Country Club fitness and spa staff enjoy helping Dow Championship pros

Midland Country Club Director of Fitness Center and Spa Kendra Matthews remembers a few years ago when an LPGA professional golfer at the Dow Championship shared with her the news that she was expecting a baby.

And a couple years later, Matthews was excited to see that golfer return to the tournament with her young daughter.

“I was one of the first people she told that she was expecting,” Matthews said, noting that the golfer was going to get a massage and needed to share that information. “And two years later, she was back on tour and introduced me to her daughter.”

That illustrates the kind of bond that Matthews and her team can develop with the field of 144 golfers who compete at the Dow Championship, which is now in its fifth year at the Midland Country Club, running through Sunday.

“There’s a really nice relationship that forms over the time they spend with us here,” Matthews said. “And Midland as a whole is such a welcoming community.”

The country club has five massage therapists and two nail technicians who are available to serve the golfers throughout the week.

“Most of my massage therapists have been with me for the duration of the tournament, so the players come back and request that service with a particular provider,” Matthews explained.

As Dow Championship fans know, each two-person team in the tournament walks down to the 18th green accompanied by a walk-up song that they have selected. And Matthews explained that the players enlist the help of the nail technicians to make sure they are coordinated.

“A lot of them will have color-coordinated (outfits). So a lot of times they will coordinate their nails also. They’ll come in and get their services together. It’s just a nice component of that ‘TeamUp’ (theme),” Matthews said. 

In addition to massages, the LPGA pros can get manicures and pedicures and make use of the equipment in the fitness center, which includes a yoga studio. Each golfer has her own locker to use throughout the week.

“I think that’s something they don’t get in a lot of places – having all their amenities on one site. We really take a lot of pride in making sure that we kind of spoil them and they really feel at home,” Matthews said.

Likewise, Midland Country Club Personal Trainer Leslie Thom said it is fun to get to know the LPGA players while they are in Midland and to meet their fitness needs.

“Yes, they’re amazing professional golfers, but we get to connect with them on a little more personal level,” Thom said. “…It is nice, now that I’ve been doing this a few years, to recognize the names and talk to the same (golfers).”

Nail Technician Natasha Garcia, who is in her first year on staff, is excited for the opportunity to work with the professional golfers.

“I’ve never experienced anything like it, so I’m excited to take advantage of it. They’ve all been kind and lovely and I’ve had a great experience so far,” Garcia said.

Matthews said she and her team also set aside time to get out and watch the golfers compete on the course.

“The best part is being able to go out and follow your players that you’ve been offering services to. We make sure we block out a day when we can go experience it as a spectator and as a fan,” she said.

Managing Editor Dan Chalk writes about business, education, the military, sports, and interesting people and events in the Midland area. Email him at chalk@mdn.net.