CELEBRATING TEN YEARS With DRIVING FORCE WOMEN’S GOLF CLUB
I attended the “We’re Coming Out” women’s golf interest meeting at Dr. Joe and Margie L. Lee’s home, as did many other women from the community. The number of attendees indicated that there was a genuine interest in learning to play golf. Several days later, Sandy Osborne called and asked me to be on the committee that would draft by-laws for a potential women’s golf club. I knew that African American women needed a resource where they could find other women with whom they could play golf, so I agreed to be on the committee.
A retreat was planned to St Augustine, Florida. During the day, the committee, Margie L. Lee, Dr. Essie McGhee, Sandy Osborne and I, played golf at the Slammer & Squire Golf Course and other wonderful golf courses in the area (it was on one of those golf courses where I got my “2 Club” pin) and visited the World Golf Hall of Fame. In the evening, we drafted the mission statement and the by-laws.
The first Charter Meeting was held on January 27, 2007 at Arrowhead Country Club. It was at this meeting that names for the golf club were submitted. The majority vote went to Driving Force Golf Club which was submitted by Connie Dacus. The second Charter Meeting was held on April 28, 2007 at Gateway Executive Golf Course. At this meeting, the club’s name was officially changed to Driving Force Women’s Golf Club and the Mission Statement was adopted. After the meeting, Driving Force Women’s Golf Club had their first league play. The By-Laws were adopted on January 26, 2008…and the rest is history.
As we celebrate Driving Force Women’s Golf Club’s 10-year anniversary, I look back and am awed by this assembly of diverse, awesome women, who through this golf club, have developed golf skills, knowledge of the game and have learned to enjoy playing this great challenging game. We not only assemble to play golf on each Saturday in the month, but we also support local and state golf tournaments as well as tournaments in FL, GA, KY, MI, SC and several other states. Several of our members were coaches and volunteers for the First Tee of Montgomery. When Connie Dacus, told us about the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Navistar Classic at RTJ, Prattville, AL, Driving Force Women’s Golf Club became the sponsor of Hole #2 (par 3) on the Senator Course for many years. Several members volunteered in other areas, such as, walking scorer, hospitality suites and scoring central. Kim Davis and I have been host families for several of the LPGA golfers.
We do golf and more. The Driving Force women have engaged in several mentoring projects and community activities. They teamed with the several Montgomery Public Schools and assisted in instructing and exposing the students to the game of golf. This project was coordinated by Margaret Wright. The Driving Force women enthusiastically support the Alabama State University Golf Program. During my tenue as assistant golf coach from 2010 through 2014, the Women’s team won the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Championship in 2011, 2013 and 2014. The Men’s team won the SWAC Championship 2012, 2013 and 2014 (and I have the championship rings to prove it). Each year, both teams carried a 3.4 or higher GPA. The Driving Force women also gave generously to the food and coat drives which was spearheaded by Kim Davis. Thanks to all of the Driving Force ladies for all that you do. Keep up the good work.
During Driving Force’s infancy, Sandy nurtured this golf group to ensure that we stayed on the right course. She made sure that we always had a place to meet and she kept Driving Force’s name lifted up in the community with positive publicity.
We are now 10 years old. Where do we go from here? What will be Driving Force Women’s Golf Club legacy? I envision Driving Force Women’s Golf Club organizing, supporting and championing a girl’s golf program. This will help to grow the game of golf in our school system and ultimately in the community. How do you see Driving Force Women’s Golf Club involvement in growing the game of golf in our community? Let me know. Contact me at drobinson9413@charter.net. I believe…the best is yet to come!
Thanks Margie for your vision and Essie for sharing your knowledge of golf with us ladies who just wanted to learn this great game…called golf.
In memory of my friend, Sandy “Sandy Mae” Osborne, who is dearly missed, may Driving Force Women continue to seek ways to:
Give with a generous heart, embrace
Opportunities as they unfold, demonstrate positive
Leadership, and chart a path to pass, all that we have become,
Forward.
I am honored to be a 10-year Charter Member of Driving Force Women’s Golf Club.
