Red River Athletic Conference tournament Benson was the only non-RMC Frontier Conference golfer to crack the top ten, having finished in a tie for 8th place. Woods meanwhile has finished in the top ten at the Montana State Women’s Amateur Championship four years in a row, having ended up tied for sixth this past summer.
The Carroll College women’s team will miss the presence of All-Conference golfer Katie Fagg, who graduated last year, but a large recruiting class will help alleviate her absence. Sophomore Celi Chapman, a Class B state titlist for Jefferson High School, will look to step into the leadership role following an impressive freshman season for the Saints.
The Saints men’s team also had an historically large recruiting class that will no doubt shake the travel rosters up a touch. Caleb Spangler, JT Slivinski and TJ Fierling all provided a spark for Carroll at points last year and will return for another year.
The University of Providence golf teams are young and looking to make some headway in the Frontier Conference. On the women’s side sophomores Zoie Ceartin, Kylie Henderson, and Sophia Leduc added some valuable experience last year having all competed in the conference championships. They will come into this season ready and determined to climb the leaderboards.
On the men’s team the entire roster that traveled to the conference championships will return. Sophomore Colby Friedrich finished in the top half of the field last year, and along with Jake Henderson, Dutch Teders, and JP Briney, the Argos come into the 2024-25 season with most of last year’s roster intact. Like with the women’s team, the men’s golfers are shaping up to be a competitive team this year.
GREAT NORTHWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
The MSU-Billings Yellowjackets in some
Jake Henderson will be part of a University of Providence Men's team that returns its entire conference tournament roster this season.
ways have a lot of pressure as the lone Montana school in not only the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, but in all of Division II. They certainly represent the Treasure State well on the golf side of things as both men’s and women’s teams continue to be very competitive, and getting better with strong classes of recruits these last few years.
The men’s team dazzled at last year’s GNAC championships with a third-place finish, their best overall showing since MSU-B entered the conference in 2007. The only unfortunate thing as it pertains to this season is that all five of the golfers who competed on last year’s roster have graduated. Nevertheless, a strong recruiting class that included former Glacier High standout Trey Engellent will have an
immediate impact this season.
The Yellowjacket women had the injury bug for much of last year, but if given a healthy team this year they could no doubt make some waves in the GNAC. Orraya Tipasathien is back and looking to improve upon a freshman season that saw her tie the all-time MSU-B scoring average. Tatum York-Bement, a senior who finished as the top MSU-B golfer at the GNAC tournament will also be back, along with Meilyn Armstrong and the Adams’ sisters Hannah and Haylee.
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Stay tuned to the MSGA Newsletter and social media for updates throughout the 2024-25 college golf season!
Big things area expected from sophomore Orraya Tipasathien, who tied the all-time MSU-Billings scoring average last season as a freshman.
2024 GOLF HANDICAP EXPLAINER SERIES
BY EMILY HULSEY MSGA Director of Membership Operations
The USGA has created 14 short videos to help golfers get the most out of their Handicap Index®. Whether you're new to the game of golf, new to keeping a Handicap Index, or even if you're more experienced, these videos help to clarify common misconceptions about a handicap.
Each video is a minute or less and covers these topics:
• Getting Started with a Handicap Index®
• Acceptable/Unacceptable Scores
• Using Your Course Handicap™
• Maximum Hole Score
• Knowing Your Target Score
• Handicap Allowances
• Playing Handicap™ Explained
• Knowing Where your Strokes Fall
• Hole Started but not Completed
• When a Hole or Hole(s) are not Played
• Treatment of 9-hole Scores
• Importance of Posting Scores on the Day of Play
• Calculation of a Score Differential
• Handicap Index Calculation
MSGA PARTNERS WITH YOUTH ON COURSE
BY JESS MILLER USGA PJ BOATWRIGHT JR. INTERN
The Montana State Golf Association is thrilled to announce a new partnership with Youth on Course, an organization dedicated to making golf more accessible and affordable for young golfers. Through this partnership, MSGA members aged 6-18 will have the opportunity to play rounds of golf at participating courses for just $5 or less.
Youth on Course is a national program that provides youth with affordable access to golf, aiming to build a lifelong love for the game while teaching important life skills. This collaboration aligns perfectly with the MSGA's mission to grow the game of golf in Montana by fostering the next generation of golfers.
Currently, several courses across Montana have already joined the Youth on Course program, offering young golfers the chance to experience the sport at a reduced cost. Among the participating courses are:
• Cottonwood Hills: 72 rounds
• King Ranch GC: 574 rounds
• Madison Meadows GC: 20 rounds
• Polson Bay Olde Nine: 139 rounds
• University of Montana GC: 324 rounds
These courses have seen a significant number of rounds played by Youth on Course members, demonstrating the impact this program can have in promoting youth participation in golf. As we continue to expand this initiative, we encourage more courses to join and help us in our mission to make golf accessible to all.
