Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Mary Jo Swoboda has always looked forward to golfing in the spring, but this year it came with a special appreciation.

Swoboda was sick and tired of sitting in the house and taking shelter from the COVID-19 pandemic, and when she learned she could get back out and golf on Wednesday’s as part of Ladies Golf Day, she was ecstatic.

“It saved my life,” Swoboda said. “It’s fun. It’s nice to meet everybody and we don’t take it too seriously.”

The Ladies Golf Day started in the 1940s at Ramsey Golf Course. Back then it was a time for women who stayed home with the kids to get out and let loose. The outing drew 50 to 60 women in those days and no men were allowed on the course until 1 p.m.

Today’s Ladies Golf Day draws around 25 golfers.

“Every public golf course used to have a ladies day. Meadow Greens/Ramsey is one of the only ones that still honors it,” Carol Bulson said. “It’s been going for a long time.”

The Ladies Golf Day features mostly retired women as the group includes women who are in the 50s all the way up to their 80s.

Bulson said getting out and golfing was something that she needed. Since she started golfing again in May, her mood has been boosted.

“I’m so sick of video conferencing everything and not being able to see a person and talk to them. We wanted to make sure we did it this year so we could keep the members,” Bulson said. “I like golfing with my friends on Wednesdays, then I can go out and golf with my grandsons and my husband. You can play at different skill levels and all ages.”

The group, which is open to any woman, holds it’s club championship on Aug. 12. Play begins on the first Wednesday of May and it ends on the last week of August.

The cost of Ladies Golf Day is $25 for the entire year with the money going towards end of the year prizes. The usual course fees also apply.