ten reasons you should play in the chapter championship

T EN R EASONS Y OU S HOULD P LAY IN THE C HAPTER C HAMPIONSHIP By Stephanie Mumford Brown EWGA Albany/Capital Region Communications Director Our most challenging and gratifying golf event takes place on June 24th: the Albany/Capital Region NY Chapter Championship. It’s the one event we must put on to qualify as an EWGA entity. Challenging, sure. But gratifying? And even fun? You bet—here are 10 reasons you should sign up. Those of us who have played in it could probably come up with 20 more! (Be sure to register by the June 7th deadline, following the instructions on the championship page of our chapter web site.) 1. Play the Woman Card. The Chapter Championship is the first stage in the EWGA Championship Series, the largest women’s amateur golf competition in the world. Provide your participation and support. Vote for women’s golf! 2. Take Flight. You don’t need a 5 handicap to win. This competition has five flights, so you’re playing with golfers at your level. Just got a handicap this year? There’s a Fourth Flight for you, for players with a handicap index of 40.4 to 32.1. Moreover, there are two ways to win: Each stroke-play flight has awards for gross AND net scores. You get strokes off your score according to your course handicap, which could make your net score lower than those posted by the “better” players within your flight. 3. Team Play. Would you rather have teammates? Form a scramble team. You can do it just for fun, or you can do it to win—hey, winning is fun. There’s an art and science to scramble competition, explained in my 3-part series of Times Union golf blog posts covering recruiting team members, tactics on the course, and scramble “culture.” 4. They Won’t Bite. Golf rules, that is. Some of us hesitate to play in an event that requires strictly following the rules. Don’t be scared: Most golf rules are logical and can even be your friends, not old meanies. Plus officials will be available to help you with rulings at the championship. See “Dropping for Dummies,” below, for the basics about one of golf’s most common procedures. Brush up on other rules basics, as well as competition advice, at Prep2Play on the EWGA Championship web site. 5. Penny Pinching. The 2017 tournament fee is the same as 2016 - the lowest in years, thanks to sponsorships, subsidies, and smart negotiating. Plus your entry fee gets you $10 in “Championship Bucks” to redeem for logo-ware at www.shopEWGA.com. 6. Victory Is Within Reach. Our chapter has a history of success at regional and national competition. 2016 Northeastern Semi-Final winners include Gail Czelusniak, Terri Walsh, and Catherine Becker; in 2015 Julie Naglieri & Jennifer Shoemaker made it to EWGA Finals; 2014 Michele Denny, Robin Raco, Jennifer Shoemaker, Paula Trexler, Michele Walls, and the scramble team of Jana Behe, Colleen Brady, Stephanie Brown, and Gina Giacomini. In fact, Jen Shoemaker won Third Flight Low Gross. This event isn’t wired just for year-round Sunbelt players; we can do it! 7. You Can’t Win If You Don’t Play…to state the obvious. And even if you don’t think you’re playing especially well—that month, that week, that day—you may still be playing better than the rest of your flight. Golf is like that.

Happy Semi-Final Winners (left): A portion of the chapter's 2014 delegation to national EWGA Championship competition.

8. Personal Best. You might actually turn out to be one of those people who play better in competition. You set realistic goals, focus on each shot, make good decisions, and keep your head in the game. Hey, d’ya think that might apply to the rest of life, too? Give it a try. 9. Represent! Help your chapter field a full complement of players at the Semi-Final in our own back yard. That’s 18 chapter members: gross and net winners for five flights and two four-person scramble teams. We need women whose handicaps range from single-digit to 40-plus—there’s a place for everyone. Let’s hear it for Chapter Pride! 10. Volunteer! Still not ready to play? Then help put on the Chapter Championship and the Northeastern Semi-Final. We need volunteers for duties ranging from registration to photography. You’ll get a front row seat on competition that will help you feel more comfortable playing the next time around. Contact Chapter Member Services Director Tara Curley to match your skills with event needs.

Don’t miss out on the fun, sign up now!