SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – In 2024, Crown Point Country Club (CPCC) was ranked No. 4 on the Golf Pass Golfers’ Choice list of the Top 25 Friendliest Public Golf Courses in America. The members of the Crown Point Women’s Golf Association (CPWGA) would wholeheartedly agree and are making it their mission to get the word out about Springfield’s championship golf course.
On Sept. 12, the league held its annual invitational and fundraiser, bringing together 88 golfers from around the region for some friendly competition. Participating as two-person teams, the women played an 18-hole tournament that featured six holes of best ball, six holes of shamble, and six holes of scramble. They also had an opportunity to win a 2026 Subaru Forester in one of four hole-in-one contests generously sponsored by Lundgren Subaru of Claremont. Although no one went home with the car, league member Bettina McCrady said that just seeing the brand-new vehicle parked at the 18th hole was very exciting and motivating for the golfers.
McCrady, a relative newcomer to the sport, said she joined the CPWGA four years ago after she retired and could dedicate herself to the game. “I had heard this was a welcoming club, and for me, it was a really nice way to start the game. Many of the more experienced players help the newer members, so if you’re a new golfer, you are not intimidated.”
League Vice President Kada Sigl concurred. “Perhaps the best part is that it’s not about how good we are as golfers. Being part of the league is really about camaraderie, friendships, and sense of community we’ve built together.”
“What makes this group of women so special is the way everyone contributes in their own way. Whether it’s volunteering, sharing ideas, helping with events, or simply lending a hand when needed, everyone has something valuable to add,” said Sigl.
Jenna Young Starr has been the league president for the past several years, having started as the club’s treasurer in 2020, when there were just 28 members. Starr brings with her a dedication to women supporting women in golf, a commitment to the growth and success of the program, and a greater effort to raise funds that support improvements at CPCC. Although Starr is not sure exactly when the women’s league was started, as treasurer she noted the bank account was initially opened in 1974.
Recently, the league has been replacing the forward, or gold, tee boxes across the golf course. In the past, the ladies raised funds to purchase new awnings for the clubhouse, and there are plans in the works to plant maple trees in place of other trees that have died.
Last year, the women’s league started a fundraiser called the Crown Jewel that raises as much as $10,000 for the CPCC. With a raffle package valued at more than $3,500, one winner is awarded the ultimate club membership experience: a fully paid annual membership, including cart fees, entry into three club tournaments, annual league fees, and range balls; a $375 pub gift certificate; a $200 pro shop gift certificate; and a “cut the line” pass at Crown Point Pub.
This year, the league welcomed more than 60 members ranging in age from 16 to 90. They play on Wednesday mornings and Thursday nights, and teams do not have set partners, but are shuffled each week. The scores are close because teams are purposefully built on a tier system, matching inexperienced players with those who are more skilled. This gives beginners an opportunity to improve their game without feeling too much pressure.
Starr said the women try to keep active over the winter, often meeting at CPCC to take advantage of the club’s groomed trails and free cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, or to gather at the pub on Thursday nights to hear live music.
There is already a date set for next year’s CPWGA Invitational – Sept. 11, 2027 – and Starr and the rest of the league warmly invite women from Vermont and New Hampshire to be part of their special group.