While Ott would no doubt like to lower her handicap index from its current 23, she takes some pride in being that “average golfer”, especially given that she’s just about to embark on a two-year term as president of the CWGA.

“I bring that perspective,” Ott said in a recent phone interview. “My background is in education — as a teacher and an administrator. I bring the lifelong learning element to the table.”

That goes not just for her professional background, but for her history in golf. Ott, 66, began playing the game when she was 12, becoming a regular — along with her two sisters — at Old Warson Country Club in St. Louis.

“I was really lucky that I had parents who really loved the game,” she said. “Golf was important to my family when I was growing up.”

The amount of golf Ott played waxed and waned over the years, largely depending on her career. But when she retired from the Aurora Public Schools in 2001 — though she did contract work for another decade, largely recruiting teachers — Ott joined Heather Ridge, a course on which she now lives.

But suffice it to say her fondness for the game never left her, which is one reason she now finds herself in the top volunteer leadership position for the CWGA. Ott officially will succeed Kathryn Davis as president on Jan. 1.

“Joanie is a very soft-spoken individual, but very well respected,” CWGA executive director Robin Jervey said. “She’s not a boisterous type of individual, but when he speaks, I always listen because she has something (important) to say.

“She’s really good at working with people and she’s mentored a lot of volunteers over the years. She has a great personality in working with others, and she’ll be a great person to work with the leadership of the CWGA.”

Ott discussed her vision for the CWGA for the coming two years with COgolf.org. (A feature story on new CGA president Phil Lane was posted on COgolf.org last week. To read it, CLICK HERE.) 

“I’m looking forward to the next two years,” Ott said. “We’ve got a lot of challenges ahead, and I’m looking forward to working with the (CWGA) board and the membership.”

While Ott will be moving up to the president’s seat in 2014, there will be one newcomer to the CWGA’s Board of Directors, Jennifer Cassell of Denver’s City Park Golf Course. Meanwhile, leaving the board after years of volunteer service are Davis, Karla Harding and Sue Romek. Cynthia Evans stepped down from the board earlier this year. To see brief biographies on all of the members of the CWGA Board of Directors, CLICK HERE.

Among the top priorities Ott set forth heading into her term are:

— Increasing CWGA membership.

As has been the case with many golf associations since the economic downturn started five-plus years ago, the CWGA experienced a membership drop in recent years, though it leveled out in 2013. Ott would like to see a jump in membership.

“I want the face of the CWGA to be the face of everyone (regardless of golf ability level),” Ott said. “Sometimes I think we’re known as an organization that does tournaments for golfers. We do do that, but we’re also interested in connecting with women who may not have a handicap or may not be interested in tournament golf.”

Ott said the CWGA has made some inroads with events such as the CWGA Experience — golf outings that combine small-group instruction with some fun social interaction with other women interested in the game — and other similar golf outings. But she’d like to make more progress in promoting women’s golf.

— Getting more girls involved in the game. The number of girls — and women — playing golf has dipped significantly since 2005, at a greater rate than among males. Female golfers dropped almost 29 percent from 2005 to 2012, while the number of golfers overall have decreased 16 percent, according to the National Golf Foundation.

“We need to work at getting more girls interested in the game, and that’s a challenge,” Ott said. “It’s one of our goals.”

One recent step in the right direction was the Girls Golf Fair that took place at CommonGround Golf Course in May. The CWGA, Colorado PGA and other golf organizations put together the event, which was attended by 81 girls.

— Speaking of CommonGround, given that it’s the home to many community-outreach and growth-of-the-game programs, getting it back to full strength is one of the foremost issues at hand for the CWGA and CGA. CommonGround, which opened in 2009, is owned and operated by the two golf associations.

September’s flooding did significant damage at CommonGround, which is operating as a nine-hole facility — in addition to the nine-hole Kids Course — while the eight affected holes are restored.

“What CommonGround is going through after the flood is very challenging financially for the CWGA and CGA,” Ott said. “That’s a tough ticket. It’ll be difficult to work our way through that, but I’m sure we’re up to the task.”

Ott began working with the CWGA as a volunteer six years ago, when she joined the Course Rating and Handicap Committee. She became chairperson of that committee two years later and has served on the Board of Directors for the last four years overall, including the last two alternating as secretary and vice-president.

Professionally, the University of Colorado graduate was a teacher and administrator in the Aurora Public Schools, and an administrator at Arapahoe High School in Centennial. After retiring as the director of instruction for the Aurora Public Schools in 2001, she spent a decade doing contract work, primarily focused on the recruitment of teachers.

“I’ve found in my career that one of my strengths is I’m able to empower others,” Ott said. “To be frank, I’m a pretty good leader. That’s one of my strong points.”
 

But as she noted at this month’s Denver Golf Expo, she doesn’t consider any of those things her favorite memory regarding the game.

“My greatest memory in golf to this day is walking nine holes with my mom (while) carrying a bag on my back,” Mallon said. “I want every kid and every parent to have that experience.”

Like most people in the golf business, Mallon has seen the worrisome statistics about golf participation trends, especially among females and junior players. According to the National Golf Foundation, the number of female golfers in the U.S. has dropped more than 27 percent, from 7 million in 2005 to 5.1 million in 2011. And the number of junior golfers in the country decreased more than 36 percent (3.8 million to 2.4 million) over the same period.

That’s certainly concerning to those in the golf industry — and really anyone who cares about the game. (So are declines among men since 2005, but those have been significantly less pronounced.)

So how can these trends be reversed, and more girls and women be successfully welcomed into the game?

“Access, access, access,” said Mallon, the American captain for the Solheim Cup that will be contested at Colorado Golf Club in August. “We need to open up our facilities, our golf courses, to get kids more involved. We see countries like Korea and Sweden and now China — it’s all about kids playing golf. This country has not embraced that as much as they should.

