The Lady Golf Community

Dear WIGI Members - It's July newsletter time...and we have several important things going on this month!

But first a word from our first sponsor: PGA Fall Expo, which as many of you know, will be held in Reno, NV, August 2-3 with some educational programs taking place starting July 31st.

PGA FALL EXPO

Looking for new, exciting product lines?
Need to see the best in spring/summer golf fashion?
Want an on-course demo of new equipment?
Looking for innovative ways to increase profits in your shop?
Then, the PGA Fall Expo is for you.
Over 350 golf industry exhibitors, on-course demonstration areas, two full education days with courses from top retailers, consultants, and industry professionals, and more.

Expect to be Inspired. Register today!
PGA Fall Expo.com

This message and sponsorship of one of our functions at our first WIGI Annual Meeting in Pinehurst, courtesy of WIGI Member E. Gail Billingsley, Director of Marketing, PGA Worldwide Golf Exhibitions. Thank you, Gail!

MaryJo Burke of Chix with Stix will be our Membership Chairperson and will organize membership invitations to be handed out at the Reno Show. Those of you who have met her know that MaryJoe has more energy than eight ordinary people, and so we know she will probably corral another 50 members in nothing flat! She's also offered to be the contact person for those going to the Show who want to get together and say hello. Jan Gilpin from the PGA of America will also be in attendance - so ladies - plan to say hello to each other as well as to the other WIGI and potential future WIGI members who attend.

Gail Billingsley of Reed Expo has once again offered WIGI space in the Association Lounge, so perhaps MaryJo will want to have an informal gathering there. Those of you who know you are goining please contact MaryJo -Email MaryJo Here!
She will have membership invitations on site, so if you find a friend who would be a good member and add breadth to our growing list, please extend an invitiation.

Alternatively, they can always email me or check the ladygolf.com site which has membership information posted on it under WIGI INFORMATION.

Our first ever annual meeting is taking shape, and in addition to this newsletter you will receive a reservation form for housing. You can mail or email it to Tiare Peck -Email Tiare Here! or to me with your credit card information.-Email Kathy Bissell Here!
reservations MUST be in hand by September 1st, so don't delay. We have a small block of rooms reserved, and after that, it's first come, first served.

Alyson Ramsey has a full slate of activities planned for the meeting beginning with lawn bowling and croquet and a Sunday night reception where those of you who haven't met WIGI Founds will at least get a chance to shake hands and say hello. We anticipate having some interesting door prizes, participation prizes, WIGI WonderWoman awards, and Alyson is hard at work on goodie bags for WIGIs who attend.

Sunday, November 10

Afternoon:
Lawn Bowling and Croquet near the golf clubhouse
6:30 - 8:00 Cocktail reception

Monday, November 11
7:00 - 7:45 Breakfast (included with rooms)
7:30 - 8:00 Registration (attendees get goody bags and agenda for meeting)
8:00 Welcome
Overview of the WIGI Introductions
8:30 - 12:00 Workshops 12:00 - 1:15 Lunch with Speaker
1:30 or 2 pm Golf
Evening Activity - Wine Tasting

Tuesday, November 12
8:00 Welcome
8:30 - 12:00 Workshops
12:00 - 1:30 Lunch with Fashion Show
2:00 Golf
Tournament details forthcoming.
6:00 - 9:00 Gormet dinner and Awards ( And not just for golf!)

Workshop topics:
(confirmed) Mental & Physical Golf - Sport Psychology and Back to Golf Program
Golf Writers - "Golf as a Business Tool"
Private Advantage Golf Clinic - $45 a person

Tentative:
Promoting & Marketing Your Business
Rules of Golf

A few topics are still being massaged and depend on availability different people.

Cathy Arbalo and Patricia Turman are working on finding some equipment for us to test, too. So, if you happen to work for a golf manufacturer and have a ladies line, WIGI members will be glad to give you input.

For those who elect not to play golf ( although we have so many member's who love to play, that this is hard to imagine) or who elect to play only one day, the Village of Pinehurst is a lovely "walkable" community with several antique shops and boutiques.

