Betty Davis
The 2026 Wildhorse Lady Niners Education Team consisting of Barbara Byrd, Joan Stewart and Lucia Bone is responsible for coordinating all WLN golf education events. The most recent WLN Academy was held on April 27 with academics covered in the morning and demonstrations by a few of our Pro’s on driving, chipping, and putting in the afternoon session. Each participant received the opportunity to practice what the Pro’s were preaching.
Our attendees signed up for a day of discussion covering subjects such as how and when to acquire an available spot on Play Day each Wednesday; how to request tee times in Chelsea Reservations; how to use the USGA GHIN app and the Golf Genius app; fundamentals of being on the course including playing “ready golf,” filling divots, raking sand, where to stand on the green to not distract other golfers, proper dress code, and scoring lingo. Most golfers are well aware of Par, Birdie, Eagle, and Bogey, but I definitely learned a new one at Academy. Apparently a “Snowman” is making an 8 on a hole. Hmmm, if you looked at my scorecard, you would think I was playing up north in the dead of winter rather than the heat of summer in Texas, but I digress.
Believe it or not, some ladies were unaware we are supposed to drop the ball from knee height when taking relief from natural hazards using a club length instead of just neatly placing it at the end of the club. No names will be mentioned, and we all know what is expected going forward! One of the best lessons of the day was the demonstration of how to properly celebrate a birdie. We all hope to be able to practice that a little more often as we play!
Craig Pullen, Director of Golf at Robson Ranch, and Val Bottoms, one of our Golf Guru’s in the Pro Shop, went over rules and gave great examples of hypothetical situations to reinforce our understanding. Jamey Siefert covered the importance of achieving a handicap, what it means to have a high handicap or a low one, and how each one affects our gross scores. Joan Stewart schooled us on our mental game, reminding us that golf is often described as a game that is played “between the ears.” She reminded us to stay in the present; focus on one shot at a time; have a pre-shot routine and use it; when in doubt, hit more club; find our happy place; and NEVER GIVE UP.
As if being afforded the opportunity to absorb all of this educational material was not enough, the team held a BINGO game encompassing material covered at the morning session of the Academy. Terri Kenas, Kathy DeGroot, and Carol Barry all achieved BINGO simultaneously and won swag bags. Useful information AND fun—way to go Barbara, Joan, and Lucia!