Hi Rhett,
I have the solution. Just send the women over to the WDGA message board. We are 100% behind the PDGA and really need more members. My goal is to unite female discgolfers nation wide at one focused area namely the WDGA site. For now we are mostly cyber-connected, but the future holds more. We have had a couple of meetings now that would not have happened had it not been for the new Women's Disc Golf Association. A few of us are planning to meet at the TWC in April 2006. Female disc golfers are so scattered and not connected to each other state to state. Hopefully the WDGA can remedy that. Have you seen our site. Come on over and check us out. www.womensdiscgolfassociation.com (http://www.womensdiscgolfassociation.com)
Visit the message board too.
Happy Disc Golfing,
Cheryl~
WDGA Administrator

We went over this at the beginning of this year, but apparently we need to revisit this. Terry created a women's PDGA listserv so we would have an avenue to have women only discussions, but it was through email and a lot of us are lazy and started playing more disc golf as the weather improved, so it kind of flopped. He also set up a nice website for us, but it was through UMich so many people had difficulty trying to figure out how to get to it and get registered. Anyway, we all decided there's no need to have a women's only portion of the PDGA board, but those other resources were definitely key and helpful to those of us that used them. Unfortunately that was only like 5 of us so they're not used any more. With all respect to Cheryl, the WDGA site is not well organized and difficult to sift through, and I personally don't feel it is the best resource for women golfers. I have voiced my opinions there and offered suggestions for improvement.

My point is, there are enough women PDGA members, specifically enough that post on this board, that we can have a good open forum right here on the PDGA DISCussion board. It just needs, as the PDGA is beginning to do, to have moderators and an established tone that does not encourage mindless pointless back and forth banter.

one other point, part of the goals of the PDGA women's committe that were established and that was actually being accomplished through the resources set up by Terry was a PDGA women's directory and other sorts of "connecting tools" among women in the PDGA. I STRONGLY feel that we need to have a better foundation of the PDGA women's committee, and I also STRONGLY feel that there is enough support of active women PDGA members to get this going. There has so far been a lack of strong leadership in the notion. I have stepped up several times and spoken about this through this board and other avenues. Some women did step up and somehow then communication ceased. I petition those women who originally began the process of reviving the Women's Committee to come forth and bring the process of building steam into the public realm so that the entire entity of the PDGA may be involved.


/me steps off soap box.

You need to get rid of the music on that web site. It's hard to mute your browser fast enough before your girlfriend wakes up from the song and wants to know why you are looking at the women's disc golf site.

Marsha, I agree with a lot of your comments. One thing I was thinking was that you would be a great candidate to be on the PDGA Women�s Committee. You articulate your thoughts well when you get on the message board. Maybe the committee needs someone like you who frequents the board and posts to be on the committee to communicate women�s activities.

I think that you Cheryl, would be another great gal to be on the committee. I think your great site is very interesting and fun to read. And I like how you incorporate photos, PDGA info and PDGA statistics on the site. But I don�t think it would be the first place that women players or new women go to look up information. It would be the second and an additional fun resource for women. I kind of think of your site as "Women's Disc Golf Resource". Anyway, if you were on the committee as well, then you could continue to be a bridge between the two sites and inform those on the PDGA site with any major happenings from the other. I lurk on the PDGA site every day, but I only go to yours once a week.

Another great candidate in addition to you two ladies for the women�s committee would be Lil Crusher, Megan Stroh! She also gets on the discussion board a lot and she is in high school � so we would get a young lady�s disc golf perspective! Meagan is from California, Marsha from Colorado, and Cheryl from Georgia � we would have the U.S. covered!!

Maybe the current committee doesn�t get on the PDGA discussion board too much (or Cheryl�s board) � and might like additional committee members to give input and help out by communicating what action is taking place with the committee.

I remember earlier in the year when Lorrie Gibson sent out a note for women asking them to volunteer to be on the committee � and there was a very small response. Many gals have obligations and time constraints and so can�t volunteer at this time (like me!). So maybe we need to find the ones who do have the time and inclination to get involved with the current committee to �revive the Women's Committee to come forth and bring the process of building steam into the public realm so that the entire entity of the PDGA may be involved.�

If you (or any other lady reading this!) do want to be involved, send a note to Lorrie at the PDGA office and let her know you would like to be plugged in to Women�s Committee and find out what it entails and just see what happens!! And I personally think you all would be great because of your tremendous enthusiasm for women playing!!

The Women's Committee Chairperson spots are as follows:

Lynne Warren--Head Chair
Kathy Hardyman--Co-Chair
Vanessa Chambers--Co-Chair

Des Reading--Women's Nationals Chair

Please contact Lorrie at the PDGA for e-mails for these ladies.