There are also the Tufts Archives, which include many old golf course designs done by Donald Ross for our members in the golf course businesses.

Why Pinehurst?
One of the reasons for choosing Pinehurst is that Pat Baldwin received a request from them to host our first meeting on the very week WIGI was formed. And because Pinehurst is one of the best known and most established golf resorts in the country, what better place for WIGIs to get together for the very first time? In fact Pinehurst was the first golf resort in the U.S. Since this is the first women's networking group in golf, the match was irresistable.

Remember:
Nearest airport:
Raleigh-Durham.
Airlines that serve include Southwest and American.
Check your favorites or opt for the scenic drive. There is also an airport in Pinehurst, but I do not personally know who flies into it. There is also one in Fayetteville, N.C.

In member news:
Kendra Graham is in the middle of the USGA Women's Open as Director of Rules and Competition. What an exciting week she is having. She was even part of the press conference on Wednesday.
Lynn Hannula was a contributor to Rosemary Johnson's publication Ladies Golf Journey from several members, and those of you who want to subscribe might give Rosemary an email to find out how to do that. Remember to send your blurbs wo Lynn so they can be included in the directory. We are also collecting photos of members to have on had for a future directory, so if you have a recent one that you like, please send it along to her.
-Email Lynn Here!
Lynn Hannula What Is the Ruling Box 508 Becker, MN 55308

New member Penny Lawton is our new Awards Chairperson, and she's going to double up as Parliamentarian.

Jennifer Mills has forwarded information on an opening for Public Relations Manager with a resort in Ashville, N.C. If you want the details, please email me or contact Jay D. Winer, Executive Promotions Manager at The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa, 290 Macon Avenue, Asheville, NC 28805 (800) 438-0050.Grove Park Inn.Com

Please welcome newcomers who have joined since the last newsletter: They have been added to the updated WIGI directory. Please send changes to Lynn Hannula.

New members this month are:
Penny Lawton -Email Penny Here! who heads up Awards from Antonio from Lawrenceville, Georgia.
Penny nowspecializes in golf does awards for 15 of the 41 PGA of America Sections. Here's a tip: She may be looking for a sales rep.

Debbie Swartz -Email Debbie Here! who is Program Manager for Michigan Turfgrass Environmental Stewardship Program at Michigan State University in East Lansing.

Myra Hess -Email Myra Here! who is new to the golf business and does marketing and plans and businesse conferences for the golf industry.

Lewine Mair ( I'm going to doublecheck her email, but last listed address was-Email Lewine Here! , (although I have sent things with success to Lewinemair@compuserve.com) Lewine is our FIRST international member. She writes golf for the Daily Telegraph in Edinburgh, Scotland. ( Don't tell, but she has grandchildren, although to look at her, you'd never guess!)

Her recent story in the Daily Telegraph was about Monty: "Colin Montgomerie will be playing down his bad back as he tees up in this week's Smurfit European Open at Dublin's K Club."

Ann Ligouri -Email Ann Here! of Ann Ligouri Productions is our newest broadcasting member. Many of you may have seen her television interviews with a variety of sports subjects. She also does a radio program for WFAN in New York.

And we've opened the road to members from Japan through Helen Casey's friend Kaz ( Kazuko Niioka) who is Director of the Japan Golf Journalist Associaiton. We hope to hear from her soon.

Happy Birthday to: Patricia Benson, July 2; Lynn Hannula, July 26: Chris Jones July 5; Stacy Katz, July 16; Liz McCarthy, July 29; Dr. Bee Epstein-Shepherd, July 14; and belatedly new members to Myra Hess, June 8; and Debbie Swartz, June 16.

If we¿ve missed your birthday, if may be that you didn¿t fill out the membership form, so get us that information, and we'll give you a birthday salute.

Let's see if we can double our size by the First WIGI Annual Meeting. Everybody get one more new member! If you're going to the PGA Expo, get two!

Kathy Bissell for WIGI

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