Dear Members,

I am thrilled to share the wonderful news that our 2024 Kickoff Brunch was an outstanding success! It was a day filled with excitement and camaraderie, and I am incredibly grateful to all who attended, and contributed to making it such a memorable event.

I am delighted to announce that this year's brunch broke previous records, with a fantastic turnout and an incredible atmosphere. It was heartening to witness the enthusiasm and support from our members, which resulted in significant achievements for our chapter.

One of the highlights of the event was the tremendous support we received from our sponsors and the addition of new members to our community. I extend my heartfelt thanks to Anne Levitt for her exceptional efforts in organizing the brunch. Special recognition is also due to Alecia Fisher Dougherty of Naviter Wealth for her generous sponsorship, and to Oak Hill CC for graciously hosting us. Their contributions played a pivotal role in the success of the event, and we are truly grateful for their support.

As we enter a new month, March brings us closer to the much-anticipated start of the golf season. I encourage you to continue reading our newsletter, as it contains all the essential information you need for the 2024 season. Please feel free to share the newsletter with your friends, colleagues, family, and businesses to help spread the word about our chapter.

This year, my personal goal is to reach 250 members and add five more new sponsors to our roster. With your assistance and support, I am confident that we can achieve these ambitious goals together. Your ongoing commitment to our chapter is invaluable, and I deeply appreciate your dedication and enthusiasm.

Thank you once again to everyone who made the 2024 Kickoff Brunch a resounding success. Let's continue this momentum as we look forward to an exciting and rewarding year ahead on the golf course!

Warm regards,

Mary

Mary Faggiano

Chapter President

president.lpgaamateursroc@gmail.com

Representing one of our ACE Sponsors, Rochester District Golf Association (RDGA), was Meredith Glenning. Meredith shared GHIN statistics about the number of games our members played during the 2023 season.

Our 50/50 drawing collected $1583, half of it was donated to RDGA Foundation, Inc. The Foundation exists to grow Junior Golf in Rochester. Jerry Stahl, past President of Oak Hill CC and an avid supporter of RDGA, shared information about the Foundation and how Junior Golf has grown significantly over recent years.

We are able to hold our brunch at Oak Hill due to the support of our member and ACE Sponsor, Alecia Fisher Dougherty of Naviter Wealth. Thank you, Alecia!

Another ACE Sponsor, Debby Murphy of Webster GC, attended the brunch. Debby's support of women's golf and our Chapter is so appreciated. We support Debby by having an 18-Hole League, clinics and events at Webster GC and doing weekly trips to use the simulators.

After Anne Levitt, Event Coordinator, and Mary Faggiano, Chapter President, welcomed the group we enjoyed the delicious brunch buffet. Several board members shared with the group what the Rochester Chapter has planned for the 2024 Golf Season.

We wouldn't be able to have some terrific events, such as our Brunch, without the dedicated help of time and energy from our volunteers.

A huge "thank you" goes to our Brunch Event Coordinator, Anne Levitt.

Other volunteers are:

• Mary Roat - Helped with set up before and clean up after event
• Marie Bianchi & Annette Doell - Worked at Registration Table
• Donna Hall & Terri Drawe - Sold 50/50 tickets
• Kathryn Douglas & Maureen Kohler - Drew winning tickets
• Brenda Pitts - Counted 50/50 money to be distributed
• Colleen O'Mara - Photographer
• Luanna Andrews - Brochure & Name Tags

LPGA Amateur Golf Association-Rochester

(unless otherwise noted)

MARCH EVENTS

• 03/16 & 17/24 - Golf Expo @ Tim Horton's Iceplex
• 03/28/24 - New Member Orientation @ TBD

APRIL EVENTS

• 04/03/24 - Club Champion Open House - Putter Fitting & Golf Ball Analysis
• 04/17/24 - Club Champion Open House - Fitting of Choice
• 04/23/24 - Chapter Social @ Monroe CC

RDGA 2024 Tournament Schedule

Check out their tournament schedule and plan which events you want to play.



The Two Person Tournaments are very popular among our Rochester Chapter members.

