My road trip and the fun continues! Sunday was a perfect Fall day in Austin, Texas. I had the privilege of playing golf at Falconhead Golf Course with Women Who Golf member Karen Warren, along with her friends Kendra, and Beth Ann.

Sadly, I have to confess that we were having so much fun I forgot to take pictures of the course during the round. I was able to get one shot as I left Monday morning, though. So, my apologies for not getting more pictures of the course. It is an interesting course requiring some strategic decisions and I would love to play it again sometime.

Lara Enzor is the one who set this all in motion when she invited me to play and stay with her on the Austin leg of my trip. It turned out the timing wasn't quite right for her because she was scheduled for another event on the day I was going to be in town. She asked around in her circle of friends and Karen offered to step in and become the hostess with the mostess.

Lara was able to come meet us before she had to get to her tee time in another part of town. I was so glad to meet her in person.  

We had a great time and if I could have figured out the speed of the greens I would have shot a way better score.

As many of you know, this trip is also about raising awareness and funds for the First Tee youth development program.  

This program is way more than about teaching kids golf.

It is about teaching kids life skills, developing better students, and creating future leaders. What could be more important than that?

I want to thank my major sponsor Doghouse Motor Sports for their generous contribution to our youth!

Thank you Doghouse Motor Sports!

I'd also like to sincerely thank others who have donated funds to our campaign, including:

June Stanaway - Premier One Properties in Wenatchee
Steve Roller - Big Ideas Publishing (Connecticut)
Lisa Nelson - Wisconsin
Clair & Beverly Klock - Klock Farms & Nursery  Corbett, OR
Roy Altman - Redmond, OR
Nancy Steere - Wenatchee , WA
Ruth Collins - East Wenatchee, WA
MG Bailey - Spokane, WA
Lizette McPhie - Salt Lake City, UT
Cheri Long - Denver, CO
Charlene Lawson, Blue Springs, MO
Nancy & Roman Bielawski - Pittsburgh, PA
Cheryl Chandler - Charlottesville, VA
Lynn Friedman - Atlanta, GA
Dianne Dixon - St. Augustine, FL 
Cathy Mendoza
Jan Green - Phoenix, AZ
Karen & Dave Warren - Austin, TX
And a couple Anonymous donations  

If you are interested
in helping out the kids by donating,
please go to our fundraiser page:

GoFundMe

On Wednesday September 29th, day 34 of my 66-day road trip, Women Who Golf member Jeanne Rowzee and I met up for breakfast before I headed off to Charlottesville, Virginia. We had plans to golf but some conflicts arose and those plans were squashed.

If there is one thing you need to count on during an adventure like this it is that things aren't going to work out exactly as planned and that's ok. I was just glad Jeanne and I had a chance to meet, chat and share a meal together.

The golf game will have to wait for another time, which is fine because my back appreciated the rest. 

As many of you know, this trip is also about raising awareness and funds for the First Tee youth development program.  

This program is way more than about teaching kids golf. It is about teaching kids life skills, developing better students and creating future leaders. What could be more important than that?

I want to thank my major sponsor Doghouse Motor Sports for their generous contribution to our youth!

Thank you, Doghouse Motorsports!

I'd also like to sincerely thank others who have donated funds to our campaign, including:

June Stanaway - Premier One Properties in Wenatchee
Steve Roller - Big Ideas Publishing (Connecticut)
Lisa Nelson - Wisconsin
Clair & Beverly Klock - Klock Farms & Nursery  Corbett, OR
Roy Altman - Redmond, OR
Nancy Steere - Wenatchee , WA
Ruth Collins - East Wenatchee, WA
MG Bailey - Spokane, WA
Lizette McPhie - Salt Lake City, UT
Cheri Long - Denver, CO
Charlene Lawson, Blue Springs, MO
Nancy & Roman Bielawski - Pittsburgh, PA
Cheryl Chandler - Charlottesville, VA
Lynn Friedman - Atlanta, GA
Dianne Dixon - St. Augustine, FL
Cathy Mendoza
And a couple Anonymous donations  

If you are interested
in helping out the kids by donating,
please go to our fundraiser page:

GoFundMe

Last Friday, September 10th, day 15 of my 60+ day road trip my new friend from Blue Springs, Missouri and I drove out to Warrensburg and enjoyed a lovely day playing golf at Mules National Golf Course.

