Girl Prep Golfer Kicked Off Course--It’s Men’s Day

Amy Fruhwirth, No. 1 player on Cypress High School’s boys’ golf team, was kicked off a course during a match Wednesday after her coach misinterpreted a long-standing policy at the Old Ranch Country Club in Seal Beach.

Fruhwirth, 17, was asked to leave the course by club officials after completing two holes in an Empire League match against host Los Alamitos. Old Ranch, a private club, prohibits women from playing on Wednesdays. (The course is reserved for women two mornings a week.) The policy has been in effect since the course opened 19 years ago.

“Gary (Dixon, Los Alamitos golf coach) called me four weeks ago and said it may be men’s day,” said Ken Batdorf, a first-year coach. “I didn’t give it much thought. We showed up for the match, and Gary told me it was men’s day.

“Amy’s not a member of the club, and I didn’t think the policy would apply to a high school golf match. I wasn’t trying to test the system or anything. It was my fault for not rescheduling the match.”

Fruhwirth’s group completed two holes before club officials were informed that she was playing. She was told to leave the course on the third hole.

“I knew about the policy, but I thought they would bend the rules because it was a high school match,” Fruhwirth said.

Fruhwirth played in a match against Pacifica on Friday at Old Ranch. She tied for medalist with a 41.

Fruhwirth, a senior, has signed a national letter of intent to play golf at Arizona State next season.