In the spirit of experiencing new opportunities and learning a skill, I spotted an invite to learn golf with the ladies of the Women Who Play Flamingos 242 (WWPF242) at the scenic and captivating Ocean Club Golf course (one of the top golf courses in the Bahamas) located in Nassau, Bahamas. Initially, I hadn’t considered playing golf; not that I didn’t find it interesting, but I was more familiar with sports/sporting skills of constant movement such as soccer, tennis and swimming. I saw golf as one that required patience, a keen eye, focus and technical skills to connect and extend the ball with precision and strength: and I was absolutely correct! I, along with over fifty women, ventured onto the green course and met a selection of valuable members of the Ocean Club team who were introduced by Bobbie (the General Manager) including Elena – Full Swing instructor, Lloyd – Chipping Instructor, Victoria and Ian (Putting Instructor). The Fabulous Agatha Delancy, one of the women who started WWPF242 and was instrumental in the invitations, spoke on how excited she was to see the attendees and share the gift of golf at Ocean Club. It was an inspiring and encouraging speech. During our rotations into each area of the clinic, the women and I basked in the joy of the experience despite hitting the grass instead of the ball, sending balls into multiple directions, and not quite managing to put it into the hole when we wanted to. I did learn a few golfing basics: proper stance, the symbolism of the numbers on the golf clubs (the numbers represent the shaft length – the higher the number, the shorter the length) and more importantly: how not to hit a golf ball (lol). I found putting to be my favorite new skill because it requires a calm mind and made me feel relaxed. I found moments of zen throughout the rotation and putted six balls despite the hilly surface.
We chatted, laughed, learnt new names and felt a little bit closer by the time we entered the Clubhouse Restaurant for a relaxing glass of Red or White wine. The event ended with two exciting announcements: not only was the clinic the inaugural event for the Women Who Play Flamingos 242 Golf Club but the club also has a pending membership with LPGA Amateur Golf Association! These present an advantageous opportunity for Bahamian women to learn, grow and extend themselves in the global and national sector of a sport so commonly seen as male dominated. It was indeed a proud moment for us all. Attendees are invited to join the golf clinic in January 2019, held near the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium in Nassau, Bahamas and also to participate in various aspects of the club including the Board and Committees. I will be learning more about golf through the club and plan on volunteering and participating where I can. More importantly, I’m happy that I challenged myself and can tick write golfing as my latest new skill!
There’s still a chance - what new skill will you learn before the end of 2018? Do you play golf?
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