Eagle Golf, a Dallas-based golf management company, announces a new partnership with Women on Course (WOC), a national organization that provides high quality events which allow women to participate in the golf lifestyle in a warm, welcoming environment. WOC’s commitment to generate greater participation in the game through events and social engagements among women is in sync with Eagle Golf.

Eagle Golf saw this alliance as an opportunity to grow the game of golf and therefore reached out to Donna Hoffman, Founder and President of Women on Course, to form a partnership with preferred offerings for the WOC Members at Eagle Golf properties in cities with WOC communities such as Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Phoenix and more.

“I am impressed by the universal support Eagle Golf is providing to open their doors to welcome women into the golf lifestyle. Our partnership will allow us to provide our members with opportunities to play and learn where the focus is on friendships and fun,” Hoffman said.

According to the National Golf Foundation in 2009, 27.1 million people were playing golf. In 2010, that number dropped to 26.1 million. In fact, the number has declined over the past three years.

“It has always been our desire to introduce more women to the game of golf and increase the participation of those who already play or are looking to return to the game in a welcoming and non-intimidating environment,” said Joe Munsch, President and CEO of Eagle Golf. “We appreciate the approach Women on Course takes to engage women through all aspects of the golf lifestyle, including fashion, fitness, networking, socializing and usually, a glass of wine to end a day of fun.”

Women interested in learning more about Women on Course are invited to visit http://www.womenoncourse.com. Eagle Golf is excited about the positive future impact this venture will have on women becoming more involved in the game in addition to the existing Women’s Golf Associations, Ladies Play Days, Women’s Clinics, Ladies Lite Leagues and more.

About Eagle Golf
Evergreen Alliance Golf Limited, LP (Eagle Golf) is the sixth largest golf course management company in the United States and has been in operation for more than 28 years. The company provides a full suite of best in class golf course management services to 70 golf courses located in major metropolitan areas in 13 states around the country, including Dallas, Denver, Phoenix, and Chicago. The golf course portfolio that Eagle manages generates more than 3.5 million rounds of golf annually or close to 1% of the total rounds played in America every year. Eagle Golf’s portfolio includes 18 private country clubs and 52 properties that are either classified as premium or moderately priced daily fee golf courses, such as Ruffled Feathers in Lemont, Ill., Arrowhead Golf Course in Littleton, Colo., and the Cowboys Golf Club in Grapevine, Texas, which is the world’s only NFL-themed golf course.

Annika Sorenstam

For centuries, women have been fixtures in the game of golf. As the bruised economy slowly rebounds, the sport is gradually gaining momentum again—and a big part of that is due to the interest, skill, and enthusiasm of female players. Golf is a widely accessible activity, appealing to girls and women of all ages, races, body types, and occupations.

Which female golfers have helped to shape the sport? There are countless examples, but we’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite females to ever dominate the green.

10. Louise Suggs: Winner of the U.S. Open in 1994 with only 14 strokes, Suggs has walked away with 58 tour victories and 11 major championships in the 1940′s and 50′s. She is known for her quote: “Golf is very much like a love affair. If you don’t take it seriously, it’s no fun, but if you do, it breaks your heart. Don’t break your heart, but flirt with the possibility.”

9. Betsy King: After touring for seven years (1977-1983) without a single win, King went on to sweep the Women’s Kemper Open in 1984. Over the next five years, she garnered a total of 20 LGPA events. King is renowned for her position as the first career golfer to break the $5 million and $6 million earning markers.

8. Patty Berg: Winner of the very first Women’s Open in 1946, Berg was a professional golfer even before the founding of the LGPA Tour. She was then victorious in a record 15 major championships.

7. JoAnne Carner: Although Carner got somewhat of a late start—not going pro until her thirties—she went on to become a golf legend and to claim 43 tour victories. In 2004, 64-year-old Carner became the oldest player to make the cut at an LGPA tournament.

6. Karrie Webb: A member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, Web was one of the most famous female golfers of the late 90′s and early 2000′s. She has won seven major championships and holds world records.

5. Babe Didrikson Zaharias: After trying her hand at basketball, baseball, swimming, tennis, and an assortment of other sports, Zaharias took up golf. This sports hero won gold and silver Olympic medals in track and played in four PGA tournaments against men, making the cut in three. Zaharias was a co-founder of the LPGA.

