RDGA President Mark Battle, right, addresses Delegates from most of the 66 RDGA Member Clubs – along with officials from the RDGA and Western New York PGA – at Penfield Country Club on April 9 as part of the annual Spring Meeting. At the Meeting, plans for the 2019 season, which officially opens April 15 when score posting for golfers with GHIN Handicaps begins, were discussed.
RDGA Executive Director Tim Vangellow welcomed Steve Bartkowski, the Executive Director of the Western New York PGA Section, who discussed the need for both organizations to work together to promote junior golf.
With the local 2019 GHIN Handicap score posting season beginning on Monday, April 15, the Rochester District Golf Association held its annual Spring Meeting on Tuesday, April 9.
Hosted by Penfield Country Club – which will also host the RDGA District Championship John H. Ryan Jr. Memorial this summer – the Spring Meeting featured a gathering of RDGA Member Club Delegates from all over the nine-county region serviced by the RDGA.
Although the central theme of the meeting was as an orientation for RDGA Delegates to bring news and information about RDGA programs, services and tournaments back to their clubs and fellow members, leading golf administrators from across Western New York were also invited to address the RDGA Delegates in attendance.
RDGA Executive Director Tim Vangellow welcomed Steve Bartkowski, the Executive Director of the Western New York PGA Section, who discussed the need for both organizations to work together to promote junior golf.Another special guest speaker was Tim Frank – the Executive Director for the Fiirst Tee of Western New York – who was invited to address the address the assembled Delegates from around the Rochester area and spoke about the new partnership between the First Tee and the RDGA, as of the 2019 season.
The First Tee of Western New York – which is the local chapter of the larger First Tee organization which operates accross the U.S. and Canada – has been in the Buffalo area for a number of years and enters the Rochester area for the first time this year. As with the national First Tee, the local chapter will work to bring the game of golf to junior golfers for the first time through lesson programs that teach both golf and life skills.
Other topics from the 2019 RDGA Spring Meeting included:
- USGA Tournament Management Services. RDGA Assistant Director Dave Eaton spoke of the successful first year that the RDGA administered the USGA’s new scoring system – Tournament Management – which is available to all RDGA Member Clubs as pert of their membership fee.
- 2019 Rules of Golf Seminars. Senior RDGA Rules officials Dan Overbeck and Wilson Fitch reviewed the highly-successful series of RDGA Rules of Golf Seminars that have been held throughout the District since late January, highlighting the significant changes to the Rules enacted by the USGA and R&A as of January 1. By the time that the last of these seminars are complete in early May, nearly 1000 people will have been in attendance for these events.
- Volunteering for 2019 RDGA events. RDGA Delegate Committee Chair Sharon White thanked the assembled Delegates for their service to the RDGA, its Member Clubs and 13,000-plus membership – as well as asked for volunteers for this year’s RDGA events. A need for volunteers at the District Championship in July was addressed – specifically for live hole-by-hole scoring.
- RDGA Women’s events. RDGA Board member Debbie Harper highlighted a number of tournament opportunities for the RDGA’s women members in 2019, including the fourth annual Women’s Four Person Team Scramble, hosted by the Golf Club at Blue Heron Hills on June 15 and the popular RDGA Women’s Open, hosted this year by Stafford Country Club on August 5. The format of the RDGA Women’s Open will be similar to last year, including a scratch Women’s Championship flight – a two day event that will begin on Sunday, August 4 and conclude on August 5 in conjunction with the full field of the Women’s Open.
- RDGA Junior Membership and Tournament schedule. RDGA Board member Mike Source and RDGA Assistant Director Jenny Ford reviewed the popular new RDGA Junior Membership program that was rolled out in mid-January. Since opening to registration, nearly 100 junior golfers have signed up for this program – which includes many exciting benefits, including membership in the national Youth on Course initiative. Also discussed were the many playing options for juniors this year, beginning with the RDGA Classic Medal events for Juniors (ages 15-17) and Sub Juniors (ages 12-14), to be followed by the Pee Wee Classics (for ages 7-11), the Junior Championship Qualifier and the RDGA Junior Championships. Also this year, Rochester will play host to the prestigious annual Williamson Cup junior tournament, at Irondequoit Country Club.
- The 2019 RDGA Tournament Schedule. Featuring a slate of 22-events, beginning on Saturday, May 4 with the RDGA Two Person Scramble at Batavia Country Club and concluding on Monday, October 7 with our fourth RDGA Play Day of the year at Irondequoit Country Club, RDGA Board members and Staff alike discussed the many opportunbities to play in District events throughout 2019.
CLICK HERE to view the 2019 RDGA Tournament Schedule.
The 2019 Spring Meeting concluded with a call to all members to volunteer their time and efforts to help support the many programs offered by the RDGA throughout the year.
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