It is with a great deal of satisfaction that I am able to witness the resurrection of The Member's Letter after a two or three year absence. And seeing it make its way back into circulation, albeit it electronically and not in print, reminds me of its beginnings and the person responsible for its birth, Warren Belser.

Those of you now reading this that received the initial offerings will be reminded of those early editions, where the phrase, "written for Amateurs by Amateurs" was so apt. Mostly they were filled with nicely crafted rules articles by Fred Stephens, heartfelt messages from our Presidents, the occasional meanderings of yours truly, and what seemed like gallons of ink dedicated to displaying results from various championships.

But the centerpieces of The Member's Letter were the adventures into the miasmic world of handicapping by The Old Committeeman, someone all of us thought represented a window into the life and personality of Mr. Belser and his views of club life and handicapping. To read the article was very much akin to having a conversation with Warren, as his friends at his club attested to over and again, and they provided a humorous and thought provoking insight into handicapping.

So we would be remiss in our obligations of recognition if we did not pay our respects to Warren Belser for planting the seed for this publication and thanking him for sharing his thoughts with us. So to you Warren, bottoms up and "down the middle with a little draw."

It is a privilege for me to serve as President of the AGA this year, and I look forward to an exciting season of golf.

This is a busy time of year for Buford and his staff. The state high school boys and girls tournaments, as well as the SEC Men's Golf Championship, are administered by the AGA - and all three are right around the corner. We are also preparing for the State Four Ball Championship in May, various State Amateur Qualifying sites, and the State Amateur in early June.

In addition, we are in the initial stages of planning for a permanent home for the Alabama Golf Association. Similar to the USGA home, it will be known as Golf House Alabama. We will keep you posted as things progress.

The weather is beautiful. Spring has arrived, along with longer days. See you on the course!

Billy Wood, AGA President

Spring has arrived and most of us are ready to hit the golf course. But before you start banging balls this season, make sure you’re ready. Be prepared, and you may have your best golf season ever.

Body
If you're like most people, you're less active during the winter months, so your body may need some warming up before you hit the links. "Stretching exercises are the best for golf," says the AGA's Fred Stephens.

Fred recommends starting with back stretches: Lie on the floor and bring your right knee up to your chest, holding it there for a few seconds while keeping your left leg on the floor. Slowly lower your leg and repeat with your left leg. Next, stretch your calves: Stand facing a wall with one foot near the wall and the other back behind it. Slowly move your body to the wall, keeping your back leg straight and stretching the back calf. Repeat with the other leg. Stretch your upper body by laying a club across your shoulders with your arms wrapped around it from underneath. Slowly turn your body to the left and right. Remember with all stretches, "move slowly and do not jerk yourself into position," Fred says.

In addition to stretching exercises, "doing upper body strength exercises will help your golf," Fred adds. "And walking to get your winter legs under you will help also."

Mind
While you're getting your body ready to play golf, make sure you get your mind ready as well. "Nothing helps the golfer more than getting into a positive attitude," Fred says. "Most people play golf in direct proportion to the attitude they take to it."

Start now, thinking positively and planning for the successes you're going to experience this season. "Nothing negative can help your golf game," Fred adds. "Being a little cocky helps a golf game; it keeps you positive."

Equipment
Once you are prepared physically and mentally, make sure your equipment is also ready for a successful season. "Check your equipment out,"

Fred says. "It is probably a good investment to put new grips on your clubs, especially if you play a lot of golf." Fred suggests paying special attention to your putter. "One of your best friends is your putter," he says. "Get a good one and get to like it. Practice with it a lot and your game will improve."

New Office Helps AGA Hit the Road

When the AGA staff takes to the road to produce a golf tournament, they need to take their whole office with them. Thanks to a new, customized RV, now they can. After purchasing the 36-foot Pace Arrow last year, the AGA had it fully customized and equipped for running golf tournaments in professional, AGA style.

"Before, we had so much equipment we had to take to tournaments that we were packing three SUVs as full as we could," says Buford McCarty, AGA's executive director. "We talked the board into letting us buy a trailer with storage, but that still didn't solve the problem because we were still spending time unpacking and taking everything into the club at each tournament. Clubs never had adequate space for us to conduct the tournaments; we always had to move furniture, bring in phone lines, and make other changes. Now, with our mobile office, we just have to drive up and park it and we're ready."

The AGA's mobile office is completely self-contained. Because it has its own generator, no electricity is required. The RV's satellite dish allows near-DSL speed for Internet use, so staff members can post real-time scoring via the AGA Web site (www.bamagolf.com). While there are usually two to three people working full-time in the RV during tournaments, the office's conference area can comfortably seat five or six people.

While the mobile office has made it easier for AGA staff to run tournaments, it's drawing positive attention from others as well. "People see it and think, 'Wow, these people really are in the tournament business,'" Buford says. "The clubs love it because now they don't have to tear up the clubhouse to make room for us. And there are a lot of other associations talking about it; we're the only ones with something like this. The regional director for USGA just came in and was in awe of it."

Click images below for a larger picture.

       
AGA Conference                                                 AGA Front
       
AGA Office                                      AGA Radios

       AGA Group 1                                      AGA Group 1