(October 31, 2013)–The Top Lady Clubbers (TLC) was formed in 1998 to encourage and inspire African American women in the Richmond, VA area to play golf with a passion and to better one’s game. TLC seeks out experienced and less experienced golfers, and relies on its seasoned players to lead by example.
One such Clubber who exemplifies the true mission of TLC is Marilyn Cole. Marilyn loves the game, actively pursues new courses to play and enjoys spirited competition in tournaments all over the country.
She resides in Doswell, VA where she has hosted clinics and rules sessions for the TLC ladies at her “home driving range” in the country. She retired as a government executive in 2011 and currently does consulting work in the public and private sector, but most days you will find her on a golf course somewhere.
A member of the TLC for the past 13 years, Marilyn was introduced to golf by her husband of 30 years, Allen “Cutt” Cole, Sr., who is also an avid golfer. She took up the sport after playing softball for 30 years, another game that she loved.
Through hard work, Marilyn has achieved a handicap of 9.8 and is the reigning club champion for TLC, a title she has held for the past several years.
Marilyn plays regularly with several other ladies’ golf groups in the area including the Belmont Ladies Golf Association, the Crossings Womens Golf Association, the Greater Richmond Women’s Golf Association and the Pennisula Ladies Golf Association.
A traveling group called the Lady Smashers, made up of Black women golfers from the Virginia, DC, Maryland and the Pennsylvania areas, is a group that is near and dear to her heart. This group has traveled to Bermuda, Florida, the Robert Trent Jones Trail in Alabama, the historic Black-owned, Clearview golf course in East Canton, Ohio; and gone on a golf cruise.
For the past 6-years the group has participated in an annual tournament in Myrtle Beach, SC in June of each year. Hosted by the Brownsmill Ladies Golf Association of Atlanta, GA, this tournament brings anywhere from 100 to 140 women of color to the beach to play in a two-day event. Marilyn has been fortunate to finish in the top 5 each year that she has participated in this event.
Marilyn is also a regular with the Neckbone Golf Tour held annually in February in Miami, FL. This year, she won the Ladies Flight in their two-day “Snowbird Open” tournament at the Country Club of Miami. She was also the 2012 winner of the annual LOVE Golftech tournament (Ladies Flight), played at the LPGA International Golf Course in Daytona Beach, FL.
Photo left: Marilyn on the green in Bermuda.
In earning the title of Belmont Ladies Golf Association Champion in 2012, Marilyn became the first African American female to serve as champion, playing on the Henrico County course that was formerly the Hermitage Country Club where Sam Snead won the 1949 PGA championship.
In 2013, Marilyn and her Belmont Ladies’ team placed first in their flight in the annual event hosted by the Virginia State Golf Association (VSGA), which brings together the top 20 ladies teams from across the state.
Marilyn has had many enjoyable and memorable moments; however, a couple of them stand out as indelible events. For instance, on her birthday in 2006, while playing with her husband and 6 of their friends, she aced the very first hole, a 145-yard par 3. Fondly recalling her only hole in one, she tells everyone that it was a birthday present from the “golf gods”.
She is grateful to have enjoyed a 2011 trip to Ireland with 11 ladies to attend the Solheim Cup and play some of Ireland’s finest courses including Royal County Down, Royal Portrush and Portstewart .
The 2011 Solheim Cup was the 12th Solheim Cup matches, held September 23-25 at Killeen Castle in County Meath, Ireland, northwest of Dublin. The biennial matches are a three-day contest for professional female golfers, between teams of 12 top players from the United States and Europe. Entering the 2011 matches, the U.S. had won the three recent competitions, with Europe’s last victory coming eight years earlier in 2003 in Sweden.
After the first two days of team play, the competition was tied at 8-all. Europe went 7–5 in singles on Sunday and regained the Cup, 15–13. It was Europe’s fourth win, all won on home soil.
Photo Above: Marilyn (in dark blue sweater) and friend Cee Powell at the Solheim Cup, Ireland, 2011.
Marilyn loves sharing her time with TLC and other groups, encouraging the less experienced golfers to forge ahead. When she is not playing with the ladies, you can find her on the course with her spouse (and best friend).
Marilyn and Cutt have shared many competitive rounds of golf together and look forward to many more. They own a second home in Myrtle Beach, SC, where Marilyn has played at over 90 of the area’s courses.
Photo: Marilyn (far left) and her teammates after winning tournament in Sarasota, FL
While golfing takes up most of her time, Marilyn’s other interests include decorating, shopping, playing cards and spending quality time with her 82-year-old mother in Lancaster, SC.
