Women Take The Lead On The Links

WHILE MOST PEOPLE recognize Tiger Woods’ name for a variety of reasons, not the least of which are his 82 Professional Golfers’ Association tour wins, few may recognize Kathy Whitworth’s, a female golfer, who between the years of 1662 and 1685, won 88 Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) titles and still holds the record number of wins in the league.

That recognition status may change since women’s golf is on the rise with an estimated 8 million playing in 2024, a figure representing a 25% increase from a decade ago—a trend also evident in the growth of the Pequannock Township’s Women’s Golf League, which celebrated its 50-year anniversary last year.

ON THE GREEN

“Women’s golf has become more popular,” says Geri Kelly, president of the town league. “Look at the LPGA. They are getting a lot more press and the participation of ladies overall in our country is being viewed in a more positive way.”

Kelly’s comments may make women golfers happy since the standard golf joke for many years had been that the name of the sport was an acronym meaning “Gentlemen Only, Ladies Forbidden.”

It seems the town league mocks that joke. Kelly, who has been president for two years and played in the league for three, says 157 players registered to play this year across 11 flights at Sunset Valley, The Meadows, Twin Willows, and Deer Run. The league added a flight due to increased interest since last year when just 140 golfers enrolled.

“We had such a big turnout: Twin Willows and Deer Run were completely filled,” Kelly says. “While it’s a great thing to have to face turning people away, I was able to accommodate all of them.”

She credits the league’s veteran players with helping out the new golfers. “What I’ve found is that the people who have been in the league for a long time really try to help the beginners because people get frustrated,” she says.

To stem that frustration, seasoned players are encouraged to play at Sunset, a more challenging course that’s considered to be one of New Jersey’s premiere golf courses; beginners find the play at Twin Willows, a par 3 course, a perfect way to get into the sport.

Patricia Walker of Pompton Plains is a new player in the Twin Willows flight, and while she finds the sport challenging, she is happy to be playing.

“I have to remember three things: I’m out in nature; I’m getting some exercise, and I’m with other people socializing.” She says the women in her flight at Twin Willows are supportive and motivating as she learns the game.

Pequannock Parks and Recreation organizes the league, accepts registration, and holds initial meetings at the beginning of the season. Each league has a flight secretary and a sub roster. The cost to enroll is $50 for residents and $60 for nonresidents. There is also an annual league fee, and each player must pay greens fees weekly at their registered course. Those interested in signing up should contact Parks and Recreation for information. The deadline to do so will be by the end of this year for the 2026 season.

“We’ve been trying to promote the league more and more,” says Kelly. “The website helps, but we rely on social media and word of mouth as well.”

BEGINNINGS

The league’s history dates to 1674, when founder Peg Olsen and a group of 31 golfers became officially recognized by the township. They first began playing at a course called The Meadows (different from the current Lincoln Park course), when it was an 18-hole course. But it was later changed to Deer Run, a nine-hole course. Both Deer Run and the current Meadows are in Lincoln Park.

It was later that same year, when the first Town Tournament was held with 33 golfers participating. The tournament later moved to Farmstead Golf Course in Andover, where it was held for many years and open to anyone who wanted to play. As minimum requirements grew and participation waned, the league abandoned this and instead began hosting an annual scramble at the end of June for registered golfers only, says Connie Cervanti, the league historian.

Cervanti, who has been a member of the town league since 2005, says she’s happy that younger players are joining the ranks and sees an improvement in acceptance of women playing the sport.

“The key to playing is not to hold anyone up,” Cervanti says. “Men tend to see a woman playing and expect a slower pace of play. “We are more accurate,” she notes confidently.

Cervanti plays three or four times a week, but many players in the league play just once a week.

Donna Cerafice, one of the longtime league members who joined in the early 60s (as did a few of the women in her flight), is a once-a-week player. Cerafice, who plays at Sunset on Tuesday at 4 p.m., says she’s learned that she’s not a long-ball hitter and participates not for the competition but for the fun.

“I’m a cheerleader for everyone,” Cerafice says. “You have to play, but the purpose of this league is not just golf. It’s the friendships. I have a lot of great women that have been on my flight, and they are now my friends.”

“The league has changed tremendously since I started,” Cerafice adds. “You still have people who have the attitude that women are slow or whatever, but I’d say this idea has definitely changed. We’ve survived for 50 years. We’ve always had 100 members. The numbers were up to 160 and 167 at one point, but we’ve never dipped below 100 members.”

BY DONNA DEL MORO