FAB 5: Winning your Club Championship

Be sure to check out the CGA’s July Monthly for the inspirational stories of a few of Colorado’s 2025 club champions. As a bonus question, they were asked: What advice would you give to someone competing in a club championship for the first time?

Turns out the bonus was for the rest of us: Their advice might actually help us win one. At least in our dreams.

Here are five of their tips.

• Go ahead and set yourself some goals. Broken Tee club champion Sheila Schroeder likes to pair her goals – one realistic and one “stretch goal.” “Work toward those to challenge yourself,” she says. One goal popular with Colorado club champions is to win in order to qualify for the National Club Championship, a PGA of America tournament that for 2026 champions will be held at Pinehurst (N.C.) in March.

• Prepare like you mean business. Parker Golf Association champion Roger Forystek has an off-the-charts index, but his club awards its trophy based on season-long performance. “Last year, I played probably 90 percent of the time, and I think when you play a lot you get in a groove, your swing improves, everything improves,” he says. Lynne Cassaday made room on her calendar for a twilight strategy round with her friend and caddie the week before the Aurora Working Women’s Golf League championship. Schroeder took a winter job at an indoor golf facility so she could practice for free. Broadmoor champ Luke Travins took up swimming because he thought it would help his golf muscles. City Park Players Club champion Bryan Rusin does yoga and meditates before all his competitive rounds. And Salida champ Tami Smith swears by her sleep sound machine.

• Remember, it’s not business -- enjoy yourself and your company. Golf is a game, so don’t make the club championship feel like work. “Don’t take it too seriously,” says Travins. “Cheer on good play from all the participants.” Cassaday notes that although everyone in her league is nervous setting out, “It’s more about having fun and developing relationships with people you’re playing with, trying to help each other and make golf a better sport for women.”

• Roll with the ups and downs, which golfers know to be inevitable. As Ted Lasso and City Park 9 and CommonGround 9 champion Sydney Wrench say, “Be a goldfish! The next shot could be your best shot.”

• Smile! This tip came from the best golfer in the article, Bryan Rusin, who index is plus-2.9. “I make a goal to really smile before I hit every putt,” he says. “There’s actually some data that shows it improves free throw performance and short putt performance. It’s like ‘fake it so you make it.’ Convince yourself you’re happy and you will be.”

Veteran journalist Susan Fornoff has written about golf for publications including the San Francisco Chronicle, ColoradoBiz magazine and her own GottaGoGolf.com. She provides the voice of “Molly McMulligan,” the CGA’s on-course consultant on golf for fun. Mr. McMulligan, Keith DuBay, is also an accomplished journalist and especially enjoys reviewing golf courses. Email the McMulligans at mollymcmulligan@gmail.com.