Every week, a large contingent of female golfers from the Wycliffe Golf & Country Club get together to play golf, enjoy the great outdoors and mingle with their peers. The group, which plays nine holes each Wednesday, is a united group of ladies who range in age from their early 40s to their late 70s.
They are as enthusiastic about playing golf as they are about the opportunity to spend some quality time with each other. They are also prompt about making their weekly tee times.
The creation of the group was the brainchild of Janice Tannenbaum, a Wycliffe resident who enjoys playing golf and mingling with friends.
“I started the group because I was a new golfer and wanted to play with others who were either new to the game or knew how to play golf, but didn’t take the game too seriously and just wanted to have some fun,” Tannenbaum said.
The group, which has been in existence for just more than a year, already has an identity that includes a name, a logo and a uniform.
If you didn’t know otherwise, you would think this group of golfers is a gang of passionate bridge players based on the group’s name: Queens of Clubs.
The group’s logo was designed by Andrea Giantelli Maiale, another Wycliffe resident and one of the Queens of Clubs.
And on Wednesday afternoons, these golfers are not difficult to spot, since they all wear purple shirts on the golf course. According to Tannenbaum, this uniform is a special color of purple.
“With the Queens of Clubs, our shirts are royal purple, and the logo is a lady golfer over a crown,” Tannenbaum said.
The decision to refer to the group as the Queens of Clubs was made after getting input from other members.
“The original members submitted names, and we voted,” Tannenbaum explained.
The growth and development of the Queens of Clubs has gotten the attention of Paul Rifenberg, Wycliffe’s director of golf operations.
“It has been exciting to watch the Queens of Clubs group develop into avid golfers,” he said. “They are always smiling, and it is fun to watch their camaraderie. Fun is their main focus!”
According to Tannenbaum, each week there are no winners or losers, and no ribbons, medals or trophies are distributed.
“There are no tournaments or pressure to play,” she added. “It’s just fun. There is no handicap needed, no cost to join and it’s a very relaxed group, which is interested in playing golf and meeting new people.”
Right now, there are more than 60 women who are members of the Queens of Clubs, and interest in this group continues to grow from week to week.
After golf, many of the ladies spend time in the clubhouse in order to connect with other golfers who played that day.
“Our nine holes of golf are followed by a fun happy hour for those who wish to socialize a bit more with the whole group,” Tannenbaum said.
The popularity of the Queens of Clubs has actually increased the number of avid golfers at Wycliffe, which has two 18-hole golf courses.
“Many of the group members started playing golf just to be a part of this group and changed their membership category to a golf membership to join, so it has been a win-win for the club,” Tannenbaum said. “But the most important part is that they have a blast and are enjoying a new sport.”
