2013
In 2013, Jillian and Sadie convinced a few neighborhood friends to help them form a team from their town of North Attleboro, Massachusetts. Dave then approached MGA Links (the home of the Mass. First Tee Program) in nearby Norton, MA about starting a league. The pro, Pete Walsh, agreed to post a flyer about the league, and two team tournaments with about 16 kids took place that summer.
2014
In 2014, Dave, (who ironically doesn't even play golf) took over the marketing, organizing and recruiting. At both of our first two tournaments (one in June and July 2014) we had a little less than fifty girls ages 5 to 17. Sometime in late July, Sara came up with the name Girls Independent Golf League - and GIGL was officially born.
Our August 2014 tournament drew seventy girls and the head coaches of the women's golf teams at Brown University, Danielle Griffiths, and Holy Cross, Skip Guss, did presentations.
The September 2014 tournament brought eighty girls, and with great assistance from LPGA's Girls Golf, former LPGA Tour player Michelle Bell was convinced to provide some putting expertise.
The next tournament was November 9, 2014 and our total was 100 girls. Former LPGA Tour member Allie Blomquist and former Futures Tour player Chelsea Curtis were amongst the many experts who came to assist. In addition, US Senator Elizabeth Warren sent a citation that was read to all the girls before they teed off, Titleist's Grace Schory brought two balls for every girl, and NEPGA's Jacy Settles provided hats for the girls.
2015
The 2015 GIGL season started with a blast - literally. On April 3, 2015 we had a team driving competition at STIX in North Attleboro with 120 girls swinging away in the rain. The head coach of Brown and Chelsea Curtis returned to assist with Stix owner Chris Congdon.
On May 31, 2015 we matched that 120 total at our first tournament of the season - again in the rain. Former LPGA Tour vet, Pamela Kerrigan Johnson and former LET player Karen Nicoletti were amongst the folks who came to assist with the pre-tournament clinic. Skip Guss, who is now with the Golf Channel's Golf Academy returned to help too. In addition, WGAM's Moe Haynes brought water bottles with the GIGL logo for every girl.
On June 28, 2015 we had about 70 girls come in pouring rain. Amongst the experts who came to help were, Titleist's Karen Gray, Fmr Duke University Cpt Kim Donovan, and Former Harvard Assistant Coach Claire Sheldon. The following day, a group of GIGL girls and their families met LPGA Stars Juli Inkster and Morgan Pressel thanks to the folks at the CVS Caremark Classic and Coates Golf.
On August 16, 2015 former LPGA player Naree Song came to help as did fifteen other experts including four women from the LPGA's Symetra Tour, NEPGA VP Susan Bond, Former NCAA Champ finalist Pam Kiley and Former PGA Pro National Champ Ron Philo Jr. Liz Laverghetta, (captain of Bates College's golf team), Maxine Harney (#1 player for Holy Cross), Izzy Southard (University of Denver), Nicole Scola (Quinnipiac University) and Cora Bernier (University of Hartford) were also be amongst the many experts assisting. Almost 120 girls from over 40 towns from Massachusetts (as far west as Springfield), Rhode Island, and New Hampshire came on August 16, 2015.
At the October 4, 2015 GIGL tournament, nearly 150 girls participated. Nineteen amazing experts came to assist including current LPGA player Megan Khang, US Sr. Open Finalist Pam Kuong, USGA's Terry Wappel and PING reps, Shannon Johnson and Megan Buck.
The last GIGL tournament of 2015 was on November 1, 2015 with just over 150 girls in attendance. According to all accounts, there had never been that many girls participating in an all girls youth team tournament anywhere. Hall of Famers Pat Bradley and Kay McMahon headline a cast of a whopping 29 golf experts who came to help with the pre-tournament clinic. Eloise Trainor (Founder of the LPGA's Future's Tour), Bruce Chalas, (HC Boston University) and McKenzie Wells (former LPGA Futures Tour player) were amongst those many experts.
2016
The first tournament of 2016 was immeidately followed by the second. Yes, on May 1, 2016 GIGL had so many girls registered that 2 tournaments and 2 clinics were scheduled. Despite rain, once again, and temperatures around 48 degrees, both tournaments and clinics were a success with over 175 girls total attending. Susan Bond made the 5 hour trek from Vermont in time to help with the morning clinic. The Alabama alum was greeted by a "Roll Tide" from all of the GIGL girls. Kay McMahon annd Elosie Trainor also voyaged in to help again. Amongst the new GIGL Experts that day were: Bob Beach (NEPGA Hall of Fame) Asaka Sim (LPGA Symetra Tour & LET), and Beth O'Kelly (PGA Pro & 2 time Mass. Open Champ). In addition, Antigua provided customized GIGL team hats for every girl; the WGAM purchased team sunglasses for every girl, and ivivva brought polos and water bottles for each of the players. Golphin and Merchants of Golf sent sets of clubs, while the Wiffle Company sent a box of 500 wiffle golf balls. But the really big deal on May 1 was that The Golf Channel came!
Over Memorial Day Weekend, the LPGA's Symetra Tour came to nearby Thorny Lea in Brockton, Mass. GIGL families hosted a whopping 43 of those players during their stay. On the night of Saturday May 28, a few of those players were kind of enough to come to MGA Links. They played a couple holes with the GIGL girls, put on a putting clinic, and then had a little party in the event room.
Our second day of two full tournaments took place on June 26, 2016. We had over 180 girls attend. Amongst the plethora of GIGL experts who came to help include Marcia Melone (2 time NCAA Div 2 Champ at Longwood Univ) and Juliet Vongphoumy (Symetra Tour). Fox-25 Boston also came and aired their segment later that night. On top of all of that Serenity Hair Designs paid for team t-shirts for every team.
Our third day of two tournaments was on August 7, 2016. LPGA Legend Michele Bell returned. And top selling golf author Christina Ricci came to help the girls als well. In addition, the WGAM provided pink golf balls adorned with the GIGL logo for every GIGL girl.
GIGL Plus
In 2015, we also started GIGL Plus - GIGL's town based team league for experienced high school & junior high players. GIGL Plus had a total of 13 teams participate during the course of the 10 matches of stroke play this season. These matches were played at the par 35 Locust Valley golf course in Attleboro, Massachusetts. More than a handful of girls entered scores under 40 with the best for the season being a 34.