Sincerely, Des

thanks, Des! I believe I have Kathy and Vanessa's email addresses.

Becky, thanks. Unfortunately I'm one of those who has limited time. As a first year doctoral candidate, I'll be taking classes, TAing and doing research in the spring. I'd like to stay in the loop though and hopefully some day be able to dedicate some time to something like the Women's Committee. I do see Kathy Hardyman on occassion, though I didn't realize she was one of the co-chairs.

There is a PDGA Women's Committee started, but... keep in mind that it was women offering up their time while not being real sure what was expected or how to accomplish it. It easy for someone to say we should do this, we should do that, or rather, YOU should do this, YOU should do that. It's another thing to the get people involved and see tangible results.

The committee did decide on some initial projects and goals with much help from Chairperson Lyn and a flyer was put together. The flyer was emailed out, handed out, posted online with a link directly to it and like the initial request for committe volunteers, the response was VERY minimal.

The initial projects:
1) Set up a women's directory with protected access. This was accomplished! While access may be challenging sometimes, we don't want our personal info out there for anyone. We've since discussed keeping a women's directory database at the PDGA that can be updated via a check box on new memberships and renewals. The directory would be available via Lorrie. Any other thoughts on that?

2) Put together a flyer on starting a women's league to involve more women in the sport. No this didn't get done, however we do hope to have something by next year that can be emailed out when requests come into the PDGA.

3) Put together a flyer on doing a women's clinic to teach women disc golf skills to again involve more women in the sport. No this didn't get done either. But we hope to have this one together available to be emailed out also.

Requests were made for ideas and info for both flyers, again with VERY minimal response. So if anyone has an idea that has worked for them or learned something specific in a clinic that helped them, PLEASE email any of us with the info. We really do want to have flyers available. Lorrie gets quite a few requests for both. We do have some reference articles from various sources that can be sent out, but what we really need is a simple 1-2 page sheet of basics that women can use to get started and help other women get started.

4) Put together a survey for women golfers to find out needs and desires. Lyn did do a survey that was emailed out with results written up in the DGWN. There was a fair amount of criticism about the survey and the results in the PDGA forum. Ouch! Someone tries and gets slapped down. The plan was for another survey after we got a good list of women from the new directory that could be analyzed and used for to help with future projects and goals. So what questions do you want to see asked? Does someone want to take on putting it together and email it around among the committe and PDGA to come up with a final survey that can be emailed out to the women's list? It can then be used to help figure out some specific direction for 2006.

5) Pro/Am doubles at tournaments. While this seemed like a good idea initially, it kind of got moved to the back burner. But what we do need out there at tournaments is women willing to meet and greet. Welcome new players, just say hi and tell them you're glad they came. Women who are familiar with tournaments, rules, play well, have gone pro, can all be intimidating to the new woman. Smile and say hi! This will do more to further women in the sport than almost anything else we do.

and finally...
6) Promote and get as many women as possible to the USWDGC. With A LOT of help from Des and personal invites, this was accomplished. I don't think I went to a tournament where it wasn't brought up by someone. It was a great tournament with a record turnout of women.

So maybe we didn't accomplish all that we wanted to, but the numbers are up, the excitement is up and if we all work together things can and will be accomplished.

The flyers need to get done. But when you look at a task like that, even if it's two pages, it just seems huge when your time is already spread thin by work, family, tournaments, practice, etc. We're ALL busy. Trust me, those that did offer time and/or help didn't do it because they just couldn't find any other use for their time. And now it's holidays, it cold and snowy, then it'll be Ice Bowls, then the tour starts, there's mandatory overtime, school papers to write, there will always be something. But if we want to add women to the sport and want to be heard at the tournaments, it just takes a little effort from each woman. Just think if 10 women emailed an idea for a clinic and 10 emailed an idea for a league, the flyers would almost be done.

Ever hear the joke about the traveling salesman that comes to this house in the country, man in the rocking chair, old hound dog on the porch? He trying to sell something while the old hound dog kind of yowls every so often, The salesman finally asks if there's something wrong with the dog. The response... "Nope, he's just laying on a nail. Doesn't hurt enough to move, only hurts enough to complain."

So ladies, does it only hurt enough to complain or are we ready to move forward and do something? One idea, one email, or one post.

HUGS! We do need you all out there playing the tournaments and cheering each other on!
Kathy

This is great stuff in this thread. After all the craaaaaap from guys on the "Why aren't more women playing" thread, I was wondering if more productuve stuff like what you ladies have put in this thread would be easier to get to if guys couldn't post.

Maybe we just need to recruit a moderator for the Ladies topic and all would be well.

I am offended by your post Rhett.

Is that better, morgan?

