Construction women tear up the course... In a good way.

The end-of-season golf outing hosted by Professional Women in Construction (PWC) on Sept. 25, at the Elmwood Country Club in White Plains was, once again, sold out weeks in advance.

Seven years ago, when PWC President Lenore Janis and Executive Vice President Theresa Vigilante began to host the outings at Westchester country clubs, they had no idea if the events would draw significant numbers.

"Our aim was to open up an untapped business networking venue for women," said Janis. "Yet we knew that the women were dealing with a double whammy -- they were working in a male-dominated industry, and playing in a traditionally all-male social arena. But we also realized that if the idea took off, the potential for networking was enormous."

Vigilante added, "Sometimes the social circle is the last frontier. We knew that some women would be reluctant to play at first, and we were right. Only a handful attended our first event." Gradually, word spread and the gender balance started to shift. "Now we attract a quarter to 40% women players. And we always welcome tennis players of both sexes as well," said Vigilante.

Kathryn Michka, a guest of Northeast Structural Steel at the September event, coordinates golf outings. She found the number of women players encouraging. "This is the largest turnout of women I've ever seen. Usually there are very few, though the role of women is expanding -- slowly. Playing helps put women on an equal footing with their male colleagues," she said. Eileen Alexander, senior management executive with Lawrence Properties, agreed. "Women are becoming more interactive. In real estate they've been visible in the office for a while, now they're becoming more visible on the social scene," she said.

Even though Sophia Haliotis, group vice president with European American Bank (EAB), has been coming to PWC's outings, and others, for seven years, she still remembers the initial trepidation she felt. "It's a little threatening for women at first to get out and play. But it's important to take that first step. It's really a great opportunity for women to meet with clients and have a good time," she said.

Vickie Lankford, president of U.S. Materials Co., Inc., won the women's Round Robin for tennis at the event. She stressed the importance of networking. "It's how you get power. Power is contacts and believing in yourself." She noted also that "Women can do anything they set their mind to do. However, they have to do it the right way."

Roberta Strasburg, senior tax manager with Anchin, Block & Anchin, CPAs, won the "low gross" (which, roughly translated from golf-ese means the lowest unadjusted total score) for women for the day, and. "closest to the pin" of the women players for the September outing and for PWC's last outing in June.

Sponsors of the September outing were Lucidity Awards & Signage, NTX Interiors, TDX Construction, and Northeast Structural Steel.

PWC will host the annual Trade Show and Business-to-Business Marketing event on Monday, October 30, from 3:30 to 8:30 pm at The Roosevelt Hotel. Please call [phone] for information or reservations.

Founded in 1980, Professional Women in Construction is a nonprofit association dedicated to the advancement of women business owners, professionals and executives actively engaged in construction and allied industries. It presents over 15 events annually.

This year's events are funded, in part' by corporate sponsors which are: The Chase Manhattan Bank; Henegan Construction; Goetz Fitzpatrick Most & Bruckman LLP; LCOR; NYC School Construction Authority; Peckar & Abramson, PC; Port Authority of NY & NJ; Slattery Skanska; Tishman Realty & Construction; and Turner Construction. The associate sponsors are ACC Construction; Altus Metal & Marble Maintenance; Ava Shypula Consulting; Cauldwell Wingate; Egg Electric; Hazardous Elimination Corp.; Testwell Laboratories; Thypin Enterprises; The Mann Report; New York Construction News; NY Real Estate Journal; Real Estate New York and Real Estate Weekly.