“I’m biased. It’s the greatest game in the world. It teaches ethics, morals, the right thing to do, how to get along with people. What greater avenue (than) to teach children the game of golf? So we need to, as adults, make sure that that happens.

“… It’s a hard game. It’s a time-consuming game. You have to give the kids the love of the game so they want to be out there playing. … Make golf fun. It’s not supposed to be like going to the dentist.”

This is also a major issue in Colorado, especially to organizations like the CWGA, CGA, CJGA and the Colorado PGA. Not surprisingly, making inroads in attracting girls and women to the game — or back to the game — will be one of the major themes at Saturday’s CWGA Annual Meeting at the Inverness Hotel. And there are numerous initiatives and efforts designed to combat the problematic trends.

“The goal is to promote women’s golf and grow women’s golf,” said Kim Nissen, membership programs and marketing manager for the CWGA.

“We’re trying to make (the game) as inviting as we possibly can,” said Eddie Ainsworth, executive director of the Colorado PGA, noting that it’s OK to play three or six holes of golf instead of the more traditional nine or 18. “We believe once we get them there, the golf bug will bite them.”

Here are some of the programs and plans that major golf organizations in Colorado hope will make inroads in building a strong foundation in golf with girls and women:

— The Colorado PGA, CWGA and other local organizations will put on a Girls Golf Fair on May 11 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at CommonGround Golf Course. The free event is for girls age 5-17 and their families, and is billed as “a fun-filled event geared to energize junior girls about the game of golf.”

The day — also sponsored by the CGA, LPGA-USGA Girls Golf, The First Tee at Green Valley Ranch and Girl Power Golf — will include family golf instruction, education on the Rules of Golf and etiquette, lunch and nutrition information, Solheim Cup-related fun and photos, sun protection and fitness tips, games and exhibitions.

— The CWGA continues to significantly expand its social golf outings, designed to attract women more interested in the game as a social activity rather than as competition. This year, there are nine such late afternoon/evening outings planned — seven “Ladies Nights Out” at the Greg Mastriona Golf Courses at Hyland Hills, and one similar event each at Foothills Golf Course and Meridian Golf Club. The activities usually include short clinics or instruction, some playing time on the golf course, help from the CWGA on rules and etiquette, and a get-together with food and/or beverages after. For more details, CLICK HERE.

In addition, a larger number of CWGA Experience outings (four) will be offered this year, all in the spring, with ones in Aurora, Colorado Springs, Thornton and Grand Junction. Experience events include group lessons from LPGA and/or PGA professionals — with rotating instructional areas, each focusing on a different area of the game — lunch and welcome gifts and prizes. For more details, CLICK HERE.

— Seeing many of the best women’s golfers in the world up close and personal is sure to inspire some girls and women, and help increase the game’s reach. That’s where this summer’s Solheim Cup matches between the U.S. and Europe at Colorado Golf Club could make a difference. And helping facilitate that will be the fact that kids 17 and under will be admitted to the event free of charge when accompanied by a ticketed adult.

— The Colorado PGA Golf in Schools program, a joint initiative with the CGA, CWGA and other organizations, continues to expand its reach in bringing golf to students through P.E. classes at their schools. Ainsworth said the Colorado PGA has partnered with P.E. teacher Kenny Webb in the effort, “and the things he’s teaching us on how kids learn is phenomenal. What we’re modeling here in Colorado will go across the country. I like to call us the tip of the spear in what we’re doing with growth of the game.”

— The CWGA has added a new membership identification that will help the association reach out to new golfers for education purposes. Handicap chairpersons at women’s clubs can note an “N” membership type on the Golf Handicap and Information Network (GHIN). Then the CWGA can send these “N” members periodic communication regarding etiquette, the Rules of Golf, and handicap system tips and information. The idea is to make newer women golfers feel more comfortable with the game.

— The Colorado PGA has created a new full-time position — funded by the Colorado PGA Foundation — with the title of junior development director. Erin (Hall) Diegel, a graduate of the Evans Caddie Scholarship program at the University of Colorado and a former CU women’s golfer, will fill the new position, which also will encompass other matters related to women’s and girls golf. Diegel founded Girl Power Golf, which Ainsworth said will be rolled into a Colorado PGA program.

— A “Connecting With Her” Committee” has been formed by the Colorado PGA, which is receiving input from groups such as the CWGA, the Executive Women’s Golf Association and Sassy Golf. And, in trying to build the partnership between women’s clubs and PGA professionals, the CWGA has asked the Colorado PGA’s new director of player development, Keith Soriano, to conduct one of the breakout sessions at Saturday’s CWGA Annual Meeting.

“We’re trying to give women’s clubs reasons to enhance their relationships with their PGA professionals,” Nissen said.

Nissen, meanwhile, will join with Metropolitan State University professor Kathy Malpass in conducting a breakout session on how women’s clubs and leagues can attract new membership. Another breakout will include discussion on how fitness workshops and camps can help add golfers to women’s clubs. And club presidents will share practices that have proven effective in attracting new members and retaining them.

Meanwhile, the Colorado PGA is also partnering with the Solheim Cup in an effort to get more businesswomen involved in the game, and related efforts.

— On a local level in Colorado Springs, the Colorado PGA is planning to work with girls high school golf programs, with PGA and LPGA professionals partnering with coaches. The idea is for the professionals to provide golf instruction, while the coaches focus on the coaching and organizational parts of the job.

In a related matter, Ainsworth said “we’re probably going to look at eventually lobbying to move girls high school golf from the spring” to the fall because of the more-advantageous weather and course conditions.