Margaret Downey sees golf as a link to helping others

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Before moving to Jacksonville in the 1990s, the closest Margaret Downey got to the game of golf was a round of miniature golf.
Today, the Baltimore native is president of the Executive Women’s Golf Association’s foundation, and in November she’ll become president of the organization’s board. The EWGA has 16,000 members across the country and 125 chapters in the United States.
During the past 35 years, Downey has also worked for CSX, where she is general manager of instructional design.
Skirt! recently talked to Downey about her work with EWGA and the future of women and golf in Northeast Florida.

When did you start playing golf?
It kind of goes back to 1995. I had moved to Jacksonville in the early 1990s, and I ended up working for a guy who lived at Jacksonville Golf & Country Club. He was an avid golfer and insisted on having all of our staff meetings at the golf course. I had to play an 18-hole round of golf. I had never been on a golf course in my life, and it was a pretty bad experience … I vowed to myself once that was over, “That is never going to happen again to me. I’m going to find a place where I can get some golf lessons.”
How did you get involved with EWGA?
It just so happened that was the same year they were forming the chapter here in Jacksonville for the Executive Women’s Golf Association. So I got hooked up with some ladies who were forming the chapter and joined the beginners group. I got my lessons and just fell in love with the game. The next thing I know, I’m in a leadership role at the EWGA, and I’m just loving every minute of it.
What does EWGA’s foundation do?
They had a couple of goals in mind — they wanted to encourage and enable women to serve as mentors to other women and young girls; they wanted to develop education programs that would improve the leadership skills and abilities and self-esteem of women through golf; and the third area they were focused on was just fundraising to help other charitable organizations whose mission supports the mission of the EWGA and the foundation.
One of those organizations is Girls Golf, right?
Yes. It’s LGPA-USGA Girls Golf. We run chapters all across the United States where they introduce young girls to golf. Golf for young girls and young women isn’t as supportive a sport as it is for young men. Even a lot of the high schools don’t have girls teams, colleges don’t have girls teams. We’re struggling here in Jacksonville to help the University of North Florida, that has a fantastic men’s golf team, get a team started for women.
Do you get to work with the girls directly?
I also serve on the board of directors for The First Tee of Jacksonville [which teaches core values and life skills in addition to golf].
I’ve had an opportunity to get more involved with the kids there, because I have my grandson in the program. He’s 8 and is just loving being introduced to golf.
What do you think about your grandson being interested in the sport?
It’s great, because as he gets older, we can do it together. As I get closer to retirement, I’ll have more time. And I just think it’s going to be a great way for us to stay connected.
How often do you play golf?
About once a week, usually. [I’ll play] at South Hampton, I’ve been a member there. The local chapter of the EWGA has about 200 members in the community. They sponsor lessons locally, and some kind of playing event every month at a different course in town, and I’ll usually participate in those and play with other women and friends I’ve made through the EWGA on the weekend as time permits.
What’s your favorite thing about golf?
I love the outdoors, so it’s a sport you can play in amazingly beautiful outdoor settings. When you travel, the courses are different across the country in terms of their topography and the plant life and animals you see on the course. It’s just a great place to have quiet, calm time in a beautiful setting.

tracy.jones@jacksonville.com,
(904) 359-4272