Registration opens March 1st.

NYSGA 2024 Tournament Schedule

Any of our Chapter members are eligible to participate in NYSGA Amateur Series as long as you maintain a GHIN Handicap Index. The tournaments are scheduled across the state at some very nice courses.

Check out the NYSGA schedule.

Registration opens March 1st.

World Handicap System 2024 Revision Hub

Our area's golf season won't start until April 15th. But for those of you who travel to warmer climates to play golf and you are recording your scores, the WHS has made some revisions that went into effect January 2024.

Click HERE for the USGA articles, videos and resources to explain these updates to the WHS.

RDGA has also made these changes available. For additional details on the Rules of Handicapping, which will apply to all RDGA Two Person tournaments in the new season, click HERE.

New to the Rochester Chapter & have questions about your current arrangement for a Handicap Index?

WE CAN HELP!

Don't have a Handicap Index but you want one?

WE CAN HELP!

Have a Handicap Index through Rochester Chapter & RDGA

and want to continue with it?

WE CAN HELP!

All of these questions and more can be answered by our

Handicap Committee!!!

Contact Wendy Bolton at info.lpgaamateursroc@gmail.com

***********************************

FYI...If you choose to maintain your Handicap Index through our Chapter in connection with RDGA, you will be billed in May 2024.

At Nancy Lopez Golf, Inc. you'll find apparel, equipment & accessories. Click on the LOGO & check out the 20% discount and Free Shipping for LPGA Amateurs members!!

Cindy Miller, Double Eagle Sponsor, offers One Person Play Lessons or Two-Hour Group Playing Experience. Check out Cindy's website for more details about her lessons.  Click HERE for details

You'll find lots of logoed apparel, headgear, bags and accessories at LPGA Amateurs Golf Shop!

At Girls Golf you'll find apparel, equipment & accessories.

LPGA Amateurs logo apparel!!

This sports apparel shop has LPGA Amateur Golf Association logo apparel and accessories. Click on the LOGO & check out the 25% discount for our logoed apparel!

The Rochester District Golf Association (RDGA) is an Allied Golf Association of the USGA. Its primary responsibility lies in the delivery of USGA Core Products and Services to each of its member clubs. Founded in 1929, the RDGA remains committed to enhancing the golfer experience in the greater Rochester area and to growing and improving the long term health of the game we love.

A huge shout out to our ACE Sponsor,

Alecia Fisher Dougherty, CFP^®.   Alecia won the Women of Excellence award for 2023! The 2023 Women of Excellence are leaders of impressive achievement and this year there were 50 honorees. They are making a difference at work, at home and in their communities. Congratulations to Alecia. She has given back to the community by mentoring young females who are entering a male-dominated industry. Since 2016, she has mentored women who are interested in financial planning and pursuing their Certified Financial Planner certification. Alecia, along with supporting LPGA Amateurs – Rochester Chapter, also is a member of the Small Business Council of Rochester and the Beta Gamma business fraternity and volunteers with the Rochester chapter of Dress for Success. While doing all this, Alecia and her husband have transitioned from Echelon Wealth Advisors, LLC to Naviter Wealth. It is an honor to have her in our Chapter! 

Club Champion is the #1 club fitter in the country, but they know they aren’t the only choice. The club fitting industry is growing and Club Champion continues to offer the absolute best custom club fitting on the market. At Club Champion, the kind of data that transforms a golfer’s game is gleaned using the best technology in the industry. From TrackMan Pro full-swing analysis to putter stroke measurement using SAM PuttLab, the technology focused philosophy is laser-focused on one thing – making the golfer better. The in-depth process starts in the fitting bay and ends with the golfer shooting lower scores. Every step along the way is designed to match custom golf clubs to the golfer’s individual swing. Club Champion has been ranked as a Golf Digest Top 100 Club Fitter for over a decade and that’s no mistake. On average, they find 20+ yards off the tee, and 10+ yards better dispersion for customers.

