By: Janina Jacobs – It is no secret that playing competent golf is a major key to creating successful business relationships.
For years, men have enjoyed this privilege and up until recently, women had been virtually shut out. Many women have bemoaned the fact "if I only knew then what I know now…" and would have taken up the game in their youth.
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Currently, women make up about 22 to 24 percent of all golfers.
In Michigan, it has traditionally been higher, due to more active golf organizations. Exposing more women and girls to what golf can provide in both business and life can increase these numbers, something sorely needed by the waning golf industry.
As is anything else in life, it's never too late to learn something new or to improve your golf skills if you already do play. So ladies, whether you are 30 or 70 and have always wanted to play golf but were told: 1) it's too hard; 2) you don't have the physical makeup for it; 3) you're too old; 4) it will take you too long to learn; or 5) you won't enjoy it .. ignore all of those admonitions and read on
Yes, it's true the majority of women who take up the game of golf do give up after a year or two, but we also know one of several reasons why: they've never been taught the correct way to learn. Quite often teaching professionals don't realize women need to be coached differently than men, and the majority of them have never been shown how to do this. With an emphasis on tough competition, hours of practice time, uncomfortable drills, lack of on-course instruction, proper mentoring, and forced tournament play, women can become overwhelmed and intimidated. When that happens, they quit.
WDIV-Local 4 Click-On-Detroit's Golf Professional Bob Krause understands how to teach women and does successfully instruct a number of women golfers. Continuing with his innovative method of teaching, Bob supports this field trip concept created last February by colleague, PGA Teaching Professional, and City of Southfield's Director of Golf Terri Anthony Ryan: the Collegiate Am Great Golf Escape.
Ryan, also the Head Golf Coach for the University of Detroit's 2013 NCAA Horizon League Champions Lady Titans women's golf team, led a group of 30 golfers on a trip to the Grand Lucayan Resort in Freeport, Bahamas last February. There, along with assistant coaches and members of her winning team, she offered participants 4 to 5 days of golf, instruction, on-course one-on-one mentoring, comfortable competition, course games, receptions, prizes, gifts, and entertainment. The highlight of the week was pairing players with U of D team members in a two-day competition format that wasn't the least bit intimidating and was fun for all. One team member from this year, top-ranked Lindsey Lammers, is in Florida now, ready to compete in the final phase of qualifying for the LPGA Tour December 3-7.
There is also a mutual benefit here: while the young women of the U of D Golf team can help ‘coach' the participants, they can also learn valuable aspects of the business world in a ‘quid pro quo' networking arrangement. The girls can demonstrate skills to women on the course and the women can mentor the girls in how things get done in the business world.
So, please consider joining us for the 2015 2nd Annual Collegiate Am Great Golf Escape, which will take place February 3-8, 2015, again at the Grand Lucayan Beach and Golf Resort in Freeport, Bahamas.If this winter is anything like last winter, you'll want to get away to sunny skies and the warm breezes that come with island golf….last year, the weather was absolutely perfect. Call Terri Ryan at 248.304.4653 for details and package pricing; or email me at Jjacobs2456@gmail.com to receive a brochure and package information.
There are a number of very affordable golf packages to choose from, ranging from 4-day to 6-day offerings. Both non-inclusive and all-inclusive options are listed along with room choices and other inclusions. Airfare is on your own.