Ladies in the pink for 20th

Marri Park Ladies Golf Club members will tee off in their traditional pink tomorrow for a special round of golf to mark the women-only club’s 20th birthday.

Club captain Gail Baker said members past and present — some of whom had played with the Pink Ladies since the club’s establishment in 1993 — would enjoy a casual nine holes and celebratory lunch.

Baker said the club had a long and interesting history and, despite several members reaching their 80s, still enjoyed weekly games at the Casuarina golf course.

“The best thing about the Pink Ladies is probably the friendships we have all made,” she said.

“Getting to play a round of golf every week as well is a bonus — some of our members are in their 80s and only play nine holes now, but it’s fabulous to see ladies of their age still playing.”

Baker said the club was originally set up at Armadale Golf Club in the early 1980s as a bit of fun for local women, but things got more serious towards the end of the decade when the hit-and-giggle approach was replaced with proper handicaps and the club’s signature pink T-shirts.

“In 1985, the Armadale Ladies Club joined the league with Jan Gardiner as their first league delegate,” she said.

“As time went by, the chicken lunches, nights out and hit-and-giggle approach to the game gave way to pennants and proper handicaps.

“At a November 1989 meeting, it was suggested the previous lemon and brown colours were rather drab, so the current pink and black was adopted.”

Club secretary Pat Muller said the club was always looking to promote the game of golf among older women. She said weekly games contributed to the positive mental health of its 17 members.