Robin Smith is more than ready to take her turn. 
Smith is one of three new members of the Greater Cincinnati Women’s Golf Association Board of Directors, taking over as secretary. She is joined as newcomers to the board by Maria McLaughlin, who is serving as assistant tournament chair, and Spring Team Tournament chair Kathy Davis.
Also, Holly Jones moved up from vice president to replace Trisha Reperowitz as president.
Smith, a Milford resident, moved to Greater Cincinnati in 1982. She played out of The Heritage Club in Mason before switching to the closer-to-home Terrace Park Country Club in 1997.
“I have been working at the game of golf,” Smith, a retiree from Procter & Gamble, said. “I started playing a lot more when we joined The Heritage Club. We also have a condo in South Carolina. For a number of years, I was frustrated. Over the last three years, I’ve had a little more time to play. I have some girlfriends I play with, and we spend as much time doubled over in laughter as we do playing.
“I’m hoping to enjoy the time to come. Once I started not taking myself too seriously, my game started to improve.”
Smith has participated in what she described as a number of GCWGA events over the years and she figured that it was time for her to give something back.
“I have a number of good friends on the board, and I figured that, at some point, if my name came up for a position, I would readily accept it,” said Smith, who has served on boards at the Blue Ash YMCA, Terrace Park and her church. “I’m a person who loves to be busy.”
She’d like to see other new faces and names stepping up to fill leadership roles.
“The challenge is engaging new people and harnessing new energy,” she said.
McLaughlin plays mostly at Cincinnati Country Club. Like Smith, she felt obliged to serve if asked.
“I was approached by fellow golfers Dorrie Ambrusie and Sally Lehman,” she said. “I wanted to help. I figured I had a responsibility to help.”
Her husband, James, got her interested in golf, she recalled.
“He’s an avid golfer,” she said. “I started practicing, and then I went to Golf Galaxy to get fitted, and the guy was like, ‘You’ve never played?’ I like to think I’m a student who learns quickly.”
McLaughlin will be working closely with Tournament Chair Patty Bracken.
“Obviously, we want to keep being successful at tournaments,” McLaughlin said. “I’ll be helping organize behind the scenes.
“Patty’s been great. Everybody’s been great. I just finished picking up all the awards for the tournaments. Now I have to contact the clubs to host tournament registrations.”
Besides the Spring Team and Fall Team events, the 2023 tournament schedule includes 108th Women’s Met at Blue Ash Golf Course from May 31 through June 2, the High Kent Memorial at Terrace Park on July 11, the Low Kent Memorial at TPG on July 19, the 28th Mixed Couples at a site still to be determined on August 30, the Crystal Bowl on August 7 at Cincinnati Country Club, the Nine Wine and Dine at Wyoming Golf Club on August 22, the 2nd Annual Women’s Match Play at Wetherington Country Club on August 9-10 and the SHE Tournament at Blue Ash on September 11.
By Mark Schmetzer