4. Nancy Lopez: The forerunner of her contemporaries, Lopez won 48 tour victories in the 1970′s and 80′s. She’s known for her quote: “The simpler I keep things, the better I play.”

3. Mickey Wright: Winner of 82 tour victories and 13 major championship victories between 1956 and 1969, Wright is unarguably one of the sport’s highest-performing female players. She was quoted as saying, “When I play my best golf, I feel as if I’m in a fog, standing back watching the earth in orbit with a golf club in my hands.”

2. Kathy Whitworth: One of the top female golfers, Whitworth holds the record as winner of the most LGPA Tour events—in fact, she’s snagged more awards than any male golfer has won on any other tour.

1. Annika Sorenstam: Although Sorenstam doesn’t have as many wins as some of the other golfers on this list (she’s won 72 LPGA victories and 10 major championships), she takes our top spot because she earned those victories against some of the sport’s most competitive women players. Sorenstam is also credited with shooting the lowest round in LPGA history, tying Nancy Lopez for the longest LPGA winning streak and Mickey Wright for most wins in two consecutive seasons.

What do you think? Which female golfers would you add to the list?

Post provided by East Coast Golf Sales. We specialize in selling women’s only golf equipment including clubs, gloves, visors, crystal golf balls and all other ladies golf accessories.

 Get ready for a major dose of adorable!  A Women on Course friend found this  cute little fawn on the 11th hole at Steeplechase Golf Course in Mundelein, IL while looking for an out of bounds ball.  I can’t even imagine charming that would be.  I usually only find poison ivy and thorn bushes!!

Pack Your Summer Golf Bag

As temperatures soar this summer you may be temped to skip a few midday rounds of golf, but don’t miss out until fall.  As you stand over your July tee shot it’s easy to get distracted from your game.  With slippery hands from a fresh application of sunscreen, and those pesky gnats zooming around your head,  no wonder the ball is going anywhere but on target. With a little advance preparation, make your summer golf outing more enjoyable, and save a bundle buying last minute supplies in the pro shop. Every summer golf bag should be stocked with items to help keep you cool and comfortable during your round.  And speaking of bags, consider swapping out to a lightweight bag with a built in cooler for beverages.

 Sunscreen:  Never leave home without it!  It is recommended that you apply a sweat-resistant sunscreen for every hour in the sun.  Protected skin will feel cooler then burned skin.  Spray applicators will to keep your hands dry when you reapply.

 Spray Bottle/Portable Fan:  Create your own ‘beach effect’ with a small spray bottle and a hand-held battery-operated fan.  If you feel overheated, spritz some water into the fan and cool your face, arms and legs.

 Hats:  It’s amazing how much cooler a hat will make feel without the sun beating into your eyes and face.  For double duty comfort, spray a bit of Bug Repellant on the brim of your hat to ward of insects. 

 Hydration:  Be sure to drink plenty of water, which will be chilled if your golf bag has a handy cooler built in.  Sorry, alcoholic beverages don’t count as a hydration choice.  It is recommended to have at least one bottle of water for each alcoholic drink.

 Snacks:  Pack some light snacks such as water heavy fruits (grapes, watermelon, peaches) as well as nuts and energy bars to help keep you from feeling sluggish.  Be sure your trail mix is chocolate-free which will quickly melt in your golf bag.

 Umbrella:  Shady spots can be as much as 15 degrees cooler than the sun, and not all courses are lined with trees.  If you’re spending time walking or waiting on the course in the blazing sun, an umbrella will provide yourself some instant relief.

 Grip Lotion:  For an alternative to a hot leather glove, pack a bottle of a no sweat grip lotion.  Spray on your hand and it quickly turns powdery to give your hand a nice dry grip on your club.

 Make Your First On Course Experience Successful 

 Prepare and Prepare Again:  Many women do not realize all the rules, etiquette and skills necessary to have fun on the golf course.   The golf course (and your fellow players) expect you to have mastered a certain degree of knowledge and skill.  Be sure you have the appropriate equipment, basic knowledge of the game and hours logged at the practice range before you venture onto the course.

 Play Golf with a Mentor:  It seems so easy on the driving range, but once you get on the course there are layers of rules and etiquette expected of you.  Bring an experienced golfer to help you navigate the course and keep a proper pace of play.  Look for Women on Course Mentored ‘Nine & Wine’ Events (link to http://www.womenoncourse.com/events.php) which are designed to help golfers become course ready.

