She doesn’t play much anymore. Arthritis in Kris Tschetter’s hands limits the number of swings she can make in a week, or even in a round. But the former LPGA Tour winner has found a wonderful second life, having recently opened a clinic in Northern Virginia to treat brain issues. It’s called Cereset, a relatively new technology that uses sound to balance brain waves and reset certain neurological functions. It has been used for veterans suffering from PTSD as well as for anyone who has had a concussion.
“I love this as much as I loved playing on the LPGA Tour,” Tschetter said. “I see the people that I am helping, and it just brings great joy.”
When she does play golf, it’s usually at one of several Washington D.C.-area clubs where she has been afforded memberships. One in particular, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia, was just announced as the host course for the 2024 Solheim Cup.
“How exciting this is,” Tschetter said. “With all the Presidents Cups that have been held out at that golf course – and it is so beautiful, right on the lake – I think it’s going to be a wonderful event. People are really going to come out and be excited by it.”
In the interest of full disclosure, I played RTJ Golf Club with Tschetter a decade ago when we were collaborating her book, “Mr. Hogan, the Man I Knew.” Details of that round are lost in the fog of ancient memory, but she played well enough that I thought the course would have been a wonderful spot for an LPGA Tour event.
“I think the golf course will be a good match-play test,” Tschetter said in looking ahead to the Solheim Cup. “It has been in the past (with the Presidents Cup) and there’s no reason to think that it won’t be again. The 17th hole, for example, can be moved up and turned into a drivable par 4. I don’t know if they would typically do that but it’s an option that you might see. And 18 is a wonderful finishing hole.”
As for the venue overall, Tschetter said that RTJ Golf Club is now the perfect spot for an event like the Solheim Cup.
“In year’s past, I looked at the course and didn’t like the women’s setup,” she said. “That was 15 or 20 years ago, and at that time, given my game, I hit it into some of the narrower areas, which meant I had to play less than driver in spots. But now, with the length the girls are hitting it and with the new equipment, it’s a perfect setup for the women’s game. You can put this course at about 6,500 yards, maybe a little longer, and it will be perfect. That sets the golf course up to be played the way it’s supposed to be played, while also giving you places where you can take some risks and see some real excitement.
“There are a lot of different choices to managing your game on the golf course. There will be a lot of decisions, especially in match play.”
The setup and how the players will take on the course are questions to be answered in another year. But one thing Tschetter is certain about today: “The members are going to love it. Getting a women’s event of that caliber in this area is so special. We used to play our LPGA Championship in this region many years ago. I think everyone up here is going to love the Solheim Cup.
“This course is probably 35 miles outside of D.C. but there are a ton of people who work in D.C. who live out that way. It’s a solid stream of homes and commerce between D.C. and the RTJ, so I think people are going to be surprised by how big and enthusiastic the crowds will be.
“There’s a lot of golf in this area,” she said. “But this is a beautiful golf course. It’s a perfect, perfect course now for the women’s game and will be a wonderful venue for the Solheim Cup.”
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