May 7, 2013 - Richard Wood has been an important part of the Rochester District Golf Association for the better part of the last 20 years. He served in every capacity including President in 2006. Most recently he was chairperson of the GHIN/Handicap Committee and has been the face of the RDGA with most every one of the 64 RDGA Clubs.
Memorial Service for Richard is Monday May 13th at Temple B'rith Kodesh, 2131 Elmwood Ave at 5:30pm
Outside of the RDGA Richard was involved in the Rochester Golf Community as a high-level volunteer at the Wegman's LPGA, the Henrietta Foundation, and the Churchville Men’s Golf Association. Richard was recently cited by USGA Executive Director, Mike Davis, for his outstanding service to that organization over the last decade.
Richard Wood and his unending volunteer commitment to the Rochester community will be greatly missed. Condolences are expressed to his family, his friends, and everyone whose life Richard touched in his 81 years. He will be sorely missed.
Here are just some of Richard's contributions to Rochester golf:
2005-2006 President of the RDGA
2006-2013 Director of Handicap Services RDGA
2005-2013 Senior Rules Official RDGA
2008-2011 Henrietta Foundation Board (Executive South Golf Course)
1982-2012 Wegman's LPGA Championship - Volunteer Management, Scoring
Control, Pro-AM Handicapping
2003 PGA Championship, Oak Hill Country Club - Hole Marshal
2008 Sr.PGA Championship, Oak Hill Country Club - Hole Captain
1995 Hole Marshall Ryder Cup at Oak Hill CC
1996-2012 Prepared time sheets, pace of play, and official scorecards for most
every USGA qualifier in the Rochester region for the past 15 years
1998-2013 Member and Director Churchville Men’s Golf Association
2003-2012 Volunteer to WRDGA for tournament administration and Rules
2003-2013 USGA Regional Committee Representative
2008-2012 USGA Tournament Rules Official (Various events and locations)
The RDGA Foundation will raffling off two pairs of weeklong passes to the 2013 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club, August 8-11. The drawing for these tickets will be held on July 1st, at the RDGA Foundation Golf Tournament at Midvale Golf and Country Club. You do not need to be present to win.
The Rochester District Golf Association (RDGA) board of directors recently appointed a Women’s Advisory Committee to focus on growing women’s golf in Western New York. This committee was created because it has long been recognized that women represent the fastest growing population in golf, yet there is a perception that their needs are not being adequately addressed in Western New York. As a full service golf association representing the USGA, the RDGA is in a great position to address these concerns.
The RDGA has appointed Ann Pangman Esterman, a Class A LPGA Teaching professional teaching at Ravenwood Golf Club, to chair this committee. Ann brings over 25 years of experience as an LPGA teaching professional and she is well versed in the needs and concerns of women having founded Executive Women’s Golf Association chapters in Idaho and New York. “I am very excited that RDGA has taken a leadership role in tackling this issue and I am enthusiastic to share my experiences to help achieve the aggressive goals that have been set for this committee.”
The following golf organizations are represented within this committee – PGA, LPGA, USGA, RDGA, WRDGA, EWGA, Section V Golf. Currently the committee consists of David Knauss, Darlene Sommer, Brian Tolnar, Sharon Kovach, Debbie Harper, Sharon White, Mark Battle, Julie Odenbach, Susie Yarnall, and Sheri Hegedorn. The RDGA Women’s Advisory Committee will strive to be the leader in Western New York in bringing together all women’s golf organizations and programs with the purpose of growing the game through improving the golf experience for all levels of women’s golf – new, occasional, & avid female golfers. The RDGA website will be a central location for all information regarding women’s golf in the area.
The Rochester District Golf Association was founded in 1929 with 12 founding clubs. RDGA is primarily a volunteer organization that represents the USGA in the Greater Rochester Region by providing the USGA Course Rating and Handicap System, workshops on the Rules of Golf and a first rate tournament schedule for all ages. RDGA has over 60 member clubs including over 14,000 golfers that utilize their support.
Women of all golf skill levels are invited to get involved. For more information about getting involved with the new RDGA Women’s Advisory Committee initiative to grow women’s golf in Western New York, contact Ann Pangman Esterman at apesterman@rochester.rr.com. To learn more about the RDGA, visit www.rdga.org.
Save the date! The 2013 Club Car WNY Open will be held on Monday, May 13th at Niagara Falls CC, Lewiston, NY. The event is open to any amateur that resides in the Western New York Section, or is a member of an amateur association that conducts business in the same region - with a valid USGA Handicap Index of 5.0 or lower. This 18-Hole Individual Stroke play tournament includes a mix of the top amateurs and PGA Professionals around Western NY.
Registration is now open! You can register online at www.westernnewyork.pga.com, by returning the attached entry form to our office with payment or by calling the office (716) 626-7095 with CC information. All entries must be received in our office by Monday, May 6th. Amateur registration will be cut off when the first 75 amateur entries have been received, whichever comes first. The entry fee is $100 (Includes golf, cart, range & prizes).
Please see attached entry form for more details, and feel free to forward this on to all else who may be eligible to compete.
If you're a golfer who anchors their putter, you will have to make a change in your putting stroke. The USGA and the R&A have offically adopted Rule 14-b, which prohibits the anchoring of a club while making a stroke. This new rule will take effect January 1, 2016.
