Brigitte Albisetti - 10 years of Pitch and Putt in Switzerland
REVIEW OF A 10 YEARS LONG PITCH AND PUTT ADVENTURE IN SWITZERLAND, by Brigitte Albisetti
We invited Brigitte Albisetti, outgoing President of the SPPA, to offer her reflections on 10 years of Pitch and Putt in Switzerland. Her views are candid and engaging.
After 10 years, I can admit that the building of SPPA was, and still is, an adventure. Starting a new Association of an unknown sport was both an exciting and enriching experience but also accompanied by some frustrations and disappointments.
It all started with a city Golf event in Lugano (Switzerland) "Golf in Piazza" organized by the FIP&P - Italian Pitch & Putt Association. It was an amazing event; being able to bring "Golf" to the main square in downtown Lugano was quite an achievement! Then I learned that the organisation of "Golf in Piazza" was actually trying to promote Pitch and Putt as an independent sport and was also searching for somebody to found the Pitch and Putt Association in Switzerland... interesting!
After the first contact with this sport, I was convinced that Pitch and Putt would be successful in Switzerland: a game for everybody played on a small piece of land where investment is not as important as in golf. I believed that I could promote Pitch and Putt in my country; after all, I've been working (voluntarily) for more than 16 years for the Swiss Golf Association.
As suggested by the FIP&P, I founded the Swiss Pitch and Putt Association and, with great enthusiasm, I presented the application to the EPPA Board during the European Team Championship held in Ireland in 2003.
To my surprise and disappointment the SP&PGA wasn't accepted by EPPA, unfortunately we were not informed that Associations need to have at least one affiliated Pitch & Putt course to become a member of EPPA. As a friendly and apologetic gesture, FIP&P invited Swiss Players to attend complimentary the 1st World Cup 2004, in Chia/ Italy!
Despite the initial disappointment, I was motivated to get SP&PGA in the EPPA. I started to travel through the country to motivate short golf and Pitch and Putt courses to join the new born Association. I finally found my first members, so that EPPA accepted our candidature.
The Swiss Pitch and Putt Association was finally alive and active! The first Swiss Team participated in the European Team Championship 2005, in Overbetuwe, Netherlands, affiliated clubs organised local tournaments, we held our yearly Swiss Pitch and Putt Championships and our best Swiss players and Teams participated to International tournaments, World Cups and European Championships. I was then honoured to be elected in the EPPA board, responsible for the promotion of Pitch and Putt in Europe. I was able to convince and arouse enthusiasm about Pitch and Putt sport in Austria and Germany; I was also involved with the revisions of the new FIPPA rules and, as a Golf referee in Switzerland, I gave some inputs in the existing PPUI rules. Furthermore I translated the FIPPA rules to German, but I finally had to accept that our affiliated Pitch and Putt courses wanted to apply Golf Rules....
Two International Seniors Opens were organised in the Swiss Alps; one in 2008 in Verbier and the other in 2010 in St. Moritz. It was great to hold these events and welcome Pitch and Putt players from all over Europe to visit our country, compete and taste our specialities. We also had great fun listening to the visitors trying to play the Alphorn! Less amusing for the organisation was the unforeseen snowfall on the second day in St. Moritz that obliged us to cancel the final competition day. In both events we had a big and friendly group from Catalonia and for this I'm very grateful for the nice cooperation of Catalan captain Francesco Solé. We have fond memories of these two events and its participants.
From senior events to our successful Kids Trophy, for children "10 years + Under"! There is no doubt: Pitch and Putt is perfect for the young children! Kids love to play on small courses and are motivated that they can actually reach some greens and even make some pars... which are not the case on enormous golf courses.
The SPPA is a well-structured association, with a constitution, regulations, Pitch and Putt handicap system, tournament selections criteria and strategies. With our main intent to promote Pitch and Putt in Switzerland, we organised some Forums for golf architects, investors, owners of Driving Ranges and other interested people. It seemed that SPPA had a good chance for development, but the contrary is the case.
Despite innumerable hours dedicated for growing the game of Pitch and Putt in Switzerland, I have to admit that the Pitch and Putt sport is not as developed as expected and hoped.Our game is still seen as an entry to Golf and/or a minor sister of the big game. SPPA strives to find partners, courses, investors and players.
From the beginning I tried to develop a new and independent sport in Switzerland and, as requested, we abandoned the "G" (for Golf) in our logo. Unfortunately our main difficulties arrived really by striving for independence from the game of golf. Golf has experienced a big growth in the last couple of years, thanks to two public golf organisations in Switzerland. The Golf game is in and Pitch and Putt suffered from it as it was impossible to compete with the offer of Public Golf Organisations.
What's more, the development of SPPA was challenged by some business oriented people among our Pitch and Putt organisation, which created confusion and unfortunately influenced the good and healthy growth of Pitch and Putt in Switzerland.
My SPPA adventure was really challenging, but I was rewarded by the enriching encounters with new friends, interesting contacts and cooperation with the P&P family, with EPPA and FIPPA
For the SPPA 10th year Celebration we will publish a small brochure with pictures, results and comments of some important moments and events for our Association, such as our Swiss National Championships, International, European and World Cup Championships and pictures of club tournaments. Also, during the 2014 season, we will organize special 10th anniversary activities in our clubs.
With best regards,
Brigitte Albisetti
