Greendale Women's Golf Association, Alexandria, Va

GWGA Facebook news – If you’re not one of our 34 members on the closed GWGA Facebook page, below is a sampling of what people have posted.  All members are invited and encouraged to join and post.  If you would like to share photos, open/read the articles, watch the videos, participate in the conversations,  you can go here and follow instructions to sign up.  Need help doing it?  Ask!

• Watch/share video golf instruction to improve your game;
• View and share your golf/GWGA photos;
• Watch and laugh at a video of a innovative cart at Kathy Rath’s Hawaii condo;
• Read/share info about golf at the August 2016 Olympics;
• Review the new women’s golf movie coming out: “The Founders”
• Post or receive golf tournament invitations.

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June Lessons – If you have not signed up, there are still some openings. Contact Jeanie Tulipane to reserve a spot.  Contact Jeanie Tulipane to reserve a spot.

• Thursday June 9, Full-swing Clinic
• Thursday June 16, Course Management

June 14 – Greendale women’s tournament.  Sign up deadline is MONDAY, June 6.

June 21 – Golf Swap 10-12pm at Jefferson District golf course.  Get rid of all that unused golf stuff; sell it or swap it for something you want!  Watch for the evite coming soon.

Updated handicaps/flights and ringer scores have been posted.  Q. “What’s a ringer score?”  A. Your best score on each hole since the beginning of the season.

Results – Check the weekly game results  to see everyone’s scores, birdies, chip-ins and game winners.

Tee-off at correct time, not early!   We don’t have a tee starter, so please look at your watch and be sensitive to those playing behind you.  When foursome after foursome tee off earlier and earlier, by 8:20 havoc begins in the clubhouse because time accumulates as each group pushes themselves out a little earlier and a little earlier, etc.  There should be 9 minutes between tee times.   Last week the 8:24 group arrived to find they were expected to tee off more than 10-14 minutes early, cutting into their time needed to pay, use the ladies room, get coffee or look at the league table.   At the #1 tee box, please check the clock and don’t tee off until it is time.  Thanks!

GHIN Mobile App – Download the free GHIN app onto your smartphone.  It makes posting a score simple and the recent update has added features – you can see all the scores you have entered. To get the app on your Apple device (iPhone/iPad) go here: App Store; for other smartphones: search Google Play.

Are you a Turtle or a Cheetah?

Last Thursday we had two foursomes with large gaps in front of them.  So much so that a group skipped from Hole 10 to Hole 13, filled the gap, then went back to 11 and 12 after they played 18 and still finished before the group they had been following.

If you don’t see the group in front you,  you are golfing like a Turtle! 

Secrets of Cheetah golfers…..

• TRY to be first on the tee box, don’t hold back, please.  Don’t ask if it is your turn or discuss who is to go first, get up there and hit.
• Whoever arrives first on the tee box, tee off instead of talking/waiting. Hit first then record your score for the prior hole afterwards.
• Try to putt-out rather than marking a shot and waiting for others to finish.  Don’t ask whose turn it is.  Simply announce that you would like to finish so the other golfers know your intention.
• If your ball is not in anyone’s line on the green, pick up your marker and replace your ball while someone else prepares to putt.
• Whoever putts out first, leave the green and go tee off at the next hole. 
• If you can take a putt or two while waiting for other golfers to reach the green, DO SO!  Ask someone to tend the flag and take your putt(s) instead of waiting for all 4 to arrive on the green before you begin putting.    This is not rude, it is playing ready golf.
• Only one player should help search for a lost ball, while the other 2 move ahead and hit.  By doing so you are being considerate to those behind your group.  If the ball hasn’t been found by the time 2 other players have hit, a new ball should be dropped and play continued.
• Riders – after your shot, get into the cart  holding your clubs, do not put clubs away until the NEXT stopping point.
• Keep 2 balls in your pocket, marked differently at all times as well as 2 tees and a ball marker
• Minimize talking and waiting – do something while you wait to prepare for your next shot.  While waiting for someone else to shoot, move to your ball (especially if your ball lies left of the one being hit) please move up to your ball, get out of the cart and select a club for your next shot. Please don’t wait until it is your turn to hit to move! Be there before it is your turn to hit. If it is cart path only and you are unsure which club you need, take several clubs with you.

Greendale Golf Course is hosting a women’s golf tournament on Tuesday, June 14th, 9:00 a.m.  Find a partner and sign-up at the clubhouse for this fun event!  Entry deadline is Monday, June 6th. $45 includes, golf, breakfast, lunch and prizes.  More information and entry form is provided at this link – 2016 Women’s Tournament Entry Form

Handicaps and Flights have been updated.  You can view the flight distribution on our web pages at any time.

Ringer Report – the first ringer report has been posted.  For new people, the ringer report is updated monthly, and shows your lowest score for each hole, over the whole season.

Winner reports and player detail – These are posted on our Schedule page weekly, usually on Friday.

Membership Update:  Please look for our three new members at the clubhouse and introduce yourself: Peggy Lottman, Annalee McCann and Sylvia Stevens.  We now have 55 members.  New members, please check your information in all 3 of our directories.

Please arrive early when it is rainy –  Everyone please remember, when we have last minute cancellations, it causes reshuffling of foursomes.  When the weather is iffy, you may find others in your foursome have canceled and you have been moved.  Under league rules you cannot golf alone, so we have to reshuffle people.  If 4+ people cancel, the tee times for ALL foursomes are moved up earlier to fill the time-gaps.  So if you have a late time, for example 9:00, you may arrive to find that everyone is already out on the course!!  Also, if you decide to leave before completing 18, please do not leave a golfer alone, she cannot finish without someone to play with.

Playing nine holes – We are an 18 hole league and if you know you can only play 9 hole for some reason, please indicate 9 holes on the sign-up, or tell the tournament chair in advance.   At least 2 other golfers in your foursomes must be there for 18, one person cannot finish alone.

Rules information – With all the rain, we’ve had some discussion about water on the greens and the rules concerning touching the line of putt.   Sue Spatcher, our rules chair, has clarified this for us below.

• Rule 16-1a/1 Brushing Aside or Mopping Up Casual Water on Line of Putt

Q. May a player whose ball lies on the putting green brush aside casual water
on his line of putt, or mop it up with a towel?

A.  No. Such action would be a breach of Rule 16-1a (Touching Line of Putt).

• Rule 16-1a/3 Removing Dew or Frost from Line of Putt

Q. May a player brush dew or frost from his line of putt?

A. No. Rule 16-1a prohibits touching the line of putt except in removal of
loose impediments, repair of ball marks, etc. Dew or frost are not loose
impediments – see Definition of “Loose Impediments.” Accordingly, such action
would be a breach of Rule 16-1a.

Thank you to Kathi Pierce for the hilarious “duck pins” you awarded to those who played in the rain April 28th!   If you didn’t pick yours up last Thursday, check the table this week.

RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY!  Hope to see everyone Thursday.

Sally