Alliance News
Issue 1 Fall 2012
Nor-Cal Women’s Associations
Work To Support Junior Golf
By Brittany Bradley PWGA
ROCKLIN, California- In the failing light of
a comfortable September evening thunder
can be heard across the empty Sunset
Whitney Golf Course, echoes of cheering from
the elated Rocklin Girls Golf team and recent
winners of the 3rd Annual Helen Lengfeld
Memorial Tournament.
“Solid scores,” said Susan Espana the
Rocklin girl’s golf coach. “ There’s nothing
there that disappoints me. It’s exciting to see
the girls play so well,” says Espana while
gesturing towards the scoreboard displaying
the 27-point gap between the Rocklin
Thunder and Whitney Oaks High School.
For some of the 90 high school girls
competing in the 3rd Annual Helen Lengfeld
memorial tournament this year, it was their
first real opportunity to play in an 18-hole
match.
For others a test of skills they’ve fostered
since early childhood and the competitive
http://www.womensgolfalliance.org
nature that pits a golfer against herself.
Although Rocklin won the tournament
with the lowest overall team score of 418.
Kelsey Ulep, a well-spoken junior from
Whitney High School, was the day’s leader.
“ It’s good practice for bigger
tournaments. It’s a good opportunity to
practice staying calm and collected, if
you’ve practiced your putting.” said Ulep
with a smile.
Out of 90 girls Ulep was just one over
par with a score of 71, the lowest of the day.
“I was hitting really well, it was just my
putting,” said a disappointed Ulep. “I was
getting it close, like ten feet for a birdie, but
I’d miss the birdie putt. It was bugging me
all day because I know I could have shot a
lot lower.”
Each year Pacific Women’s Golf
Association (PWGA) and the Women’s Golf
Association of Northern California
(WGANC) host the 18 hole tournament to
extend the experience to high school girls,
most of whom have ample experience in
nine whole league competitions.
“I think it’s a testament to the need and
demand for this type of opportunity, clearly
since this year we had 20 teams submit and
only enough room for 15," said Espana. "
There is a need in this area for girls to play
competitive golf which is really nice, so we
appreciate it."
PWGA Executive Director Caroline
O’Brien stated that despite the immense
number of opportunities available to junior
girls to compete in golf as individuals,
PWGA and its sister
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