Our tee time put us off behind a group of guys participating in a Bachelor Party but they were just having fun and two groups offered to let us play through. We zipped around the course in less than 3 1/2 hours and were in the clubhouse enjoying adult beverages and a hamburger before we knew it.

It was another amazing day on the course with my new friend, Charlene, from the amazing group of Women Who Golf.

As many of you know, this trip is also about raising awareness and funds for the First Tee youth development program.  

I want to thank my major sponsor Doghouse Motor Sports for their generous contribution to our youth!

Thank you, Doghouse Motorsports!

I'd also like to sincerely thank others who have donated funds to our campaign, including:

June Stanaway - Premier One Properties in Wenatchee
Steve Roller - Big Ideas Publishing (Connecticut)
Lisa Nelson - Wisconsin
Clair & Beverly Klock - Klock Farms & Nursery  Corbett, OR
Roy Altman - Redmond, OR
Nancy Steere - Wenatchee , WA
Ruth Collins - East Wenatchee, WA
MG Bailey - Spokane, WA
Lizette McPhie - Salt Lake City, UT
Cheri Long - Denver, CO
Charlene Lawson, Blue Springs, MO
Nancy & Roman Bielawski
And a couple Anonymous donations  

If you are interested 
in helping out the kids by donating,
please go to our fundraiser page:

GoFundMe

Enter your text here...

Day 9 of my epic road trip:
When I put out the original post announcing my intentions to golf my way around the U.S. Cheri Pope Long (who is a fellow member of the Women Who Golf Facebook group) was quick to invite me to be her guest at Blackstone Country Club in Aurora, Colorado.

She said I must experience "The Gauntlet".

Saturday (Sept 4th), was the day!

Oh My! What a fun (and challenging) course. Let me tell you, this is a course you NEED to have someone who knows the course well to give you pointers on where to place your ball on each shot. The execution of each shot is a whole 'nother story, of course, but we won't go into that now. LOL

Cheri and her friend Riz were so much fun to play with and it was a perfect weather day.  After golf, Cheri had her husband Mike come over and meet us in the clubhouse for a drink. Our tee time was 9:42. We were done by 2ish and we didn't leave the clubhouse until about 7:00. We had so much fun visiting. 

I have more photos but they don't seem to want to upload here. If you'd like to see them, I invite you to see them on my personal Facebook page. 

Small World:
It turns out Cheri and I have more than golf in common. I am a retired real estate broker and had made arrangements to meet up with some of my real estate connections on Friday for lunch.  Guess who came to the lunch? YES, Cheri! 

Thanks, Cheri for an amazing day!

As many of you know, this trip is also about raising awareness and funds for the First Tee youth development program.  

I want to thank my major sponsor Doghouse Motor Sports for their generous contribution to our youth!

Thank you, Doghouse Motorsports!

I'd also like to sincerely thank others who have donated funds to our campaign, including:

June Stanaway - Premier One Properties in Wenatchee
Steve Roller - Big Ideas Publishing (Connecticut)
Lisa Nelson - Wisconsin
Clair & Beverly Klock - Klock Farms & Nursery  Corbett, OR
Roy Altman - Redmond, OR
Nancy Steere - Wenatchee , WA
Ruth Collins - East Wenatchee, WA
MG Bailey - Spokane, WA
Lizette McPhie - Salt Lake City, UT
And a couple Anonymous donations  

If you are interested 
in helping out the kids by donating,
please go to our fundraiser page:

GoFundMe

I travel not to escape life but for life not to escape me!

I'm falling behind on my posts, which isn't really a surprise since I've been busy connecting with people and playing golf. That IS the purpose of the trip after-all. LOL

I will catch up, as time permits, but I wanted to share my actual schedule with you all.  On the off golf days, I may batch posts.

I left Wenatchee on Friday, August 27th. These are the dates and cities I will be playing golf in. The in between days are travel days.  The dates from Sept. 19 - 23 are reserved for a retreat in Vergennes, Vermont.

