Happy New Year!

This is the first edition of the VGA e-newsletter. There will not be a regular schedule of this communication during the off season, but periodic updates to VGA items and upcoming events. During the Vermont golf season I envision this as a short weekly update of results, upcoming events and stories of interest. Many of you signed up for the e-newsletter by entering our golf bag give away, others were e-mail addresses I have through communicating with you. To this point we have 145 entries in the golf bag give-away - the winner of which will be drawn this spring.

 

Our schedule is coming together with a few state days and events yet to be confirmed. As most of you know our major events for 2012 are:

 

• VT Amateur July 10-12 at Green Mountain National
• VT Mid-Amateur August 16-19 at Burlington C.C.
• VT Senior Amateur September 4-5 at Neshobe
• New England Senior Amateur September 10-12 at Rutland C.C.
• VT, NH & ME Tri-State Matches September 14-16 at Jay Peak G.C.
• We are currently accepting applications for our Winter 4-Ball event in Myrtle Beach, SC March 2-4, 2012. Last year saw 112 players from Vermont and New Hampshire participate and we are hoping to add more teams for 2012. Please visit our new look website at www.vtga.org for details on the golf, lodging and the entry form.

 

We are also working on the Spring 4-Ball that will be held May 5-6 using ManchesterC.C., Dorset Field Club, The Golf Club at Equinox, Proctor-Pittsford C.C., Rutland C.C., and, if we continue our growth, Neshobe will be coming on board as well. Entry information will be available in mid-January as we implement some new technology for the VGA. If you have played in the event previously, confirm with your partner and put this on your calendar. If you have not played before, find a partner and make time in your schedule; this is a great event with a tremendous value. You receive a tee prize, practice round and 2 tournament rounds at great golf facilities with the entry fee of only $125!

 

New for 2012 we will be utilizing the USGA's TPP Online version of tournament software which will enable us to accept online sign-ups and payment in an easy to use and secure format. One of the other great features this will bring us is live scoring; as soon as a scorecard is turned in and entered into the scoring computer it will update the leader-board on our website. We hope to have this all set to roll out in January.

 

One of our VGA missions for 2012 is to grow our membership numbers. We are trying to get people to think of their GHIN or handicap fee as their VGA Membership. We plan to educate clubs and their members as to the value the VGA provides. Along with the handicap service we provide course rating service, the scholarship program which has given over $1 million to Vermont high school students towards their college tuition, junior golf opportunities, a great number of competitive events each year, lobbying and legislative support to benefit the golf industry, growth of the game efforts, help and information to our member clubs facing the challenges in today's golf industry and enforcing and interpreting the Rules of Golf in accordance with the rules adopted by the U.S.G.A. I will be hitting the road this spring touring Vermont and visiting our clubs with a power point presentation aimed at increasing participation in the VGA and our events. A major part of our revenue is derived from the VGA Membership fees we collect, and that has diminished over the past years. Our hope is with education, support from you our members and an understanding of the value provided by the VGA more clubs and their members will embrace and participate in our programs.

 

In closing, I think we should come up with a name for our e-newsletter. Please put on your thinking caps and e-mail us with suggestions. I will forward the names to the directors and we will choose a title and give credit to the clever person who submitted it.

 

Have a Happy, Safe and Prosperous New Years! Please contact me at any time with ideas, thoughts and suggestions. My Contact info is below.

Make lots of birdies in 2012!

 

Dave

 

Dave Pfannenstein, PGA

Executive Director, VGA

PO Box 1612, Station A

Rutland, VT 05701-1612

802-773-7180 office

802-353-5640 cell

dave@vtga.org