Debby Murphy from Webster Golf Club is our Ace sponsor for the 3rd year in a row. Since she returned to the Rochester area, it has been a great partnership. In 2023, we will have an 18- hole day league there and we have taken advantage of the six new simulators available in the off-season. Lessons are available on simulators where you can sign up on the website, or once the weather is better, of course outside. Please think of Webster Golf Club the next time you think of golfing. 

Srixon is a new ACE Sponsor for our Rochester Chapter. Tim Vangellow representing RDGA, along with Todd Vangellow from Srixon, have donated Q-STAR Srixon golf balls with our Chapter logo to be given to all of our Chapter members. Todd is a sales representative with Srixon.

Cindy Miller, our latest Double Eagle sponsor, is a graduate of the University of Miami where she began as a walk-on and gained All American status her senior year on the Division I Women’s Golf Team. She served as Team Captain and helped her team win the NCAA National Championships in 1977 and 1978.

A veteran of five U.S. Women’s Opens, she is a former LPGA Tour Player and presently a Class A LPGA Professional. Currently she plays on the Legends Tour, the Official Senior Tour of the LPGA and sits within the top 50 of their career money list. She competes with such LPGA Tour stars as Nancy Lopez, Pat Bradley, and Annika Sorenstam.

As a Certified Behavior, Motivation, and Emotional Intelligence Professional, she is sought after as a speaker, coach, and corporate trainer. She uses decades of competitive golf experience and a lifelong pursuit of personal potential to inspire, educate and challenge individuals, teams, and corporations to unlock potential and improve performance.

Voted the 2010 National LPGA Teacher of the Year, she has also been named Player of the Year for the Northeastern United States. Cindy is among “The Top 50 Women Teachers in the United States” ranked by Golf Digest Magazine and The Top 50 Women Teachers in the World by The Women’s Golf Journal. She was recently named the 2021 Nancy Lopez Golf Achievement Award winner for her leadership, passion, giving, and approachability.

Although her list of credentials is impressive, perhaps Miller is best known for her appearance on The Golf Channel’s hit reality series The Big Break III: Ladies Only in early 2005. Miller’s patience, skill and steady play propelled her to success on the show, where she outplayed seven other contestants.

She can be seen frequently on Golf Channel, LPGA Women’s Network, and Womensgolf.Com giving her simple yet profound golf tips. She is the co-host of the podcast “The Women of Golf”, a columnist for The Buffalo News, and a Senior Editor for Golf Tips Magazine.

Look for future clinics that will be coming using our new sponsor!

In 1971, Big Oak started as a small family business, offering our area the first public driving range. In 1979, they expanded, by adding the golf shop. This brought equipment, clothing and accessories to their customers.

To this day, Big Oak's mission remains the same... to offer their valued customers the latest and best in golf equipment, clothing and services. Their success is achieved only because of their experienced and knowledgeable staff. Thanks to their qualified staff and loyal customers, Big Oak is celebrating over 50 years of helping the customer perfect the wonderful game of golf.

Linda Opalisky brings over 30 years of professional teaching experience to Webster Golf Club. Through the years, Linda played on the Futures mini tour, taught in golf schools in Florida and New York and has attended numerous PGA and LPGA seminars thus keeping abreast of innovations on the instructional side of the game. She has created programs to promote her personal philosophy that golf is a game for a lifetime and should be fun to both learn and play. As a result of her success and dedication, she has been selected to the PGA President’s Council for Growing the Game through Player Development Programs every year beginning in 2004 to the present.

Linda emphasizes alignment, routines, and the short game because those parts of the game don’t know or care if you are young or old, strong or weak, male or female. All are crucial to lowering your score. Understanding the four basic positions of the follow‐ thru is important too, because when standing still anyone can be as good as a tour player. Linda often uses ‘on course’ instruction because just hitting balls is not at all like playing the game.

Cobblestone Capital Advisors has become a Double Eagle Sponsor for our LPGA Amateurs-Rochester Chapter again. Their offerings include traditional investment management and wealth management services, as well as private investments and family office services. Cobblestone employs a customized goals-based approach to wealth management, which is guided by the unique needs and objectives of each client. Our LPGA Amateurs member, Tara Henry, is a Principal and the Director of Operations at Cobblestone and can provide further information or answer any questions you may have. Thank you to Cobblestone Capital Advisors for your support of LPGA Amateurs- Rochester Chapter.

