In Full Swing…

The GSGA Foundation’s scholarship committees are in full swing for 2012. The Foundation has four scholarship committees that are already hard at work preparing to help more students pay for college in the 2012-13 school year. These dedicated volunteers give many hours of their time each year and we couldn’t do it without them!

Currently, the GSGA Foundation supports 75 scholars with a total of $176,600. This amount is a 17% increase from the previous school year. Each year, the GSGA Foundation Board of Trustees and the scholarship committees work hard to make a difference in the lives of these students. Do you know a potential scholar at your GSGA Member Club? If so, please help us spread the word about our scholarship programs.

The 2012 application deadline for both the Yates and the Moncrief Scholarship Programs is Thursday, March 1. Applications must be complete and in our office by 5:00 p.m. to receive full scholarship consideration. If you need an application or additional information, please visit our website www.gsgafoundation.org or call 678-324-5962.

Our Annual Fund campaign is also in full swing. You may make a secure online donation at any time for our scholarship programs on our website.

Kim Cox
Director, GSGA Foundation

What a weekend…

Whew, the GSGA staff has made it through another exciting weekend. Our annual meeting was held at Cherokee Town & Country Club in Atlanta on Saturday morning, which followed with our players’ luncheon, where we had the opportunity to honor our Players of the Year:

David Noll, Jr., of Dalton (Men’s), Laura Coble of Augusta (Women’s), Bill Leonard of Kennesaw (Senior Men’s), Brenda Pictor of Marietta (Senior Women’s), Greyson Sigg of Augusta (Junior) and for the first time, co-players of the year for the girls, Ashlan Ramsey of Milledgeville and Mariah Stackhouse of Riverdale.

Brenda Pictor won the Tommy Barnes Award for overall player of the year for the second year in a row. And we can’t forget Bill Blalock, who was recognized with the Bill Todd Award, which is the highest award that GSGA presents to its volunteers. Bill has always over-achieved on what he brings to the GSGA with his volunteer efforts.

When we wrapped up enjoying ourselves at the Cherokee Town Club, we headed up to Johns Creek and the Atlanta Athletic Club for the 23rd Georgia Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies, where we inducted Richard Crawford, Vicki Goetze-Ackerman, Gene Sauers and the late Alfred “Tup” Holmes. A highlight of the evening was watching the videos that were made for each inductee. Their careers and accomplishments were traced from personal interviews made by the people who knew them the most and influenced their careers. These are truly inspirational and touched everyone who attended. What a great night!

There’s a ton of work that goes on behind the scenes for these two events, but I think we pulled it off. The GSGA staff has pulled together and with the help of lots of volunteers and two great member clubs, we’ve put another Annual Meeting/Hall of Fame weekend in the books. I’ll be honest though, I didn’t get much accomplished on Sunday… didn’t get too far away from the couch and football games (Go Pats!).

Jerri Smith
Director, Membership & Special Projects

Banquets, Birthdays and Babies…

Well, I honestly didn’t know if I’d even have time today to sit down and hammer out this post. But I can say I have reached the proverbial “calm before the storm.”  Tonight starts a HUGE weekend of festivities for the GSGA, starting with the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame members’ dinner tonight, followed by Annual Meeting/Players of the Year Luncheon on Saturday morning, then capped with the 2012 Georgia Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony that night.  At this very moment — barring any last-minute hiccups — all my pre-event preparations of the last few months are now complete.  So I am enjoying a few deep breaths and quiet moments (and trying to ignore my new-email chimes) before gearing back up in a few hours when all the fun really gets going!

I would like to think I can wind down a bit, or at least ease off the gas pedal some, after this weekend, but I have another big event the following weekend…my son’s second birthday!  What involves more work and preparation…meetings and banquets for hundreds of people, or a birthday party for toddlers and extended family?  Hmmm….I’m not sure if I can answer that question!    Since January babies are somewhat limited with the options (no pool or outdoor parties) … we are going with a winter, polar bear-themed party, and it’s been lots of fun to plan.  I’m just glad I don’t have to put together 300+ party favor bags for the Hall of Fame banquet!

Speaking of birthdays, the GSGA added to its extended family this week. Rules and Competitions director Jeff Fages, his wife Susie and son Bram added a baby girl, Jillyan Emma, to their family. Everyone is doing great. Congratulations to the Fages Family! (And yes, Jeff is excused from this weekend’s events.)

Joanna Capo
Director, Communications & Marketing

Time to get educated…

The USGA requires each and every club in the country to complete formal education on the subject of the Handicap System every four years, (we will be entering the 2012 – 2015 cycle).

