Calling all New and Experienced Commerce Bank Championship Marshals!!!

I am happy to announce that we will be marshaling the 18^th hole of the 22^nd Annual Commerce Bank Championship.  The Champions Tour event returns to the Red Course at EisenhowerPark (East Meadow, NY) June 25^th through June 29^th, 2008.

This is a really important event for us because of its history.  Our chapter was conceived by our founding President Christine McInerney and others during the Women's Business and Golf Luncheon during this event 9 years ago.

Over the years the marshaling has grown and the professional golfers and caddies look forward to the "ladies" manning the 18^th hole.  Our reputation has been that we are the best marshaled hole of the entire event.  I believe that this is a great opportunity for new golfers and seasoned ones to be "in the ropes" and enjoy an experience of a lifetime - professional golf.  We marshal as a group and this is another great way to meet some of your fellow EWGA Long Island members.  If you have any limitations that do not allow you to marshal, there are other volunteer positions available.

Please contact me at jackiemelirizzo.ewga@gmail.com if you are interested or have already signed up.  If you need an application, please click here Commerce Bank Application, download and mail to the tournament office.  Then send me an email advising me that you sent in an application.  If you have sent in your application, just let me know which days you signed up for and I will make sure they pull your names to work with us as a group.  Liz Tobin will again be the Assistant Hole Captain, and she will be working the days I can not be there.

Looking forward to working with you all again,

Jackie Meli-Rizzo

18^th Hole Captain, Commerce Bank Championship

EWGA LI Vice President

LEAGUE NEWS

              I would like to send out a warm welcome to all our many new and returning League Members.  We held our Pre-Season Meeting at the Omni for all new members of Harbor Links, Cantiague and Heartland.  Close to 100 new members attended and we had a successful night providing everyone with essential information in the League Handbook, stressing pace of play, ensuring that everyone can feel comfortable while out there enjoying League play.  Suzanne Garcia, Rules & Handicap Chair, gave an informative presentation on etiquette and Jackie Meli-Rizzo, chapter VP and all-around inspiration, encouraged members to take part in

marshaling the 18^th hole during the Commerce Bank Championship being held the last week of June at Eisenhower Park Red Course.

                A Pre-Season Meeting was also held at Peninsula followed by a round of golf with the friendly and encouraging members of that League.  We are about to host a Pre-Season Meeting for our Opening Day at our newest Heatherwood League.  The clubhouse is still undergoing renovations, but they have an extremely accommodating staff that is thrilled to be connected to EWGA-LI.  A round of golf will be played after the meeting on that fun and well-maintained course, and the members there can look forward to a fabulous season.

                We held a number of mentor nights at Harbor Links and Cantiague which received rave reviews.  Thank you to the fabulous mentors who generously volunteered their time to help our new players become more knowledgeable and confident with their ability to play on a golf course, whether during League or with the public.  Our mentor outing at Heartland is being held on May 10^th, preceded by a Pre-Season breakfast meeting.  Another Pre-Season Meeting is to be held on May 17^th at Cherry Creek, also to be followed with a round of golf. 

                Well, the long-anticipated first week of League has begun.  I hope you all enjoyed reconnecting with your golf buddies and met some new ones.  We can look forward to an exciting season as we continue to grow as a Chapter with additional venues to play, from supporting our newest members and helping cultivate their game to challenging our more advanced players with the Match Play Series.

                Mother Nature doesn't always cooperate with us, and that can lead to disappointment when a course closes.  I would appreciate everyone being as understanding as possible during those occasions.  Have patience with your League Committee.  If they are given the course status, they will do their best to send out an e-mail to their members giving them accurate information.  Phone numbers for the courses have been provided, but remember that everyone else is calling at the same time and it can be difficult to get through.  Perhaps you and your friends can have 1 person make the call and start a chain to the others. 

                Please do your best to help women who are new to our League acclimate to our many rules and procedures.  Encourage and support them.  I have already heard from many women who are so grateful to those of you who have reached out and helped their new League experience be a positive one.  My son is studying Chinese philosophy and has taught me the loose translation, "When you teach the people, you shall reap a hundred harvests."  I think we can all understand and adapt that proverb to life and golf - we all benefit by having a League of women golfers who are enthusiastic about the game, show respect for the course and other players, and, most importantly, know how to find the 19^th hole!

Here's to a great 9th season-EWGA-LI!!

Liz Tobin

League Chair

Golf 101 For New Golfers

Harbor Links Clinic for Beginners
Single 2 hour session

  Monday June 9 OR  Monday June 23   6-8 pm  

Attention New Golfers!  If you would like a basic overview of the different swings used in golf (Driver, Fairway short, Chips, Sand shots, Pitch and Putts),  sign up for this clinic.  This 2-hour overview will give you the fundamentals of golf; starting with how to hold a Golf Club.  This clinic will get you started!!!

To register for this event, please complete the form below and mail with a check for $60 made payable to EWGA.  Check and form should be mailed to:

Chris Sedlacek

36 Spencer Lane

HUNTINGTON CRESCENT OUTING 

The first magnificent spring day of 2008 fortuitously coincided with EWGA-LI's initial golf outing of the season at Huntington Crescent Club.  A warm, clear, balmy day welcomed 110 mostly women golfers on Thursday, April 24, for a full day of golf, games, and fun.  The upcoming Summer Olympics was the theme arranged by Sue Foehrenbach, with decorations of donut-shaped balloons in the Olympic colors and a challenging Trivia Contest compiled by Vicki Schuppe.  Players enjoyed a delicious brunch buffet that included blintzes, Eggs Benedict, and French toast, as well as scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausage, and healthier alternatives of fruit, yogurt, and cereal.

After warming up on the practice tee and putting green, the variously skilled players readied themselves for a 12:30 pm shotgun.  Some players chose the Scramble option, where the foursome chose its best drive, everyone played her ball from there, then chose the best second shot, and so on until the ball was holed out.  Alternatively, the foursome played the Best Ball option, where the best score on each hole was recorded.  Longest drive and closest to the pin contests for both high- and low-handicap players, and an opportunity to win $10,000, a Dell computer, a set of Hogan irons, or a Bose stereo for a hole in one, added to the fun.  Merrill Lynch hosted a "Beat the Financial Advisor" contest, and those who landed on the 17^th green were awarded a sleeve of balls.

After play, the field returned to Huntington Crescent's beautiful clubhouse for tasty hors d'ouevres and cocktails, followed by a delectable buffet supper.  Players finalized their purchases of Chinese Auction raffle tickets for prizes including EWGA-LI Titleist golf bags, housewares and silver jewelry from Fortunoff's, vacation accommodations courtesy of Helms Briscoe, a custom driver from Pete's Golf Pro Shop in Mineola, a motorized golf cart from Bat-Caddy, and the Titleist Performance Fitness Evaluation at John Ondrush Golf Fitness Academy in Syosset.  After supper, trophies were awarded to the winners of the day:

National Volunteer Week was created in 1974 when President Richard Nixon signed an executive order to establish the week as an annual celebration of volunteering. And every year since that time, each U.S. President, along with many governors, mayors and other elected officials, has signed a proclamation promoting National Volunteer Week.