NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Jan. 22, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- As Sir Winston Churchill once said, "Golf is a game whose aim is to hit a very small ball into an even smaller hole, with weapons singularly ill-designed for the purpose." In the decades that have since passed, that summation still rings true.
Despite, or perhaps because of, the challenges it presents, the sport's popularity is enduring. Although golf was initially considered a game for men, statistics gathered by the National Golf Foundation show that women accounted for close to 41% of players nationwide in 2005. Two and a half million women are classified as "core" players, which means they spend as much time and money on the game of golf as men do.
Foundation statistics also indicate that while many are introduced to golf in their youth, thirty-two percent of all players learn the sport between the ages of 30 and 49. Twenty-three percent of those first-time players have household incomes of $50,000 - $75,000.
For Orange County, California, Human Relations consultant Mara Hampton, golf is a family affair, and she hasn't wasted any time in introducing her daughter Kate to the sport: The first-grader has been golfing for three years. Kate's birthday celebration has become an annual on-course event, with as many as 22 first-graders learning the etiquette of the game and how to hit the ball.
Hampton is also the chair of the Junior League of Orange County, Calif., Inc., (JLOCC) "Tournament by the Sea," which is the volunteer organization's second annual spring fundraiser. Last year's event at the Monarch Beach Resort was such a success that it has been rescheduled at the same venue for March 30, 2007. In the past, JLOCC members might have been expected to be focused on the social aspects of the game, but the number of working women in the League has grown. According to Hampton, "This is a great opportunity for both women and men to enhance business and personal relationships while supporting worthwhile charitable causes."
In addition to becoming avid players, women have also invaded the ranks of experts on the sport. Berkeley-based Suzanne Woo, author of On Course for Business, founded BizGolf Dynamics to teach business professionals how they can use golf to strengthen their relationships and increase sales. A graduate of UC Berkeley and the McGeorge School of Law, she used golf to develop her legal practice, which has included negotiating multi-million dollar commercial transactions.
According to Woo, "Women worry too much that they're not good enough. The great secret of business golf is that most men aren't that good either. Women need to get over their fear, and just get out there and play. But, they should take lessons from a professional instructor and learn the rules of etiquette. It's most important to be an enjoyable playing partner. The worst thing is to be a distraction or unable to keep up the pace. Being able to hit the ball 200 yards doesn't matter."
Woo adds that for sales people, spending four to five hours with a client develops trust and rapport. "If you enjoy playing with someone, you'll enjoy working with them. On the course, you get to examine a person's character and integrity. Those with unreasonable expectations on the course will have unreasonable expectations of you in business as well."
Business interests also led to the founding of the Executive Women's Golf Association. Created in 1991, it is a relative newcomer to the world of golf, but it is already the largest amateur sports organization for women. Founder Nancy Oliver first organized a golf clinic after realizing she was missing a lot of business opportunities because she was not a player. The next step was formalizing the organization, which immediately blossomed. There are currently 20,000 members and 120 chapters of the non-profit organization in the U.S. and Canada. It is also open to those who are between careers or retired.
For those interested in getting started in golf, there's a wealth of online information at sites such as www.playgolfamerica.com. The site provides definitions of basic terminology, access to instructional tools, rules of etiquette and an archive of articles regarding the importance of the mental approach to the game. While relationship-building is important, Play Golf America also offers tips on mental toughness that could double as a guide to success in business. They include:
* Play one shot at a time. Don't worry about the shot you just played or about what others are doing. * Don't compare yourself to others. Set realistic goals for your game and your round and only judge yourself against the goals. * Be patient. Golf is a game of ebb and flow, good breaks and bad breaks. The most successful players are those who minimize their mistakes and wait for their opportunities. * Keep the game in perspective. Win or lose, score well or poorly, in the end, golf is still a game.
For more information regarding the Junior League Golf Tournament by the Sea, call (949) 261-0823 or e-mail jlocc@sbcglobal.net.
The JLOCC has raised more than $6.5 million for the benefit of the JLOCC's charitable projects primarily through The Christmas Company, which is its largest fundraiser and began its fourth decade this year. As a solely educational and charitable organization, the JLOCC's trained volunteers actively support the community through collaboration with organizations that promote and support the health, safety and education of women and children including Orange County Bar Foundation, Orange County Children's Therapeutic Arts Center, Casa Teresa Inc., Girls Inc., YMCA of Orange County, and Bear Hugs. The organization awards thousands of dollars in grants and scholarships each year.
About the Junior League of Orange County, California, Inc.
The Junior League of Orange County, California, Inc. is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and the leadership of trained volunteers. JLOCC has contributed to Orange County by helping found organizations such as Orangewood Children's Home, Orangewood Academy, and the Volunteer Center of Orange County, among others. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. A 501(c)(3) organization, the JLOCC reaches out to women of all races, religions, and national origins. Originally founded in 1956 as the Newport Harbor Service League, the JLOCC is a member organization of the Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. To learn more about the JLOCC, call (949) 261-0823 or visit www.jlocc.org.