I have made contacts in each city and they are making tee times and putting the groups together. All I have to do is show up.    🙂

Boise, Idaho (Aug. 28th)
Salt Lake City, Utah (Sept 1st)
Denver, Colorado (Sept 3rd or 4th)
Kansas City, MO (Sept 8th)
St. Louis, MO (Sept 10th)
Indianapolis, IN (Sept 12th)
Pittsburgh, PA (Sept. 14th)
Syracuse, NY (Sept. 16th)
Albany, NY (Sept. 18th)
Philadelphia, PA (Sept 24th or 25th)
Baltimore, MD (Sept. 27th)
Charlotte, NC (Sept 30, Oct 1st, or 2nd)
Atlanta, GA (Oct. 4th)
St Augustine, FL (Oct. 7th or 9th)
Montgomery, AL (Oct. 11th)
Baton, Rouge, LA (Oct 13th)
Houston, TX (Oct 15th)
Austin, TX (Oct 17th)
El Paso, TX (Oct. 19th)
Phoenix, AZ (21st or 22nd)

As many of you know, this trip is also a trip is about raising awareness and funds for the First Tee youth development program.  I want to thank my major sponsor Doghouse Motor Sports for their generous contribution to our youth!

I'd also like to sincerely thank others who have donated funds to our campaign, including:

June Stanaway - Premier One Properties in Wenatchee
Steve Roller - Big Ideas Publishing (Connecticut)
Lisa Nelson - Wisconsin
Clair & Beverly Klock - Klock Farms & Nursery  Corbett, OR
Roy Altman - Redmond, OR
Nancy Steere - Wenatchee , WA
Ruth Collins - East Wenatchee, WA
MG Bailey - Spokane, WA
And a couple Anonymous donations  

If you are interested in donating, please go to our: 
GoFundMe page and read all about it.

"Wander often. Wonder always."

In the blog post from May 2nd of last year Introducing the SWAG Travel Network, I told you the story of how my Grandma inspired my lifelong Bucket List dream to travel around the United States.

On June 8th I wrote a post entitled SWAG Membership Drive: Fall 2020, explaining how I planned to take an epic solo road trip to meet other women golfers all across the nation.  

I'm sure it's no surprise that trip was postponed due to COVID.  Well, I'm not getting any younger and still determined to make it happen.

If there's anything we've learned in the last last year and a half, it is that life is uncertain. We need to do things when we can.  

Do you see all those blue "pins" on the map above? That is my unofficial route so far. I want to stay somewhat flexible to adjust as I go.  

I'll be leaving in late late August, returning in early November. I'm calculating the trip will cover about 10,000 miles.

Like I said, it's going to be epic. 

And, I haven't been sitting idle regarding connections either. I've been busy making connections with women golfers across the nation online.

I've had lots of invitations to play with the locals as I travel through their area.  I'm excited about that. 

As if that's not exciting enough, I'm still working on the fundraiser portion of the trip for the First Tee Central Washington.  I've been sending out letters and have already received several hundred dollars in contributions in support of this epic adventure... supporting kids and fulfilling bucket list dreams.

As you may know, First Tee is a National Organization specifically dedicated to developing our youth through the game of golf.  

Did you see 17-year-old Megha Ganne play in the Women's U.S. Open this last weekend? Wasn't she amazing? She is involved with The First Tee of Metropolitan New York, and made history as the first junior to qualify for the Drive, Chip & Putt Finals four times in the event’s six-year existence. She credits The First Tee with a lot of her success. And, I suspect it is also a major factor in the confidence and poise she exudes.

The First Tee is such an amazing organization and incorporating a fundraiser for them with my trip makes the trip that much more worthwhile.

What could be more important than developing the youth of today into better students, better citizens, and better leaders for the future through the game we all love... golf? 

The 9 Core Life Enhancing Values taught through the First Tee program are identified in the image at the top of this post.  And...

According to the national First Tee website:
   * 85% of Alumni credit the program with helping them become a better student.  
   * 91% of Alumni participated in community service. 
   * And, of course, they learn to golf

So, while doing this  trip I can accomplish several things:
   * Raise money for the First Tee youth program
   * Expand the SWAG Travel Network by connecting with
      other women golfers across the U.S.
   * Play golf in several states
  * See and experience a diversity of people and places
   * Share it all with you as I drive, golf, and blog my way around the U.S.  
  * Hopefully, meet you if you're in the path on my epic road trip

More details about my road trip will be coming in future posts here.  

