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Pioneer Valley Girl's Golf to begin 12th season

Reminder Publications submitted photo

The LPGA-USGA Girls Golf site of the Pioneer Valley is part of a national girls' golf initiative sponsored by the Ladies Professional Golf Association and the United States Golf Association. The local program is based at Fenway Golf and led by site director LPGA Professional Susan Teitel. The program also uses other venues of golf for regulation play.

Pioneer Valley Girls Golf encourages girls to learn to play golf, build friendships and sample competition in a supportive and positive learning environment. Currently, more than 2,400 girls in 98 locations around the country participate in this program. Each girl is also enrolled as a junior member in the USGA.

Pioneer Valley Girls Golf is a newly expanded program modeled after the LPGA Girls Golf Club which was established in Phoenix, Ariz., in 1989 by LPGA Teaching and Club Professional member Sandy LaBauve. The LPGA Girls Golf Club became a national initiative of the LPGA and the LPGA Foundation in 1994.

Through Pioneer Valley Girls Golf, the USGA and the LPGA are seeking to increase the number of local, regional and national organizations bringing girls to the program. Also since 1994, the Girl Scouts of America have been an integral part in the growth of the program and will continue to be a playing partner in this program.

The activities of the Pioneer Valley Girls Golf site include six teaching events taking place in May, taking each girl from the basics of holding a club to hitting a ball using short and long game. We also teach a segment on playing out of sand and a lesson on putting. After the six teaching events, we head out to the golf course to utilize the skills taught at the range. These include a Bring a Friend, a few fun tournaments Note in the Hole, Animal Golf, Family Glow in the Dark Tournament and a yearly family scramble tournament followed by a banquet.

We also utilize training equipment called SNAG. SNAG (Start New at Golf) is a training tool utilized to teach the game of golf to all level learners. We also offer a weekly playing event at Pine Knoll golf course to mentor our new golfers and help refine the more accomplished players. These are only a sampling of the events offered.

In addition to this, there is also another schedule of events set up for the more accomplished girl golfer where a regulation nine hole course is reserved. This part of the program will be coached by Michelle Abell. These older girls are also given opportunity to mentor golf to our local Special Olympic Athletes one night a week during the summer months. A few of our members have gone on to play as a unified partner during the Olympic games. PV Girls Golf will host approximately 50 events this year between the two schedules.

The Pioneer Valley Girls Golf was founded in 1997 by Teitel. Each year the site hosts 20 to 30 events, not including the accomplished player schedule, between May and September. All teaching events take place at Fenway Golf Course on Allen Street in East Longmeadow. From there, the girls are offered opportunities to play other golf courses in the area depending on the event planned. We have club rentals available if needed.

For more information about the program activities and events contact Teitel at 896-0596. Other questions may be directed via e-mail to pvgirlsgolf@yahoo.com.