The power of the 500-plus-member female buddy system at The Landings Club.
A ladies’ golf outing at many properties might bring out 16 to 20 players on a typical day. Tallying the number of female golfers that show up every Tuesday morning at The Landings Club on Skidaway Island in Savannah, Ga., however, requires multiplying those numbers by a factor of 10.
The golfers in The Landings Women’s Golf Association (LWGA) are happy to welcome new members to their weekly 18-hole events. In fact, they insist on it.
The LWGA, which boasts 500-plus members, has a Buddy System through which a new association member is assigned to an existing member to acclimate her to the group and to introduce her to the other women. Director of Golf Operations Tad Sanders makes sure their events run smoothly as well.
THE GOAL:The Women’s Golf Association at The Landings Club strives to develop, promote, maintain and protect the interests of golf among female members.THE PLAN: The Landings’ golf staff plans LWGA outings and activities, and the women use a Buddy System to pair a new member with an existing member to acclimate her to the group. The women play 18 holes every Tuesday morning, and golfers are grouped in 10 flights with players of similar handicaps.
THE PAYOFF: The LWGA, now with over 500 members, grows the game of golf among female members, helps them develop friendships and attracts prospective members to The Landings Club. The LWGA also holds special charity tournaments. |
In addition to the weekly 18-hole golf outings, the LWGA holds a member-member tournament in the spring and a match play tournament in the fall.
“The golf staff helps them execute the events—not only the big tournaments, but also the weekly play,” notes Sanders. “We do their pairings and their scorecards for them. The association is one of the big assets of the club.”
The club’s Executive Director, Steven Freund, believes women will drive the growth of golf, and embraces the energy that LWGA members bring to The Landings.
“They are a force on this island and the best manifestation of our mission, which is to provide relevant activities and a platform for building relationships,” says Freund. “It’s a major competitive advantage when people are looking for a place to call home.”
The women also use their passion for golf to support the community with charitable events. This year’s annual benefit tournament for the Curtis and Elizabeth Anderson Cancer Institute at Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah raised $63,000.
“It is a wonderful golf sorority,” says Nicole Weller, The Landings’ Head Golf Professional. “A huge part of the LWGA is social, but some of them just love the competition. It is amazing to see what they do with all of their events, as well as the community outreach.”
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