Is it spring yet? What is all this white stuff that keeps falling from the sky just when we’re ready to make the change? Never fear, eventually it will be mud season and that means Vermont golf season isn’t far behind! Lots of information this month to whet your golfing appetite, so read on!
LOTTERY EVENTS
After so much stress trying to register for the most popular events last year, we’ve decided to take a different approach that we hope will be fairer: sign ups for the four most popular courses will be done by lottery. This is a pure lottery system, which means there is no rush to be the first person registered since everyone signed up at first will be ‘pending’ until the lottery drawing. The courses are:
- 4/30 Burlington
- 5/14 Stowe
- 7/23 Rutland
- 9/3 Vermont National
The registration for lottery events will also have different closing dates than the non-lottery events, i.e., they will close a week earlier than usual. If there is an alternate event that week, we will wait to open registration for that event until AFTER the lottery event closes and the lottery field has been drawn.
For example, Stowe (lottery) and Lake St. Catherine are on the same day in May. Registration would unfold like this:
4/26: Registration for Stowe opens
5/6: Registration for Stowe closes; lottery run; we let everyone know if they are confirmed or waitlisted.
5/7 7am: Registration opens for Lake St. Catherine
5/13: Registration closes for both Stowe and Lake St. Catherine
This will allow you plenty of time to register for the lottery event. If you get in, woohoo! If you don’t, then you can register the next day for Lake St. Catherine, ensuring that you’ll have a course to play that week and giving everyone a fair shot at registering and selecting the tee time they want. Note that for two of the lottery events (Burlington and Vermont National) there is not even another competing event that week. Your credit card will not be charged unless you are selected by the lottery.
ARE YOU A NEW(ISH) MEMBER?
A training on zoom for new members is scheduled for Tuesday, April 9 from 5:30–7:00 pm. All are welcome! If you joined VSWGA part way through the 2023 season, we recommend you attend for a chance to learn more and ask questions live.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88636156728
Meeting ID: 886 3615 6728
One tap mobile: +13052241968,,88636156728# US
ARE YOU AN OLD(ISH) MEMBER LEARNING NEW(ISH) TRICKS?
Club Reps, join us on Thursday, April 11 from 5:00–6:30 pm for a Club Rep refresher where new 2024 procedures will be reviewed. You will be receiving a Zoom invitation via email along with a link to review the presentation on your own. Another training for Scoring is scheduled for Wednesday, May 1 from 5:30–6:30pm.
HONOR ROLL
Thank you to VSWGA members Beth McDougall, Jayne Magnant, and Dana Cassidy who have stepped up to serve as Club Reps for Blush Hill, St. Johnsbury, Mountainview, and Northfield!
OTHER TWEAKS OF NOTE
Popular Courses Price Increase
Small increase (only $5) in price of the large field (i.e., most popular) courses is to cover the extra administrative work it takes to manage these events (e.g., adjusting registrations, pairings, processing cancellations, etc.). If it also means that the ‘runner up’ course that is scheduled opposite the ‘Ms. Popular’ course gets a few more players, well that’s a good thing too isn’t it?
Major Tournament Eligibility
We made a few changes to the Major tournament eligibility to help ensure Vermont Majors are for those who play in our fine green state. To participate in any VSWGA Major Championship Tournament, all players must be a member in good standing of the VSWGA. In addition, all players must meet one of the following criteria:
Vermont Resident*
Any amateur golfer, as of the first day of the tournament, who is a legal resident of Vermont and is a member in good standing of a member club** of the Vermont State Women’s Golf Association, has an active GHIN handicap issued by a VSWGA member club and has posted a minimum of 10 rounds of golf in the last 12 months at any VSWGA member club.
OR:
Non-Vermont Resident
Any amateur golfer, as of the first day of the tournament, who is not a legal resident of the State of Vermont, but has been a member in good standing of a Vermont State Women’s Golf Association member club** for at least three years, has an active GHIN handicap issued by a VSWGA member club and has posted a minimum of 10 rounds of golf in the last 12 months at any VSWGA member club.
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*Legal residency is defined as the place of primary residence. Often this is determined by where the person is registered to vote or what State is listed on their Driver’s License.
**A list of the VSWGA member clubs, which includes Lakeside Golf Club, can be found on the VSWGA website.
WANT TO GO SEE HOW THE PROS HIT ‘EM?
Who is going to the Solheim Cup? Yes, it did just happen last year but it’s happening again this year in Virginia Sept. 13–15. Phyllis Simon would love to coordinate with anyone else who might be going. You can reach out to her directly by email.
A bit closer to home, you can see first hand how the pros hit ’em at the LPGA tournament coming to TPC Boston in Norton, MA on August 29–Sept 1. Sounds like a good excuse for a road trip.
WE ASKED. YOU REPLIED. HERE IS WHAT WE LEARNED
In 2023, we sent a survey to the membership on a wide variety of topics. You had lots of thoughts, ideas, and responses and we so appreciated hearing it all. We’ve summarized what we learned and added some deeper explanations in a Survey Summary that you can find here.
TO ERR IS HUMAN, TO FORGIVE IS A PDF LINK
Corrections to the 2024 Handbook
The May Calendar in the printed handbook isn’t quite right so we’ve created an updated version that you can print out and insert into your hard copy. Updated version here.
The Green Mountain Challenge page had a few email and mailing address blips. The email and mailing addresses are corrected on this downloadable page.
Or if you prefer, this PDF of the whole Handbook incorporates all these corrections (including Susan Rice’s email address). Our apologies.
UNI, DUO, TRI…TRI-STATES ARE COMING!
This year’s Tri-States Event will be held June 11–12 at Brattleboro Country Club. All VSWGA members with a handicap of 30 or less are encouraged to apply for a place on the team in one of the three divisions. You can learn more here and registration opens on April 1 on Golf Genius.
HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON?
Everyone has their own way of getting ready for golfing season. VSWGA member Ann Deacon O’Day is out hiking the Appalachian Trail. After she finishes, walking the course carrying clubs will surely feel like a piece of cake. Happy trails, Ann!