While this road trip is a bucket list item for me and we'll be raising money for First Tee, the long term goal is still about YOU, a woman who loves to golf. It's about creating the SWAG Travel Network so you (and your golf peeps) can do more golfing and make meaningful connections while YOU, a senior woman golfer,  travel about this great land.

What's on your bucket list? I hope I can inspire you that it's never too late.

If you haven't already done so,
I invite you to subscribe to this Blog so you will
be notified of all new posts as they are published.
You can do so by ordering the 
FREE Report:
5 Ways To Lower Your Golf Score... Without Lessons

Also, be sure to sign up for our Facebook Group:
Senior Women Avid Golfers

The Mission Of First Tee:
​To impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character and instill life-enhancing values through the game of golf.

​When I said in the headline of this post that we're having a membership drive, I mean that in a very literal sense. I'm heading out solo on an epic road trip. I will DRIVE across and around the United States to connect with women golfers to continue growing our SWAG Membership network.   I'll be leaving in early - mid September and signing ladies up as I go.   
​
​I know I could do this the easy way - online (and I'll be doing that too, of course). But I want to get out and actually meet people. I want to meet you! 

Details about my road trip will be coming in another blog post soon.  Any suggestions on stops between Wenatchee, Washington and Burlington, Vermont? That will be the 2800+ mile first leg of this epic trip. On the ​return trip home, I will be dipping further south as the weather starts to get cooler up north.

While this road trip is a bucket list item for me and we'll be raising money for First Tee, the long term goal is about​ YOU. It's about creating the SWAG Travel Network so you (and your golf peeps) can ​do more golfing and make meaningful connections while ​YOU  travel about this great land.

So start thinking about your future Bucket List for golf and travel! I'll do whatever I can to help you make it happen.

​"We travel not to escape life but for life not to escape us." 
​Where shall I go next? 

​I'm super excited to announce that the SWAG Travel Network Membership Smartphone App is officially in development.  

The smartphone app will serve as an easy to use nationwide membership directory but it will be much more than that before we're finished.  

Whether you're traveling within your home state or across the country, it will be very easy to find and connect with other women golfers as you​ travel to play at ​other courses and explore new places.   

​The app will be functional in the Fall and will coincide with another special event I'll be announcing soon!

​Stay tuned...

​Are you looking forward to the 2020 golf season as much as I am?  One of the fun parts of the golf season is participating in events around Central Washington throughout the year.

Are you curious about the dates for your favorite golf events in 2020?

I'm in the process of putting together a list of events in 2020. ​I want to make it as comprehensive as possible​ and I need your help.  

Are you a League President or event Chairperson for any events at your club this golf season? 

If so, I would really appreciate it if you could send me the following info:
     Event dates
     Practice round dates
     Contact person for event info  

​I am especially looking for dates for ladies events at the following courses:

​Here is what I know so far, so get them on your calendar:
Three Lakes Golden Apple: May 7th​
Wenatchee Golf & Country Club Spring Fling: May 19th
Leavenworth Alpine: June 17th 
​
​Watch this blog for updates

​If you know of women's events at other courses in Washington State or elsewhere, I'm interested in that information too. 

Are there any charity events you know about?

I will be posting the 2020 Apple Valley Women's Golf Association schedule as soon as I receive it in early February.

​Please send any info or questions to me at:
TopTeamCarol@gmail.com

​For Sale:  SOLD
​
17963 Road 5 NW - Quincy, Washington 98848

1 bedroom, 1 bath park model home in the Colockum Ridge Adult Park on the Golf Course in Quincy. Lot #19. Pool and hot tub in park.

11 x 35 home on a 60 X 45 lot. You own the land. Nice setting on the golf course. Beautiful 20x12 deck. Plus storage or golf cart shed.

Excellent, quiet, location close to shopping and an easy commute to Wenatchee, Moses Lake, Ephrata, Soap Lake and access to I-90.  

​This is a wonderful ​full-time home or fun weekend getaway. ​ Come by and see for yourself just how much fun and convenient this home can be. ​  

​Call Vicky:
509-860-0634

If you haven't already done so, ​I invite you to subscribe to this Blog so you will be notified of all new posts as they are published.
You can do so by ordering the 
FREE Report:
5 Ways To Lower Your Golf Score... Without Lessons