How to get your golf news published

The snow is all gone, hopefully for good, the days are getting longer and warmer and my grass is starting to grow.

If those aren’t signs that golf season has officially arrived in Northeastern Ohio than I don’t know what is.

Once again with the starting of golf season, leagues are beginning, tournaments are approaching and everyone wants to get their golf news into the newspaper.

Once again this season all of the results from the local golf leagues will be published in every Sunday’s edition. This also goes for holes in one and for whatever tournament results we receive. We will probably start our listing of all tournaments and events in early May.

Everything is the same as it was last year.

Deadline for making the Sunday edition each week is at noon on Friday. Any results turned in after will go in the following week’s scores.

For men’s league results once again only gross scores of 42 or better will be printed, unless the low gross score in the league is higher than that and only the one score will be listed. Low net scores of par or better can be included. Also secretaries can note any special events, such as an eagle or double eagle.

All holes in one must be reported by the golf course where the ace was recorded and should include the course, hole, club used and the witnesses as well as where the hometown of the golfer who made the ace.

One of the most important thing for all secretaries to remember is to please include first names. Results without first names or only initials will not be included.

For the women’s leagues there are really no restrictions. We’ll print whatever scores you turn in and also the play of the day. But the only requirements are that you must include the score of the gross or net players and once again please use first names.

Once again we will be listing all of the area tournaments and events for the season each Sunday, but in order for that to happen you have to turn in the information, well before your event is scheduled.

Those events should include the name of the tournament or event, the date and time it will start and the golf course. You can include all the information you want, we’ll determine what we can use. But we definitely need a contact person and phone number to call. If you have a flyer printed include that.

Tournament and event directors who want the results of their event in the paper must do so at least by the week after the event was play, any later than that and it will not be published. Don’t bother sending in photographs of the winners, because with all the events we have to list we would never have the space to print pictures.

We do not take results over the phone, with the exception of holes in one. Everything else must be either faxed, mailed or e-mailed to us. Our fax number is (330) 747-6712 and you can e-mail us at mollica@vindy.com.

Also if you run across an unusual event or a golfer in your league or event that could make for a feature type story, don’t hesitate to contact us about it. You can me at (330) 747-1471, ext. 1595, or e-mail or fax him at the above address.

A couple of good friends of mine are currently having some problems keeping their women’s golf league going.

The Packard Electric Ladies Golf League, which has been in existence since the early 1960s, is having problems getting golfers. The league has lost a lot of members through all the changes that were made at Packard and then Delphi and their roster has dipped from over 100 to just 66.

The league is really a classic since it includes two divisions, one for established golfers that is held at Avalon South and the other for beginning golfers that is held at the Vienna Short Holes.

This league reaches every level of competition and they play on Monday afternoon’s at Avalon South and Tuesday mornings at Vienna Short Holes for seniors and retirees and Tuesday afternoon for working girls who are just starting out in the game.

Golfers do not have to be Delphi members or retirees to join this league and they are also welcome to join both leagues if they wish. The cost is $26 to join one league and $28 to join both.

There is a get-acquainted meeting that will be held Wednesday night at the Four Seasons Mobile Home Park Clubhouse on Youngstown-Kingsville Road at 6 p.m. For more information about joining contact Helen Snyder or Sharon Gilmore at (330) 637-1250 or Carol Calhoun at (330) 372-1812.

XPete Mollica writes about golf for The Vindicator. Write to him at mollica@vindy.com.