Completion of a Handicap Certification seminar by all member clubs is mandatory. The USGA requires a club that fails to complete such a seminar forfeit its ability to issue “official” handicaps. We trust your club will continue to support the GSGA in this educational undertaking.

A one-day commitment every 4 years by a member of your club is not too big a price to pay for better handicapping. An eligible attendee would be your handicap chairman, club employee or club member.

The USGA will be conducting our first seminar on Tuesday, February 28, at Wilmington Island Club in Savannah, GA. Beginning January 3, you will need to go to www.usga.org to register by clicking on handicapping, handicap education, USGA Handicap Seminars. Deadline to register is February 14, 2012; Cost is $40.00.

I would like to see a representative from each GSGA club attend. Remember, by attending this seminar your club will be certified through 2015 to issue handicaps, and will not need to attend another seminar until 2016. PGA pros will receive 5 MSR credits for their attendance.

Please contact Linda Sommers at (678) 324-5967 if you have any questions.

Linda Sommers
Senior Director, Handicapping

The “Off-Season” For Your Golf Association… HA!

Here it is, January 12th and we have been basking in 60-degree weather for a week. Bet you think that those folks at GSGA are on the links – after all – what else is there to do in January on a nice day – they can’t be busy!!

Well, let me tell you, busy is not even close! We have the granddaddy of all double-headers coming up on January 21st with the GSGA Annual Meeting in the morning followed by the annual celebration of great golf known as the “Players’ Luncheon”. It is a grand event that is worth all the effort that goes into it. But that is not the end of the fun – Saturday night is induction night for the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame! Four new Inductees – Richard Crawford, Vicki Goetze-Ackerman, Alfred “Tup” Holmes and Gene Sauers will be welcomed into a very neat club! Planning for all of this has been crazy, and next week will only get worse. But, the reward is that the entire weekend will be a grand celebration of the game and the people who love it.

To all who might read this – thank you to the staff and the volunteers of the GSGA – it is an honor to be part of this team!

To those of you who might be interested, there are still seats available for Saturday night’s induction at the Atlanta Athletic Club – come see a bit of history take place! Georgia can be proud of its golf history, and GSGA is proud to be one of the stewards of the game. Yes – it will be crazy around here next week – but we are making great memories!!

Martha Kirouac
Senior Director, Course Rating & Member Services

Who Dat!

I was just sitting at my computer racking my brain on what I might blog about today. I have to admit sitting here on a cold, rainy January day that there are not a lot of golf topics that have me inspired.

Like most of America, I have football on my brain. I cheered on the Saints on Saturday and I am going to be up late tonight cheering on the LSU Tigers in their quest for a national championship. In our house, the football season has been pretty fulfilling and there may even be a little sadness looming knowing the end is near.

As I was considering my options, an e-mail pops up that can certainly change the course of your day. The GSGA just got word that our grant application for the Girls Program was approved and we will be getting financial assistance for the second year. The e-mail was met with the same cheers you will hear from the Easley basement tonight as LSU launches into the end zone, dashing the hopes of the Alabama faithful.

The grant money that we receive from the USGA will once again allow us to expand our programming that we offer, providing affordable access for additional junior golfers here in Georgia. If you have a young boy or girl interested in the game, there couldn’t be a better time to reach out to the GSGA to see how they can get involvedGeaux Tigers…………..Who Dat!

Stacy Easley
Director, Membership/Rules & Competitions

New Year, New Goals…

First off, I would like to wish everyone a happy new year. I’m sure many of you have come up with some new year’s resolutions. It’s a good way to get the new year started on the right foot, but as we all know, many of our resolutions are no longer intact by February. I will not bore you with my new year’s resolutions, but I would like to share a few of my golf goals for 2012.

My first goal is one that I’m sure most golfers make, and that is to play more. This is something we all say as golfers, but I am determined to do this in 2012. There are so many great golf courses in Georgia, which should motivate me to play more than I did last year. I’m not going to make any more excuses because as far as I’m concerned, there aren’t many better ways to spend your day than playing a round of golf. Hopefully by playing more, my scores will improve too.

Probability that goal is completed: 99% (Mother Nature is the only thing that could possibly stop me this year. Actually, it didn’t top 30-degrees today, so maybe that number is a little too high.)

Another goal of mine is to attend a professional golf tournament. I was able to go to the second round of the PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club last year and it was a great experience. You can learn a lot just by watching the pros on the driving range and putting green. It really helps you appreciate how good those guys are. There are plenty of chances for me to check this goal off my list in 2012. The PGA and Nationwide tours have two stops in Georgia; there is one Champions’ Tour event, and I hear there is a pretty good tournament played in Augusta in early April.