We also want to extend an invitation to courses across Montana that are interested in joining this movement. Becoming a Youth on Course partner is a fantastic way to support the growth of golf among youth and to welcome the next generation of golfers to your course. If you are a course operator and would like to learn more about how you can get involved, please reach out to the MSGA. Together, we can make a lasting impact on the future of golf in Montana.
For more information on Youth on Course and how to get involved, please visit our website or contact the MSGA office. Let's work together to grow the game we love!
TEAM MONTANA CAPTURES MONDAK CROSS BORDER CUP IN SIDNEY
BY BENJI BERG SPECIAL TO THE MSGA
Sidney Country Club played host to the first annual MonDak Cross Border Cup matches, contested August 16-17. Montana got off to a great start and gained the early momentum in the Friday afternoon 4-ball format to lead 3.5 to 1.5 on the strength of Sidney Country Club PGA professional Marcus Mayer's course record 64.
North Dakota closed the gap in Saturday morning's alternate shot with Montana leading 5.5 to 4.5. Team Montana bounced back with a dominant performance in the afternoon singles match to win the cup 12.5 to 7.5.
Four of the Montana players went 3-0 in their matches: Bryan McDowell, Kraig Balcer, Adam Smith and Jordan Mayer. Marcus Mayer was voted the MVP by both teams and is shown wearing the MVP belt in the photo below.
MONTANA STATE BOBCATS SIGN TALENTED GRADUATE TRANSFER
BY TY SPARING MSGA Communications Coordinator
The Montana State University golf team added some depth to an already talented roster recently with the signing of graduate transfer Becca Tschetter.
Tschetter is moving up to Bozeman after spending four years with the Grand Canyon University Lopes, where she finished her career as runner-up at the 2024 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Championships.
The Bobcats are entering this season with
high expectations and Tschetter will add even more competition to a roster that’s already been breaking records these last couple of years. Her 2022-23 scoring average of 75.18 would have placed her fourth all-time in the Montana State record books behind teammates Scarlet Weidig and Lauren Greeny.
An All-WAC golfer with four years of experience will certainly change up the Big Sky Conference leaderboards this upcoming season, and for Bobcat fans it’s just one more reason to get excited for another year of college golf.
All-WAC Grand Canyon University graduate transfer Becca Tschetter will add to an already talented roster at Montana State University.
Montana State Athletics
WOMEN LEADERS AT STATE GOLF ASSOCIATIONS COULD BE KEY FOR GROWING THE WOMEN'S GAME
BY KEELY LEVINS GOLF DIGEST ASSISTANT EDITOR
We’re in the midst of an important time for women’s golf. According to a National Golf Foundation study, about 7 million women played golf on a golf course in 2023. That many women haven’t been on-course since before the economic collapse in 2007. Since 2019, the net number of female golfers has gone up 25 percent. This post-pandemic women’s golf boom is exciting. But it begs the question: Will all of these new female golfers keep playing golf in the long term? Of course, we hope that answer is “yes.”
And there’s a trend in state golf associations that could be key in keeping more women engaged with the game.
A role – it has different names by state but is generally director of women’s golf – is being implemented and expanded at golf associations throughout the country. The role’s purpose is to have one person solely focused on women’s tournaments and programs. And importantly, women are being hired into these roles.
Sidney Overman is the manager of women’s competitions and programs for the Chicago District Golf Association. She’s the first person to hold the role and started in September 2023. She was interviewing for a different job within the CDGA, but when her interviewer heard her passion for women’s golf, the role was created for her.
“I think the biggest thing is trying to figure out what women golfers are really looking for,” Overman said. There’s only one way to accomplish that: Overman is talking to women who play golf.
“I came to this job wanting to do focus groups and really hear from women golfers,” Overman said. “I think my role is filling the gap of just having that point person to spearhead these initiatives.”
This idea of having a point person for women’s golf at the state level is something others in roles similar to Overman’s talked about.
“Having a direct line to the players is huge, especially in the women’s game,” said Ryanne
Sidney Overman
Haddow, the director of women’s golf for the Florida State Golf Association. (Florida has had a director of women’s golf position for several years, though Haddow is new to the position.) “Having somebody that’s tailored to the women’s side specifically, you get to listen to the players. You get to hear what they like and what they don’t like.”
It can be anything from what they want as tee gifts, to what types of events they want to see. The line of communication is clear, and the players are appreciative of that.
“If you don’t really have those specialized roles, I think sometimes you kind of get pingponged around potentially to different people. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, but it’s nice just having that singular point person to really just help them out and see what they need,” Haddow said.
One of the key questions the directors of women’s golf are looking to answer is: Everyone has competing priorities. How can we make it easy for them to choose golf?
It’s a complicated job, because the variety of female golfers is wide. You have junior golfers who are either learning the game through youth clinics or competing in the championships. You have women 21-49 who are juggling careers and families. And then there is the senior group, which includes women who are retired and others who are not.
