Iris Boon (left) explains how a scorecard should be completed to Cathy Thiele (right). (Photo by Peggy McGee)
Peggy McGee
One of the vital tasks to ensure putting runs smoothly and efficiently is the management of the Chips and Scorecards function. Leading the process is Saville Gardener, assisted by Betsy Martin. These ladies must arrive at Putters early each week to get the cards and chips ready for check-in. They are joined by two or three other volunteers to get everyone assigned to a team in an expeditious manner.
The poker chips are marked with the numbers 1 through 18. As she checks in, a Putter picks a chip from the bag and is assigned to the team with that number. She is given a clipboard with a scorecard on which to write her name. Sometimes it is a challenge to keep all teams the same size. If the number of putters is small on a given day, which often happens during the heat of the summer or a really cold winter morning, those in charge of the chips may decide not to use a particular hole that day rather than having teams with only two players. This system also helps ensure that the ladies are not playing with the same people week after week. It also gives everyone a chance to get to know newer members of the club.
At the end of play, the scorecards are returned to the Chips table where they are placed in numerical order to ensure that each team has completed their cards. The scorecards are then turned over to Lynda Pilcher, the club statistician. Lynda keeps track of everyone’s handicap and determines who is eligible to receive awards to include a quail pin indicating that the Putter has scored at least five holes-in-one on a particular day. She also reports who has achieved a milestone, such as the first time with a score under 40.
It takes a team of dedicated volunteers to ensure putting sessions run smoothly, and experience shows they do a great job.