Probability that goal is completed: 75% (Only one tournament in Atlanta this year, but still a lot of good choices throughout the state.)

My last golfing goal of 2012 is by far the most ambitious one. It is to record a hole in one. I have never been fortunate enough to write a “1” on my scorecard, but 2012 feels like the year. Sure there is some luck involved, but why not swing for the fences.

Probability that goal is completed: 1% (So you’re saying there’s a chance?)

What are some of your goals in golf for 2012? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter. Here’s to happy golfing in the new year!

Richard Adams
Coordinator, Rules and Competitions

GSGA in 2012 – New Technology On It’s Way!

With the end of 2011 quickly approaching, the GSGA is revving up on several technology projects for 2012.

Wouldn’t it be cool to be able to login to your account at the GSGA website and have access to all things GSGA? We think so, too! And, why not a mobile site to make it more convenient for our members to access their GSGA info while on the go? Excellent – oh, and definitely be on the lookout in January for the mobile app!

Best wishes to all for a happy and prosperous New Year!

Julie Bradley
Director, Information Technology

‘Tis The Season To Still Be Busy…

When any of us on the GSGA staff are talking to friends during this time of year about what we do, we usually hear from them glad tidings that we are going to finally enjoy some time off. Those not in our business figure since the competitions season is over (November 11 was the final round of the GSGA Senior Four-Ball, and the first round of the first event in 2012, the Four-Ball Tournament, is March 23) that there is this banal lull of activity for the next several months in our office.

Nothing could be farther from the truth. Here are a few things that keep us busy.

Over the last half of November into the middle of December, nearly every active GSGA committee meets for final year-end resolutions and following-year planning sessions. The Association’s final budget is approved, a new Board and officers are elected and other business is conducted by the Executive Committee, the GSGA’s 12-member policy-making committee of its Board of Directors.

Our staff spends time preparing for all of these meetings, puts together our Member Club Directory, puts the finishing touches on the next year’s competitions schedule and readies it for publication, collects contributions from members for our GSGA Foundation’s Annual Fund, prepares new membership benefits for the following year and sends invitations and processes the responses for our Annual Meeting and Georgia Golf Hall of Fame banquet.

Then after a short break for Christmas and New Years, we are working full-bore to get ready for January 21 – the Busiest Day of the Year for the GSGA. We have our Annual Meeting that morning and Players of the Year Luncheon at noon at Cherokee Town Club in Atlanta. Then in the evening we honor four new members of the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame at the annual Induction Banquet at Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek.

Several staff members and volunteers will be into intense study at a rules workshop, January 22-25, in Norcross. Following closely afterwards are meetings and conferences of national golf organizations, including the PGA Merchandise Show and Annual Meeting in Orlando, the USGA Annual Meeting in Houston and the superintendents annual show and meeting in Las Vegas in successive weeks.

And throughout the entire time, golfers in Georgia from Tunnel Hill to Thomasville are continuing to play, posting scores for handicap purposes and receiving their USGA Handicap Index twice a month, meaning our handicap department stays ready to assist clubs and golfers with any question that may arise.

So, there is always plenty to keep us active as we look after the business of golf in the “most wonderful time of the year.”

Mike Waldron
Executive Director

Check out that team building!

Who said a little holiday teamwork activity wasn’t a good idea?! Earlier this week, we did just that – took an hour out of our day to relax, come together as a team and have a bit of fun.

We broke off into teams and the mission was to build a golf-themed structure, using only items found in each team’s supply box. Basically, we built gingerbread houses with a golf twist. Myself, along with staffers Richard Adams and Jeff Fages, were the judges, and we gave each team an hour to decide what they wanted to build and to create their masterpiece.

At first as Richard, Jeff and I wandered around “observing” each teams’ progress, we weren’t sure which team would win based on what we saw. It seemed to take the teams longer than expected to come up with an idea… I mean, how hard could it be? All they had to do was build a golf-themed gingerbread house using icing, jellybeans, graham crackers and a variety of other sugars and sweets, right?

As time went on and I continued walking around to each team’s working area, I began to realize that they really knew what they were doing – these structures were looking good.

At last the hour time limit was up. We all met together as a group so Richard, Jeff and I could announce the winner. After an intense discussion among the judges, we came to the conclusion that the team of Joanna Capo, Stacy Easley, Jerri Smith and Linda Sommers won – congratulations!

Check out the photos below of the three golf-themed structures… which is your favorite???

Jason Taylor
Coordinator, Marketing & Communication