MAY | JUNE 2024

Official publication of the Virginia State Golf Association as a service to its more than 75,000 members .

DRIVING GOLF ’ S FUTURE : VSGA CLUBS FIND WAYS TO GET

YOUTHS INTO THE GAME

GOING PRO :

A LOOK INSIDE THE LIFE OF TODAY ’ S CLUB PROS

BOOST YOUR GAME : 8 TIPS FOR STRENGTHENING

YOUR SKILL SET

MAY / JUNE 2024

Centennial Celebration

Belle Haven Country Club in Alexandria turns 100 in 2024 , and it ’ s celebrating by hosting the 111th VSGA Amateur Championship .

New Age for Club Pros

Work-life balance , among other things , has gained a greater importance for professionals in recent years .

No Barriers

VSGA clubs are finding new and innovative ways to drive youth participation in golf .

AROUND THE COMMONWEALTH

NEWS AND NOTES

5 Hermitage and History

Reliving the only major championship to be held in Virginia — the 1949 PGA Championship — ​on its 75th anniversary .

7 Pinehurst Happenings

The North Carolina resort will be the center of the golf world in June as it hosts the U . S . Open Championship .

10 Shorted No Longer Thanks to revisions to the World Handicap System , short courses around Virginia are now eligible for course ratings .

DEPARTMENTS

THE RULES

12 Avoid Scoring Area Slip-Ups What you need to know when turning in your scorecard at a competition .

GREAT HOLES

14 No . 10 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club Solheim Cup participants will face a stiff test with this short par-4 along Lake Manassas .

INSTRUCTION

34 Maximize Your Game Tips to strengthen your current skills on the course .

FIT FOR PLAY

36 Namaste How working yoga into your workout routine can help elevate your game .

EQUIPMENT

38 Stock Up for Summer Fresh finds for your bag to lead you through the busy golf season .

MY TURN

40 Rounds and Rounds Birkdale Golf Club ’ s Karen King piled up close to 400 rounds in 2023 . That was just the beginning .

2 V IRGINIA G OLFER | M ay / J u n e 2024 vsga . org