Much love,
Hattie L. Robinson
I attended the “We’re Coming Out” women’s golf interest meeting at Dr. Joe and Margie L. Lee’s home, as did many other women from the community. The number of attendees indicated that there was a genuine interest in learning to play golf. Several days later, Sandy Osborne called and asked me to be on the committee that would draft by-laws for a potential women’s golf club. I knew that African American women needed a resource where they could find other women with whom they could play golf, so I agreed to be on the committee.
A retreat was planned to St Augustine, Florida. During the day, the committee, Margie L. Lee, Dr. Essie McGhee, Sandy Osborne and I, played golf at the Slammer & Squire Golf Course and other wonderful golf courses in the area (it was on one of those golf courses where I got my “2 Club” pin) and visited the World Golf Hall of Fame. In the evening, we drafted the mission statement and the by-laws.
The first Charter Meeting was held on January 27, 2007 at Arrowhead Country Club. It was at this meeting that names for the golf club were submitted. The majority vote went to Driving Force Golf Club which was submitted by Connie Dacus. The second Charter Meeting was held on April 28, 2007 at Gateway Executive Golf Course. At this meeting, the club’s name was officially changed to Driving Force Women’s Golf Club and the Mission Statement was adopted. After the meeting, Driving Force Women’s Golf Club had their first league play. The By-Laws were adopted on January 26, 2008…and the rest is history.
As we celebrate Driving Force Women’s Golf Club’s 10-year anniversary, I look back and am awed by this assembly of diverse, awesome women, who through this golf club, have developed golf skills, knowledge of the game and have learned to enjoy playing this great challenging game. We not only assemble to play golf on each Saturday in the month, but we also support local and state golf tournaments as well as tournaments in FL, GA, KY, MI, SC and several other states. Several of our members were coaches and volunteers for the First Tee of Montgomery. When Connie Dacus, told us about the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Navistar Classic at RTJ, Prattville, AL, Driving Force Women’s Golf Club became the sponsor of Hole #2 (par 3) on the Senator Course for many years. Several members volunteered in other areas, such as, walking scorer, hospitality suites and scoring central. Kim Davis and I have been host families for several of the LPGA golfers.
We do golf and more. The Driving Force women have engaged in several mentoring projects and community activities. They teamed with the several Montgomery Public Schools and assisted in instructing and exposing the students to the game of golf. This project was coordinated by Margaret Wright. The Driving Force women enthusiastically support the Alabama State University Golf Program. During my tenue as assistant golf coach from 2010 through 2014, the Women’s team won the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Championship in 2011, 2013 and 2014. The Men’s team won the SWAC Championship 2012, 2013 and 2014 (and I have the championship rings to prove it). Each year, both teams carried a 3.4 or higher GPA. The Driving Force women also gave generously to the food and coat drives which was spearheaded by Kim Davis. Thanks to all of the Driving Force ladies for all that you do. Keep up the good work.
During Driving Force’s infancy, Sandy nurtured this golf group to ensure that we stayed on the right course. She made sure that we always had a place to meet and she kept Driving Force’s name lifted up in the community with positive publicity.
We are now 10 years old. Where do we go from here? What will be Driving Force Women’s Golf Club legacy? I envision Driving Force Women’s Golf Club organizing, supporting and championing a girl’s golf program. This will help to grow the game of golf in our school system and ultimately in the community. How do you see Driving Force Women’s Golf Club involvement in growing the game of golf in our community? Let me know. Contact me at drobinson9413@charter.net. I believe…the best is yet to come!
Thanks Margie for your vision and Essie for sharing your knowledge of golf with us ladies who just wanted to learn this great game…called golf.
In memory of my friend, Sandy “Sandy Mae” Osborne, who is dearly missed, may Driving Force Women continue to seek ways to:
Give with a generous heart, embrace
Opportunities as they unfold, demonstrate positive
Leadership, and chart a path to pass, all that we have become,
Forward.
I am honored to be a 10-year Charter Member of Driving Force Women’s Golf Club.
Much love,
Hattie L. Robinson
