Rio Communities women golfers tee off spring season with April events

The March 4 scramble gave Rio Communities women a regular outlet for exercise and friendship, and Tinky Ulivarri, Fran Griffeth, Beverly Turley and Jeannie Burleson opened the Women’s Golf Association’s spring season with the first win. Kathryn Bayless, Marilyn Jaramillo and Paula Valdez finished second, setting a competitive tone that has already carried through several weeks of play.

The league kept its momentum on March 11 with a Low Putts, Low Net format, then returned March 18 with more division results. Fran Griffeth won both Low Net and Low Putts in the Ladies 9 division, while Edie Redfearn-Moore took Low Net in Ladies 18 and Kathryn Bayless won Low Putt. Across the month, the standings also included names such as Marilyn Winters, Tammie Fuller, Berta Murzyn and Paula Valdez, showing a deep rotation of local players rather than a one-time turnout. Chip-ins and birdies added to the month’s record, a small sign that the association is tracking improvement as closely as participation.

That mix of formats is part of what makes the group useful for women who want a place to play without having to build a game from scratch. The association remains open to new participants, and the spring schedule offers an easy entry point through scramble play, partner events and regular stroke formats. For beginners, that means a chance to learn the pace of league golf, meet other players and ease into competition with teammates beside them.

April keeps the season active. The Women’s Golf Association has a Partner Best Ball Challenge set for April 15, followed by a Pro-Am Tournament on April 29, with Ace Day play also on the calendar. Those dates matter because they keep the league in motion through the spring rather than letting it fade after the first few outings, giving Rio Communities women more chances to stay active and connected in town.

The association’s continuity has become part of the local calendar. The 2025 season ended on Dec. 18 with a luncheon and officer elections after weather limited playdays, and the year before that included a partner’s tournament won by Berta Murzyn and Kathryn Bayless. In a small community, that kind of recurring routine is more than a club schedule, it is a steady social network that keeps spring mornings in motion.