Judy Fick and Carol Bidwell
Ellen Avenoso
There was a time when SBWGA relied on paper scorecards, handwritten sign-up sheets, and a bulletin board full of tournament notices. Today, everything runs through Golf Genius—a powerful tournament management system that has transformed how we play. But systems don’t run themselves. Behind the scenes are the real “geniuses” of SBWGA—the dedicated volunteers who make it all work. Chief among them are Carol Bidwell and Judy Fick, whose partnership keeps the league running seamlessly week after week.
Carol Bidwell’s journey began 20 years ago when she and her husband, Peter, visited SaddleBrooke for a Robson get-acquainted weekend. They quickly fell in love, chose a lot, and never looked back. Both avid golfers, they started playing together at MountainView and The Preserve. When SaddleBrooke One introduced a three-month unlimited play package, Carol met a group of women who soon encouraged her to join SBWGA—a decision that proved to be a gift for the entire league. Carol brought with her a sharp eye for detail, developed during a long career at the U.S. Patent Office. When Golf Genius was introduced, she stepped up to learn the system and now manages weekly play, scoring, and event setup with remarkable precision. As the software has evolved, so has her mastery of it—allowing her to organize everything from simple play days to complex tournament formats with ease. “People are getting more familiar with it now,” Carol notes, “and that makes my job much easier.” When she’s not coordinating golf, Carol is known as something of an “orchid whisperer,” tending to an impressive collection and helping others master the art of growing these delicate plants.
If Carol is the detail-driven technician, Judy Fick is the steady, experienced anchor. A member of SBWGA for 30 years—back when membership reached 240—Judy has seen it all. She has served in numerous roles, including membership chair, special events chair, and Tuesday play day chair, and has been a recurring member of the homeowners’ golf committee. Over the decades, she has worked with multiple tournament systems, evolving from stacks of paper scorecards to today’s digital tools. Patience is perhaps Judy’s greatest strength. She appreciates how Golf Genius continues to evolve and enjoys learning alongside it. She also values the strong support from both the software team and SaddleBrooke’s professional staff. Having lived everywhere from Michigan to Australia, Judy now happily calls SaddleBrooke home. Despite her many contributions behind the scenes, she still finds time to play—and play well—maintaining a competitive handicap.
Together, Carol and Judy form an indispensable partnership. While Carol handles the intricacies of weekly play, Judy focuses on tournament preparation and big-picture organization. Their complementary strengths—true “yin and yang”—ensure that SBWGA continues to thrive. The next time you sign up for a game or check your score online, remember: behind the technology are two remarkable women making it all possible.