The juniors are probably the easiest group to manage.
“The younger generation of women golfers or junior golfers are enthusiastic; they’re engaged; they want to play,” said Holly Noble, the women’s golf manager for the Minnesota Golf Association. “So, it’s finding those opportunities for them as well and recognizing that’s going to continue to trickle up into our mid-amateurs and then into the seniors.”
An interesting quandary appears in the senior group, with some of the women still following the hours of a workweek and others being retired. If events are during the week, women who are working might not be able to
Ryanne Haddow
take the time off to play. If hosting on the weekend, courses might not have the time to give.
“How do we create championship-level golf that is accessible and available to the populations that are willing to play, and then how do we grow it in the state as well?” Noble said in framing the challenge.
Within that group, there also are less competitive players who aren’t interested in strokeplay championships. Haddow has found net events to be hugely popular, allowing more accessibility to a wider range of players.
More perplexing than how to serve the seniors, however, is the mid-am group. “That one demographic has eluded us all,” the FSGA’s Haddow said.
“It seems that women don’t find the time to take time off, or they don’t feel they can,” the CDGA’s Overman said. “So, it’s really trying to figure out ‘what can I do’ and create events maybe after work or just for a couple of hours, not a whole day of playing 18 holes.”
It can be hard for mid-am women to find the time to get to the golf course themselves, let alone with other female players of a similar
Holly Noble
age. The challenge has been to create events that are a smaller time commitment than an 18-hole round, played at a convenient time of day, and fun for a range of abilities.
Haddow has run LinkUp events for 21-49-year-olds, with players paying a small fee to get a beverage, engage in either a clinic
or play a nine-hole scramble, and earn prizes. It’s a relatively small time commitment in a casual environment, taking place after work. She has run six of them and saw enough success to do another six this fall.
“We’re trying to get them engaged and out and break that stigma around going to the golf course and just have a lot of fun and get to meet new people in their area the same age trying to have similar interests,” Haddow said.
The question of how to engage more women in golf won’t be answered overnight. But in this moment in golf, with well-funded director of women’s golf roles and motivated women inhabiting them, there is intention.
“Everyone’s been focusing on men’s golf since it started,” Overman said. “There’s so many more men that play golf, at least that we know about. And so, the focus always goes there, and then women’s golf is kind of an afterthought.”
Now, women’s golf is the priority for people in positions of power at the state level. And that is how real growth can happen.
The R&A's Women in Golf Leadership Development Programme is an initiative designed to support and aid future female leaders.
R&A
TEMPER EXPECTATIONS FOR NEW TURF
BY BRIAN GIETKA USGA AGRONOMIST - EAST REGION
Golf course renovation work has been common throughout the country over the past couple of years. While these projects are exciting, and in many cases long overdue, the young turf can decline during summer. Throughout the Northeast, the temperatures and humidity have been high for many weeks.
In my recent travels, a common theme has been renovated areas that are struggling. Golfers have regularly asked during USGA Course Consulting Service visits: “Why did this new grass die out so fast?” The answer is likely that the turf was simply not strong enough just yet for traffic
and this summer’s highly stressful weather.
The follow-up question is usually, “What did we do wrong? We don’t want to invest in another project if this is the outcome!” Chances are that nothing was installed incorrectly. The new turf – whether seeded or sodded –just needed more time to establish and mature before being subjected to traffic and the rigors of summer.
Compounding the problem is that during renovations heavy equipment often moves a large volume of soil around, heavily compacts it and disturbs soil structure. Young turf will struggle to grow deep, robust roots in these areas. The newly renovated areas may look great during good growing weather, so it is common
USGA
This newly renovated bunker looks great, but the sodded area in the fairway hasn’t been given enough time to establish and is struggling.
to allow cart traffic and routine mowing before the turf is fully ready.
When the weather becomes stressful and new turf has not developed enough to perform like mature areas, turf decline or even death can result. While time is necessary to establish newly renovated areas, there are a few tactics to help move things along.
• Durability, density and overall quality of new turf will not improve without nitrogen, but keep it light and frequent.
• Reduce traffic on immature turf.
• Eliminate plant growth regulators on newly established areas.
Click Here for more from the USGA Green Section Record ‒including the latest articles and videos on sustainable management practices that produce better playing conditions for better golf.
• Disrupt any sod layers or organic matter accumulation with cultural practices.
• Aerate to improve water infiltration and gas exchange.
• Fracture deep in the profile with solid tines or linear decompactors prior to seeding or sodding.
The more you can do to bolster turf health in renovated areas this year, the better off you will be next season. Keep this in mind for future renovations as well. Your regional USGA agronomist is a great resource to help improve turf health and playability while tempering golfer expectations for newly renovated areas.
USGA
Putting green collars receive constant abuse and often experience turf issues, but there are steps you can take to get better performance.
