The 2024 NEWGA season concluded yesterday as we awarded the Peggy Enos Senior Championship Trophy to Susan Kahler (Ballston Spa CC) and the Louise Starzinski Memorial Cup to Super-Senior Champion Roxy Birdsall (Oneonta CC).
Sue bested the 31-member field by twenty-one strokes over the course of the 2-day tournament held at the challenging and stunning Colonie Country Club. With the help of an amazing 77-stroke second round, Sue captured her second NEWGA Senior Championship title in four years. Roxy maintained her steady play throughout the contest to secure her first Super-Senior title! Congratulations to the entire field of women who put their skills and mental fortitude to the test. I commend you all for putting yourselves out there! You’re all champions in my mind!
Members were treated to beautiful weather, delicious buffets and an outstanding pro shop, kitchen, and service team both days! Thank you to Colonie NEWGA Rep Celene McManus who did a fantastic job helping to coordinate a wonderful 2-day event!!
As we close another fun summer of successful NEWGA golf events I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely THANK my Executive Committee of volunteers for their tireless commitment to this organization and to all its members to ensure the spirit and mission of NEWGA continue. It is impossible to fully appreciate what each woman does behind the scenes (literally year-round) along with our hosting Club Reps to coordinate our nine events each season. To Jane King and Linda Kolnick who work early in the year to secure our contracts and tournament schedule for the following season with our rotating Clubs; Pam Hatfield, our Treasurer who manages all our operating costs, pays our bills, tournament fees and enforces our contracts; Sandy Morley, our fearless Tournament Chair who is our “boots on the ground” workhorse making sure the field, flights, prize money, scoring, communication/coordination with golf staff, and duties to numerous to mention here; Kathy McLaughlin, our Web Chair who this season was rarely seen but she was certainly working hard behind the scenes managing all new member applications, online registrations, troubleshooting, constantly refreshing our website. Coordinating nine golf tournaments in just 14 weeks requires a constant focus as many registration periods overlap with one event concluding and another beginning. Sandy and Kathy were fully engaged and aways available whenever I needed them! Thank you to also our Handicap Chair Tracey Ranieri, Secretary Sue Mooradian, Membership Chair Caroline Merritt, and Past President Donna Heskett who round our EC and provide invaluable input and contribute in other very important ways.
I look forward to returning for my fourth and final year leading NEWGA in 2025.
If anyone is interested in getting more involved with NEWGA leadership, please feel free to reach out to me!
Finally, and in closing, I’d like to thank you all, our members, for supporting and participating in NEWGA events!! Please continue to do so, because you ARE the Northeastern Women’s Golf Association!!
Our NEWGA Fall BOD Meeting will meet Sunday, Oct. 6 at Shaker Ridge.
As always, thanks for playing!
Deb DiMaggio
NEWGA President