Seneca Hickory Stick is a new Double Eagle sponsor this year. The Northeast Regional Cup Qualifier will be held at this course September 8th & 9th. Named to reflect the presence of rare and protected Shellbark Hickory trees on site, Seneca Hickory Stick features a picturesque layout highlighted by tranquil lakes and ponds, native plants and grasses that are surrounded by large mature trees.

The Robert Trent Jones II design weaves its way through some of the finest topography for golf in the entire region. Combining the absolute best course conditions and customer service levels in the area, Hickory Stick redefines Premium Daily Fee Golf in Western New York.

Architect Craig Schreiner's masterpiece opened in 1996 with a beautiful 18 Hole Scottish links-style golf course featuring rolling hills and large undulating greens. The Links at Greystone was sculpted amidst the natural features of the land with Scottish-style mounding, tall native grasses, and pot bunkers. Playing to a Par of 72 and just over 7,200 yards from the championship tees, Greystone offers 4 sets of tees on every hole to ensure the course is playable, challenging, and rewarding for golfers of all skill levels. Simply put, this golf course layout is a must play for anyone in Western/Central New York.

Lying in the heart of the Genesee Valley, just 20 minutes from downtown Rochester, FarView offers one of the most beautiful and interesting layouts in Livingston County. The greens at FarView are some of the largest and best manicured in the area. They now offer discounts listed on their website, such as Play All Day or Purchase a 5 rounds at a discount! They are located at 2419 Avon-Geneseo Road, Route 39, Avon, NY 14414. Contact the course at 585-226-8210 for tee times to support our Double Eagle Sponsor.

Whether you are looking for the perfect place to play golf, enjoy a drink at the bar or on the patio overlooking the golf course or even a relaxing dinner with the special someone, Wild Wood Country Club has it all. Our Executive Chef has helped bring the country club back to Wild Wood,

"Wild Wood Country Club was founded as a private country club in 1968 known as Thunder Ridge Country Club. In 1980 the club changed names to Wild Wood Country Club and became semi-private allowing non members to play. The club was recently take over by Henrietta natives Mike & Liz Sweazy. We have spent the last 5 years improving the level of service, appearance and golf course drainage. The club has transformed into a full service year round banquet facility, golf course and indoor simulators allowing for year round golf leagues and tournaments. In 2019, Wild Wood was selected as #18 Public/Semi-Private golf course in New York State. What an accomplishment in only 6 full years of ownership."

-Mike Sweazy, PGA General Manager / Director of Golf

AVID Indoor Golf is home to the best simulator technology available where you can play, practice and compete with your clubs and real golf balls. Indoor golf has come a long way since hitting into nets, practice areas and old technology. Here you and your friends will have an experience like no other, playing on your choice of over 90 world-famous golf courses. Each golf course has been carefully reconstructed with realistic 3D graphics, surround sound, customizable wind and weather conditions.

Rod Christian started the New York Golf Trail in 2010 because it used to be such a hassle to set up a golf trip in New York state. Rod is now President. Today, a New York golf trip has never been easier thanks to New York Golf Trail. The organization will make sure everything goes smoothly for you. The organization has earned outstanding Google reviews and are proud of their exceptional customer service.  They make sure your trip is memorable and fun! The organization is based in Rochester, a golf mecca and the organization is always checking out new courses and hotels throughout the state to add to the Trail. 

COVID-19 General Recommendations for Members of LPGA Amateurs - Rochester



• Participation in any LPGA Amateurs Chapter events is strictly voluntary and is a personal decision. Members are encouraged to review and follow national, state, and local recommendations.
• Be aware of general precautions to avoid COVID-19, including social distancing, hand washing and other hygiene practices such as wearing a facial covering.
• We appreciate your understanding that changes in conditions and restrictions may require modifications, and possibly cancellations of Chapter events.