(Palm Beach Gardens) – Get ready South Florida! A sea of executive lady linksters is coming our way!
One of the largest amateur women’s golf competitions in the world will commence this weekend when the annual EWGA (Executive Women’s Golf Association) Cup Finals is staged at the PGA National Resort & Spa.
Twenty-five enthusiastic teams of eight players each, representing 28 EWGA Chapters from across the country, will be competing in this premier, season-ending Match Play event on Saturday, October 19th and Sunday, October 20th on the Champion and Fazio courses. Some 600 players began their quest to make the Cup Finals last month and 24 teams qualified. The defending Cup champs, the O-Town Q-Tees from Orlando, were automatically invited back to defend their title.
So you think that’s a cool name? Also traversing the links at PGA National this week will be Who’s Your Caddie, the Beltway Bandits, the Birdie Bunch, Cleveland Rocks the Socks, Canton Chicks with Sticks, One Up and the Philly Phantastics. Chapters representing 17 states have made the final event, with Florida notching the most berths at five.
These ladies, who run companies by day and play golf when they can, love to travel the globe and tee it up in a variety of EWGA events. Aside from the golf, the opportunity to socialize with – and learn from — some fantastic professional women is what has helped the EWGA grow to nearly 15,000 members. And, if you come out to watch this weekend, you will see some of the most colorful outfits ever donned on a golf course!
These ladies can play as well. Handicap indexes range from 1.6 to 39.1, but everyone has a chance to contribute and win because of the format. Each day, half the field will participate in Four-Ball matches on one course and four Singles Matches on the other layout. Play begins with an 8:30 shotgun each day. A chapter or team can win a maximum of six points each day (four for Singles and two for Four-Ball).
Interesting stories abound with the participants. For example, real estate broker/associate Pat Ayres of the Palm Beach County Chapter sports the lowest handicap at 1.6. She hails from a famous Pittsburgh golf family full of golf professionals and her sister, Jan BelJan, is one of the top female golf course designers in the world.
The first two EWGA Cup Finals were staged at Sycuan Resort in El Cajon, Calif., and Reunion Resort in Orlando. The match play series was originally launched to create opportunities for fun, friendly and competitive play among its membership. In addition, it mirrors what people see in professional golf with the popular Ryder Cup, President’s Cup, and Solheim Cup formats. The event is gaining popularity with EWGA Chapters and the members at large because the women have realized it’s a totally different game than a stroke play series. At The Cup Finals, a match play competitor doesn’t necessarily have to play at peak performance. She only needs to be better than the other player…instead of having to beat an entire field of participants.
“The big plus of The Cup Finals is that our gals learn to play match play, but it also creates a team environment and camaraderie among our chapters,” EWGA Director of Golf Programs Lisa Becka said. “It is an amateur level tournament with a professional level flair. We went from 400 players in the Regional Cup events last year to 600 this year. This type of format is thriving within our organization because our ladies are passionate about their golf.”
In order to make it to the EWGA Cup Finals, members must participate in qualifying rounds that consist of one round of Four-Ball Match Play and one round of Singles Match Play contested over a two-day period to determine the players that will advance to The Cup Finals. All Qualifiers are held during September. The events are open to all EWGA members who are female amateur golfers. All players must have an established USGA Handicap Index and have at least three 18-hole scores, or their equivalent, posted to their handicap record in the current year prior to the handicap cut-off date for their respective Qualifier.
The 2013 EWGA Cup Finals at PGA National Resort & Spa will also include a Marketplace where vendors will showcase their products in conjunction with a Welcome Reception, a Silent Auction to benefit the EWGA Foundation and a spirited awards ceremony on Sunday afternoon. The participants will play their practice rounds on Thursday and Friday.
This year, the Executive Women’s Golf Association was awarded a grant from the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is a private, not-for-profit organization contracted by Palm Beach County to promote and market the County as a sports and sports tourism destination. The Commission brings sporting events and activities to the County, enhancing economic impact, stimulating bed tax revenues (with a focus on the off-season), and maximizing utilization of County facilities. Ì¢?å¬
With the help of the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, the EWGA Cup Finals will provide a positive economic impact on the Palm Beach County area. Competitors will be traveling from as far away as Portland, Oregon to participate in this two day Match Play competition. Based on their cost of travel and necessary expenses alone, an additional $200,000 of revenue is expected to be generated that will ultimately aid the community’s economy during the week of the event.
The Palm Beach County Chapter Team that will be competing for the EWGA Cup is comprised of the following local business women:
Cathy Abrams – Assistant Head, The Gulfstream School (Boca Raton, FL)
Pat Ayres – Broker/Associate, United Realty Group (Port St. Lucie, FL)
Diane Dodge – Controller, Barbara Brennan School of Healing (Boca Raton)
Leslie Fagenson – Retired (Palm Beach Gardens, FL)
Dr. Lynn Robbins – Retired (Boynton Beach, FL)
Cheryl Sadlon – Partner, Accurate Tax Service of Westchester (Cortlandt Manor, NY)
Nicole Schenkelberg – Nurse Anesthetist (Royal Palm Beach, FL)
Jennifer Uman – Project Manager, James A. Cummings, Inc. (Palm Beach Gardens, FL)
The PGA National Resort and Spa is the perfect setting for this event. Fully renovated in 2012, the resort and spa features five championship golf courses. Boasting 90 holes of championship golf, this luxurious resort and spa is nestled in the heart of the prestigious Palm Beach Gardens community. PGA National has been host to many historical events like the Honda Classic and Ryder Cup events, so the EWGA Cup Finals is just another big-time tourney to be held at PGA National and thus boost the Palm Beach Gardens economy.
For online information regarding the EWGA Cup Final, visit http://www.myewga.com/EWGAChampionsCup/Home/
About the EWGA
As the largest women-focused amateur golf association in the United States with chapters in nearly every U.S. major market and corporate center, the EWGA has connected more than 100,000 working and professional women who share a passion for cultivating relationships and enjoying the game of golf. Offering a wide range of affordable, organized golf activities and educational programs, this award-winning association has been driving social and networking opportunities for women through the game of golf since 1991. With EWGA Chapters located in more than 120 cities throughout the United States as well as in international locations including Bermuda, Canada, Italy and South Africa, EWGA members are active participants in hundreds of communities. EWGA is a tax-exempt 501 (c) 6 membership association.
For more information about the EWGA and its membership, visit www.ewga.com.
Media members interested in more information about the 2013 EWGA Cup Finals for an editorial review should contact Danielle Sorresso danielle@themediagroupinc.com of The Media Group at (847) 956-9090.
Contact:
Danielle Sorresso
The Media Group, Inc.
(847) 956-9090
E-mail: danielle@themediagroupinc.com
