The Lady Drivers Golf Club
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Lady Drivers Golf Club, Est. 1996
Accomplishments and History
To learn and play the sport of golf,
To expose other adults to the sport of golf,
To use golf as a vehicle for community service
Established in June of 1996, the Lady Drivers Golf Club was poised to be one of the first African American female golf clubs in the state of Mississippi. Eighteen women of all ages and professions organized under the leadership of Ms. Gloria S. Whitley and developed a three-fold Mission Statement. Maintaining its original mission, the Lady Drivers have made significant strides in the sport of golf and community service. After nine years of growth, the Lady Drivers Golf Club has held to its mission with the following:
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
Charitable Donation G. N. Smith Elementary School Coat Drive 1997-1998-1999
Charitable Donation University of MS Medical Center Sickle Cell Program 1998
Charitable Donation Camp Sickle Stars 1998 – Present
Charitable Donation The Smith Robertson Museum 1997
Charitable Donation The Grove Park Youth Golf Camp 1998 – Present
Thanksgiving Dinners For Area Families 1997
Annual First Timers, Adult Male/Female Golf Clinic 1997 – Present
Annual Open Community Service Golf Tournament 1997 – Present
Recognized/Honored in the African American Golfer’s Digest 2007
HISTORICAL ORIGIN:
The Lady Drivers Golf Club originated as a community service project of the Grove Park Duffers Golf Club in May of 1996. Past President Clarence Hogan and club members held a two-week clinic with a goal of teaching the fundamentals of golf to adult females. The home course of the Duffers Club is the Grove Park Golf Course, a nine-hole player friendly course located in central Jackson.
PRESENT:
The Lady Drivers is the only female club on the “Chittlin Circuit”. This circuit is an organized group of African American golf clubs from various southern states: Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Tennessee, Texas, and Florida.
2005, Non-profit status was established to allow a broader range for cooperate sponsorships to support the clubs charitable causes.
2006, Members voted to honor Mrs. Carrie Jones by institutionalizing the Longest Drive for Women each year during the Lady Drivers Annual Open Community Service Golf Tournament.
COMMITMENT TO PLAY:
The Lady Drivers Golf Club offers an opportunity for regular play among its membership, and opportunities to observe the best female golfers in the world by including the LPGA tournaments as one of the club’s annual outings. The club provides opportunities for women of all skill levels to enjoy the sport of golf. The club offers an opportunity for competitive play via participation on its Tournament Team. This group of women represents the club in tournament play across the southeast. Other golfers enjoy the opportunity to play leisure golf with club members and take advantage of planned golf outings. The membership has traveled to the Gulf Coast; Myrtle Beach; Destin, Florida; Phoenix, Arizona an other areas of the country for leisure play.
The Lady Drivers has moved forward with its mission under the leadership of the following founder and presidents: Gloria S. Whitley, founder (1996-2001), Joyce McCants (2001-2003), Janice Coleman (2003-2005), Willie Jones (2006-2011), Gloria S. Whitley (2011-2013).
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