Robson Ranch Hosts AGA 2023 Women’s Season Opener

Diane Penner

Robson Ranch Golf Course was host to the Arizona Golf Association (AGA) 2023 Women’s Season Opener on Feb. 18. Eighty-two women from 36 different golf clubs across Arizona made their way to Robson Ranch for a beautiful 73-degree day of golf. Robson communities were represented by 14 women from Robson Ranch Ladies 18-Hole Golf League (RRLGA). Other Robson communities were represented by SaddleBrooke Women’s Golf Association (WGA), MountainView/Preserve Women’s Golf, Oakwood, and Ironwood Golf Club WGA.

This women’s golf event was a two-person format consisting of 18 holes of four-ball stroke play. Each player received 85% of her course handicap. The AGA established the yardage at 5,531 yards with a 71.3 course rating and a slope rating of 118. The 82 women were split into four flights with playing handicaps ranging from a +1.0 to a 32.0.

Special thanks to Dal Norris, a Robson Ranch resident, Robson Ranch Men’s Golf Association (RRMGA) member, and the AGA rules official in charge (ROIC) for the tournament. Dal was instrumental in working with Robson Ranch Head Pro Jay Wilson and Le Ann Finger, PGA, LPGA director of golf operations for the AGA, to agree to hold their 2023 Women’s Season Opener at the Robson Ranch Golf Course. The day did not disappoint. It was a beautiful day for golf, and a buffet dinner and awards ceremony were hosted by the AGA in the Robson Ranch facilities after the conclusion of the golf.

Robson Ranch did a fabulous job of hosting. These events require many volunteers and we cannot thank them enough. These folks were busy loading and unloading golf bags, positioning golf carts, setting up driving ranges, delivering water to players, providing traffic directions from front nine and back nine, being markers for scoring rounds, ensuring pace of play was on time, retrieving lost head covers, and many other tasks. Thank you to Jay Wilson and the employees of the Robson Ranch Golf Course: John Burtis, Curt Beling, Tom Harris, Terry Hopton, Lonnie Lindekugel, Dave Orr, Bill Rod, Monte Sheffler, Mike Simmons, and Scott Wickard. Thanks to Carol Hallock (RRLGA member) for coming out last minute to be a marker for a group of two ladies.

Thank you to the AGA committee in charge of the competition, Le Ann Finger (official in charge), Lyman Gallup, and Dal Norris. These folks were on the course prior to the event identifying the placement of the tee markers, out of bounds, penalty areas, scoring area, and more. Other AGA rules officials and volunteers included Russ Adamson, Doug Johnson, Everett Priddy, Ellen O’Hara, and Arnold Silchuk.

The Robson Ranch Ladies came away with seven of their 14 participants winning Pro Shop credit for their placement within their flights. Winners by flights:

3rd Flight

* 2nd Place Gross with score of 85—Bobbie Johnson and Rhonda McGree

* 1st Place Net with score of 63—Deb Parker and Mary Nielsen

4th Flight

* 1st Place Gross with score of 91—Dema Harris and Robyn Tanke

* 1st Place Net with score of 70—Lanette Inman and MaryFaye LaFaver (Cocopah Ladies Club)

The Robson Ranch Ladies 18-Hole Golf League had teams that finished in the top 20 out of the 39 teams in the overall gross and net divisions. Robson Ranch was well represented across flights two through four.

Overall Gross out of 39 teams

* 18th Place with a Gross score of 82—Diane Penner and Candy Burtis (2nd flight)

* 19th Place with a Gross score of 83—Deb Parker and Mary Nielsen (3rd flight)

* 20th Place with a Gross score of 83—Susan Schneider and Wanda Hannaford (Bear Creek WGA), (3rd flight)

Overall Net out of 39 teams

* 2nd Place with a Net score of 63—Deb Parker and Mary Nielsen (3rd flight)

* 9th Place with a Net score of 67—Susan Schneider and Wanda Hannaford (Bear Creek WGA), (3rd flight)

* 10th Place with a Net score of 68—Diane Penner and Candy Burtis (2nd flight)

* 18th Place with a Net score of 69—Robyn Tanke and Dema Harris (4th flight)