I remember earlier in the year someone asking for personal info for the Woman's Directory and then I never heard what became of that. (I slacked off on checking the boards, so did I miss something?) Where is this directory? As far as making a hard copy- for those that would like a copy, could it be part of the PDGA membership fee- or an additional fee to be added to your renewl?
I know locally, a Pro woman tried to get a woman's clinic started, but the response was very low. We posted signs at all the courses- posted announcements on the DISCussion boards, personally invited those we saw out on the courses. Is it the area I live in (fairly new here) or is this a common problem?
PS- can you block certain people from posting on forums?

Much better Rhett. Thanks.

The intro music to the WDGA is no more. I took it off this week. :p

Hi

I am from Kamloops BC Canada. I have been reading through this thread and needed to post a reply.

I was one of the women who did receive the flyer and I did take on most of the projects set out by the Women's committe and put them into motion here in Kamloops. I posted in another thread about the women's clinics I have been hosting in conjuction with the Kamloops Disc Golf Club and the City of Kamloops. For two years now, I have had over 30 women attend a three hour "How to Play Clinic". The basics as well as the fundamentals of disc golf were taught and nine holes were played with advice given on the course. I developed a booklet that the women could take home with them to read. It covers everything that was taught. I have no problem tweeking it out and working with the PDGA Women's committe to have it available.

We have also had a very successful Ladies Night where women come out and play with absolutely no pressure. We do not use score cards or handicaps, as I found this still intimidates new players. We just head out after a brief putting and throwing demo, and play for fun and laughter. We find that the women come back and bring friends with them. Eventually they warm up to the idea of keeping score and that is when they are hooked for good! Once again I would like to take part in creating something for clubs to have that outlines how to get more women out.

We have taken our women players from 2 regular players to approx. 30-40 2x a week type players. We still struggle to convince them to play tournaments, but that is coming.Suzette Simmons from Innova has come on board and donated a box of light weight discs, minis and rule books for the women that attend Ladies Night. It is an incentive type program that Innova has out there for clubs.

I am also TDing the International Women's Cup on May 27/28 of this year. It will be Canada's first Women's only tournie. It is a sanctioned B tier tournie dedicated to making the experience positive for women. I have Pro/Am doubles planned as well as childcare in place already. I have secured $3000 added cash to date for the pro purse as well as a $500 sponsored ace hole that all players have a chance at. To ensure that women will come (some don't like to travel alone) I have planned a one day men's sanctioned C Tier tournie. This way the whole family can come!

Another pro woman from Canada developed the artwork for the CFR discs we are selling. Innova was totally stoked about the idea! Check it out http://static.flickr.com/14/89325663_c7c9717679_o.jpg

I really enjoy being part of disc golf and want to be able to give back to the sport and encourage women to be excited rather than intimidated. The whole idea of a committee is great if the support is out there for the those that volunteer their time! We need to stand behind the women who are willing to put forth the effort or have time to do so. When it comes time to do the work, we all have to step up and pitch in, even a bit, to show that women do have a voice in this sport as well as a presence.

I am game to do what I can! Let's get more women out there!
Cheers from Canada
Carrie Neal
PDGA #21336

I don't think there is a need for such an area. I mean do we need a guys only section too? The answer is no because everyone's opinion is important no matter what sex.

Come on Matt, reply to the post, not the subject.

Great post, the local response sounds wonderful.

Come on Matt, reply to the post, not the subject.

Great post, the local response sounds wonderful.



Sorry Gary. :(

The reason a women's only area would be needed is because usually guys come on and make light of serious topics we have and then all the sudden there are Hooters pics and funny jokes being made and the women's issues get lost. I think we wouldn't need the area if most people are respectful, and the board seems to be some what respectful right now. All opinions are important, you are right Matt, but sometimes those opinions dont get to be heard through all the chatter.

Nelle, you said it perfectly. That is why so many of us women now post on the WDGA message board.

"WAIVER: I am 100% in favor of PDGA membership.
We would not have disc golf without the PDGA"

Hello PDGA Discussion Group,
I am Cheryl Eldridge from Atlanta Georgia.
My PDGA # is 16067.

I am proud to say I established the Women's Disc Golf Association,
an association directed toward female
disc golfers. Our WDGA slogan is "Women Play Too!!"
www.womensdiscgolfassociation.com (http://www.womensdiscgolfassociation.com)

The WDGA objectives are to draw more
women into disc golf, provide support for
one another, and to help our female
disc golf divisions grow.

The WDGA serves women disc golfers, worldwide.
Now accepting new members. :)
Included is a 'Killer' message board.
http://www.fulltimewebmaster.com/myforum/index.php?mforum=womensdiscgolfa

Thank you very much. :D
Sincerely,
Cheryl Eldridge

The WDGA is accepting new members. :)

great thread.