Women golfers raised over $59,000 for breast cancer with two events during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.
One hundred forty Robson WGA and WLN women golf in the Pink Tournament.
Team Crush Breast Cancer
Men helping women golfers make their birdies. MGA men lend a hand to help get the ball in the hole.
Virginia E. Wheeless
Just one year ago, the RRWGA decided to devote a tournament to breast cancer and raised funds to purchase eight healing mechanical chairs to assist breast cancer survivors. The tournament was called the Pink Tournament and was a huge success. So, in 2022 the RRWGA took that accomplishment and partnered with Women Rock, a nonprofit serving Denton County, by spreading breast health awareness education, helping women and men get tested and treated for breast cancer, and helping them find some care to live and survive with hope.
This year on Oct. 18, the RRWLN joined in the Pink Tournament, which saw 140 women dressed in everything from pink flamingo suits, pink tutus, and t-shirts with special team names drive decorated carts to play golf. Waiting for them were very helpful MGA golfers dressed appropriately to be consistent with the theme of “breast cancer.” The men in their “costumes” provided a “new look” on the golf course. For example, two sun-bronzed fellas were helpful in sweeping balls in for birdies or a hole-in-one. Another two used a hula hoop to help get the ball on the green, and there were strange “people” sitting in sand traps all over the course. Some well-dressed guys assisted as long ball hitters or somewhat “good” putters. Even the RR Pickleball Club helped the women by letting them use pickleball paddles instead of putters to make birdies, eagles, or a hole-in-one. The women had a chance to win $1,000 from the PGA Superstore Southlake or a golf cart from ERA Myers & Myers Realty if they hit a hole-in-one.
Of course, there were prizes. The best decorated cart and team name went to Defending Second Base (Sue Galinski, Becci Tomasek, Beverly Anderson, and Candy Mikulik). Melinda Hall received the longest drive award. Twenty Robson Ranch women golfers who have survived breast cancer totaling over 180 years of survival were recognized. The Tournament Committee (Candy Mikulik, Beverly Anderson, Ruthie Santiago, Mary Burke, Denise Gaugier, Jami Snell, Diane Boyne, Sue Galinski, Gayle Lee, Diane Reeve, Susan Spangler, and Tammy Buck), chaired by Chris Root, provided a delicious lunch of a salad and potato bar with sumptuous ice cream and apple and peach cobbler.
Approximately 80 business and individual sponsors, with PGA Southlake leading the way, were instrumental in the success of the tournament, raising over $13,000 for Women Rock/breast cancer. Jeff Kuenzle, Jr., general manager of PGA, surprised LuAnn Daniel, founder and CEO of Women Rock, at the luncheon with an additional $5,000 donation. All sponsors are listed on the RRWGA website, www.RRWGA.com. Chris Root, chair of the Pink Tournament, thanks all sponsors and MGA, 9MGA men, Robson Ranch, and others for their support and generosity. Golf tournaments like the Pink Tournament can only be successful when the community and the organization come together to support the stated goal; in this case, breast cancer. It goes to show you that, together, we can reduce breast cancer as the second leading cause of cancer death in women. All women want is to say, “It doesn’t have to be me.”