FIPPA Newsletter - April 2008.
Welcome to this edition of the FIPPA Newsletter.
BRIGITTE ALBISETTI
FIRST LADY OF SWISS PITCH AND PUTT
At the recent meeting in Calella, the industrious SPPA supremo, Brigitte Albisetti was elected as the first female member of the European Pitch and Putt Association's Board. Brigitte gave us this reaction.
Q1. Congratulations on your election to the Board of EPPA. How proud are you of this achievement?
Thank you. I’m honoured had being elected to the EPPA Board. Also the SPPA Board, all associated clubs and players are delighted about my election: it’s a very positive, necessary and important achievement for Switzerland.
Q2. What are your hopes and aspirations for your term of office?
I will do my best to fulfil my portfolio and the hopes that are vested in me. My aspirations are to establish together with my colleagues a direction that will ensure that EPPA becomes a strong, respectable and successful Association.
Q3. What is the current state of Pitch and Putt in Switzerland?
Pitch & Putt is starting to be seen as an independent sport but the interest in this autonomy is still insufficient: Pitch and Putt is seen as a variant of the game of golf. The name “Pitch and Putt” is connected to Golf and our Pitch and Putt clubs promote “golf tuitions” or “Fun-golf tournaments”. Their club associates are happy to be member of a “Golf Pitch and Putt club”, without spending lot of money in traditional golf clubs.
Brigitte Albisetti
Q4. You have close family and friend connections to the world of golf. How can you capitalise on this for the advantage of Pitch and Putt?
The close connection to the world of golf gives me certainly some advantages, as I can be informed about news and regulations in the golf organisation that could be important as well for Pitch & Putt. It gives me also the possibility to make a name for Pitch & Putt among the players, by explaining directly the differences between the two sports.
Q5. How are preparations progressing for the Swiss Senior Open at Verbier in June?
We prepared the flyers and we dispatched them to every Pitch and Putt club. We are looking for sponsors and we contacted several business companies, among also the ASGI, the Golf organisation with more than 15,000 independent (without a club) players. In the past this organisation has promoted Pitch and Putt on its magazine and published several of my articles about Pitch & Putt.
We have some difficulties in finding sponsors because of lack of interest in "only“ a Pitch & Putt tournament!
At the moment only Catalonia has assured a good number of players that will come to Verbier, all the other Associations didn’t react until now! A meeting with the officers of Verbier will be held on 4th April 2008, as they would like to know how many “foreigners” will be attending the Swiss Seniors Open!
Q6. You have made some development visits to Austria. What is the position there and how hopeful are you that we will have an Austrian member of EPPA?
I’m in contact sporadically with my Austrian interlocutor. He is the owner of a short Golf club and he is very active and willing to find people, which could be interested in the foundation of the Austrian Pitch and Putt Association. I invited him several times to attend International tournaments, without success. He informed me that the Austrian Golf Association is not interested in Pitch and Putt but I learned that all Driving Ranges or small courses with perhaps only 3 holes take part in a special section of Austrian Golf Association.
Q7. We know you love to play and contested the recent Catalan Open. What is the state of your own game?
Because of my commitments with SPPA, I haven’t played very often in the past four years. Anyway I prepared carefully for my participation in the Catalan Open, bought new clubs and trained my swing at the Driving Range. To test my new clubs, I participated in a Ladies Golf tournament and played well! Unfortunately I wasn’t able to bring the same results to Catalonia. I think I was under too much pressure!
Q8. What does EPPA need to do to expand and grow?
EPPA is a young organisation that needs to be recognised in Europe. In my view, EPPA should improve the contacts among its Board members, sharing ideas and experiences. I think that the committee should meet at least three times a year.
EPPA should have its own International calendar and tournaments.
EPPA should provide the Associations with brochures, flyers, documents, news etc. and should also have an interesting and dynamic website.
EPPA Board should be well informed about the Pitch and Putt matters in all different countries.
The affiliated Associations /Federations should count on an active and strong organisation ready to help and assist whenever necessary.
EPPA has to collaborate closely with FIPPA but in the same time remain an independent organisation.
(with John Manning)
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