 Book a Late Afternoon Tee Time:  Summer means longer days and more available tee times.  Many courses offer lower ‘twilight rates’ when you book tee times in the late afternoon.  Not only will you save a few dollars, but typically courses are not as crowded so you might not have golfers playing right behind you, which can feel intimidating for the new golfer.

Bring a Dozen Golf Balls:  Not all new golfers realize that this game often requires more than one ball to play a round of golf!  Searching for lost balls and fishing them out of the water takes up valuable time.  Best to bring at least a dozen and hope for the best.

And I bet alot of you are too!  I asked Kevin Tanner, our wonderful contact at Golftec to give us some good advice on how to take our FABULOUS driving range game to the course.  AND, notice *WOMEN ON COURSE members, June is FREE LADIES GOLF LESSON MONTH @ GolfTEC-North Bethesda.  If you are interested in a FREE 30 Minute Lesson please contact us at 240-715-0291.

How to Take Your Range Game to the Course – Better Practice Habits by Kevin Tanner, PGA

If I had a dollar for every time that I heard someone tell me that their “range game” was better than their “golf course game” I would be a rich man.  In this BLOG I will cover a few tips that will help you take your game on the range to the course.

 In recent years there have been some great studies published about how individuals learn and acquire new skills.  The overall consensus is in order to learn a new skill faster you must RANDOM practice.  To keep things simple there are two main ways to train someone a new skill.  You can BLOCK practice; this is repeating the same technique over and over until the new skill is acquired.   Or, you can RANDOM practice; this is constantly changing the stimulus while trying to learn the new skill.  Let me explain a few examples.

In golfing terms, a form of BLOCK practice would be hitting a 7-iron at one target over and over trying to produce one specific result.  While, RANDOM practice would be never hitting the same club more and one time at any one target.  Here is an example of RANDOM practice, hit one shot with a 7-iron at the 130 yard target…switch clubs, hit a 9-iron at the 100 yard target…switch clubs, hit Driver and try to have it land in between two targets imagining that you are hitting it into a fairway…switch clubs hit a short pitch shot…etc., you get the idea.  It takes a great deal of patience and diligence to do this while practicing and if you can make it through a few RANDOM practice sessions you will quickly see a change in your consistency. 

Now there is definitely a place for both forms of training in the game of golf.  BLOCK practice is great when trying to understand a certain movement or understand the feeling you must have to accomplish a certain skill.  However, after you have the feeling it is time to start RANDOM practice!

So if you want to take your “range game” to the course, try RANDOM practice for a few weeks to start hitting the ball better and more consistent. 

 To round out the post today I will leave you with a few great quotes I have heard along the way, I don’t remember who said them but they have always resonated with me.           

 “Always practice with a purpose. “

  “Practice does not make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect.”

GolfTEC Certified Personal Coach
GolfTEC – North Bethesda
5056A Nicholson Lane
North Bethesda, MD 20876
www.golftec.com

Kevin is a PGA Teaching Professional at GolfTEC – North Bethesda , in Maryland.  For more information on lessons or club fitting contact Kevin at ktanner@golftec.com or call the Improvement Center (240) 277-3150.

Also check us out on Facebook – www.facebook.com/GolfTECMaryland

Every now and then I come across a description of something that is absolutely perfect.  I look at the sentences and think “there is no way this could ever be said more completely.” 

I had that experience when reading the Letters in the April 30, 2011 and June 15, 2011 issues of The Wine Spectator.  In April, Brock Harris discusses the pleasures of drinking wine and pens:  “….laughs get louder, stories get funnier and the nights get longer as the wine is shared.”

In the June 15 issue, a writer responds to Mr. Harris’ description and adds “…..Feelings get stronger, friendships are formed and memories are made over bottles of wine.”

I love both of these and it struck me how true they are.  I have so many memories of wonderful wonderful times while enjoying a glass of wine.

Leanne Rimes hits it on the head when she sings  “….Every girl needs a good friend and a glass of wine.”  In an interview Helen Mirren was asked what she most values in her friends.  Her answer was “Their ability to open a bottle of wine.”

Like a lot of people, I love wine with food.  I also love wine with a good TV show, a beautiful evening on the deck, after a bad day at work, after a good day at work, in a large group and by myself.  But I love wine the most with my closest friends. Popping the cork, clinking our glasses together and just settling into some good conversation.  

P.S.  And can I tell you how many of these good feelings and friendships Mirassou wine has contributed to at WOC events! THANK YOU!