Attendees enjoyed free range balls, club testing, food and drink, live music, and prizes at Northshore Golf Range on June 6.
June 9, 2023
By Chris Werner
USGA P.J. Boatwright Jr. Intern
The ASGA celebrated National Women’s Golf Day on June 6 at Northshore Golf Range in Little Rock, where over 100 guests gathered for free range balls, club testing, food and drink, live music, and prizes.
Representatives from Callaway and Srixon, allowed attendees to try out new toys, while Andrew Davis and Montana Chapman, two co-owners of Advanced Physical Therapy in Little Rock showed them how to do so safely.
Many familiar faces, including ASGA champions and board members, showed their support for women’s golf, taking their cuts at Northshore’s spacious outdoor hitting bays equipped with Trackman technology. But Tuesday’s festivities were also an opportunity for new players to sharpen their games and get tips from PGA professionals as the melodies of Little Rock music duo Chuck and Charlotte provided the perfect soundtrack for the night’s activities.
ASGA President and 022 Arkansas Women’s State Amateur Champion Julie Oxendine addressed the crowd midway through the event to celebrate women’s involvement in the game.
“I’d Like to thank [ASGA Director of Member Services and Junior Golf Tyler Meyl and Director of Championships and Women’s Golf Taylor Loeb Gatlin] for all the hard work that they've done all year long,” Oxendine said. “This has been a work in progress. In January as the Women's Players Advisory Committee, we start talking about this and how we were going to support women's golf all year long, and then have this day, National Women's Golf Day and support it.
“I'm excited to see lots of different faces out here today,” Oxendine continued. “I see lots of faces that are recognized too, which it's good to see them, but I really want to encourage all you women, whatever level you are, we have tournaments for all levels. And we would love to have you come play in our tournaments, come participate. Keep playing and get your friends to play because golf is a lifetime sport and it's a great activity to do.”
Monica Blake, the executive director of First Tee-Central Arkansas, and an ASGA board member who brought her daughter Allison to Tuesday’s event, said golf is becoming a space for women and girls to enjoy each other's company in a fun atmosphere.
“It's been a great event,” Blake said of Women’s Golf Day. “It's been very well attended. I’m excited to be a part of an event that is not only promoting golf but really putting a big emphasis on growing the game amongst women As a promoter of junior golf, I understand the benefits as, as you get older, just the value of being able to play with other women and grow together. So I'm very thankful to be a part of this.”
Blake became the first female African-American executive director of First Tee-Central Arkansas in 2019. She said a large portion of the women and girls at the First Tee get into golf because of the social outlet it provides.
“I would say what draws 60 to 80 percent of our girls is just the opportunity to be around other girls and the camaraderie and the fellowship to just go out there and enjoy other people's company learning more about them. This event really highlights the value of the social aspect of golf. It's great to be competitive, but I think that there's a lot to be said about the camaraderie and bringing women together.”
Blake also brought Allison to caddy for her in last week's State Am.
Fellow ASGA Board Member Kerry Lareau played golf in her childhood but put the clubs away when she got married, became a mother, and started a real estate career. But after a while, she realized the benefits of golf reach beyond the 18th green and into the business world.
“I realized what a benefit golf is in business,” Lareau said. “I realized that a lot of business is done on the golf course. It helps you socialize and get to know people at a different level. it's crazy, back when I quit golf, there weren't many of us, you know, there were a few girls, mainly guys on the golf course. And now you can look at this, I'm so proud to see the women out here. If there's a message I'd like to send, golf is such a good opportunity for business, it's a great opportunity for socializing, for girls to get involved. And it really helps in, you know, your careers as you grow.”
Mimi Evans, the 2022 ASGA Women’s Masters Division Player of the Year (now legends division) and president of the Women’s Golf Association at Rebsamen Golf Course — an ASGA member club.
She said the number of female members at Rebsamen has skyrocketed from 40 when she became president in 2018 to 85 last year. Evans said the combination of course closures around the area and word-of-mouth helped increase the membership.
Evans said she encourages all her members to both play and watch golf on the weekends.
“I've told them, you know, ‘If you want to learn really good golf, watch the girls on the weekends.’ And and then they really can learn the rules, the pace of play, which is number one.”
Evans said her 60-year golf journey began playing with her father and brothers in Michigan, but her real love of the game began when she and her father were watching golf on T.V. and he pointed out one of the players.
“We were watching television, and he said, ‘See that man right there playing?’ and it was Arnold Palmer,” Evans recalled. “He said, ‘Keep your eye on him.’ And I met Arnold Palmer in 2011 and I got a hug from him. And I told the man to his face, ‘You made my life.’ And he did.
“I think that if the women are truly interested in the game, maybe pick somebody that they can keep up with, you know, read articles about watch the instruction videos,” Evans added. “I think they can really, really really get into it. But he was mine and that was fabulous.”
To learn more about National Women's Golf Day, click HERE.
