Then Along Came Patty!

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It all started three years ago. 

Woodmont Golf & Country Club has had several active women's golf leagues scheduled with the pro shop for 9- and 18-hole weekly play. The Woodmont Ladies Golf Association (WLGA) continues to be a well-established group that plays Tuesday and Thursday mornings, but there are other smaller groups established by ladies who set up weekly tee times that met their schedules:  the Wednesday play at 4:30 p.m., and the Saturday group.

Patty Nay

Founder and CEO The Patty Whackers

At the time, Patty Nay was the very busy assistant principal at nearby Macedonia Elementary School, until she retired at the end of the 2022-23 school year. But it was three years ago when she realized she was part of another demographic in the neighborhood, as a lady who worked fulltime, had children, and still wanted to play golf with ladies during the week. She had late afternoon meetings quite often and even a 4:30 p.m. tee time wasn't working for her.

 

  

And then along came Patty's brainstorm. "I thought I could get maybe 8 ladies who worked, and had kids, to play later in the day on Wednesdays at 5:30," said Patty, nonchalantly. "And the ladies who couldn't make it by 5:30 could just jump in as soon as they could get to the club because they would already be signed up to play that day."

                                                             

Patty began sharing her idea with a few friends to see if there was interest. Oh yes, there was lots of interest, excitement, actually!   Friend and fellow golfer, Kathy Stevenson, helped come up the group's name: Patty Whackers. Patty said, "Kathy said to me, 'We're going to whack that ball!"'  And the name was hilariously birthed! Just like the encouraging tone Patty sets at each outing: enjoy!

At the time of this writing, Patty Whackers consist of 39 active members. They hold full and parttime jobs, they're moms with children involved in countless school activities, women who travel with their jobs, and senior ladies. Patty has met a huge need. When the women get together, every week there is lots of laughter, because Patty wanted it to be fun to come out and play. And for ladies to grow in the game and in the rules and in friendships.

Patty cooked up another delightful idea in planning the Patty Whackers standard -- to extend the weekly event by asking the club to provide dinner at the club, to keep the party going. She met with Food & Beverage Director Robert Gilbreath to work out a plan for the ladies to order dinner before play when they checked in at the pro shop.  Then the meals would be ready when the ladies finished the round.

                                                                                                       

            

Patty said, "The Patty Whackers is not a teaching group (the golf swing) but will be supportive of teaching women golf course rules of play. "We follow golf etiquette but certainly give grace. We play best ball to build confidence for the ladies, and it also helps to keep play moving along. I love getting more and more women involved in the sport of golf. What's happening is that ladies who haven't played in a while, and many haven't played in five years, are coming back. For some it has built families, the wife/mom is playing again with her kids and her husband!"

Patty Whackers 3rd Season Kick-off Open House

"I think a lot of women in our Woodmont neighborhood want to do it It's for them," said Patty, "but they don't have the confidence. All it takes is for them to come out and play and have one good shot and they can see what's possible. Or when they miss a shot, they'll see it's ok, take another swing at it! I just want to give ladies an opportunity to enjoy a game that I like so much. Besides, when we get out there, laughter is the best medicine!"

. Yep. Along came Patty and she's just getting started!

A cheerful heart has a continual feast! 

💖Polly