PASSION FOUNDATION TRI-TOWN CLASSIC AT STONEYBROOK: A RECAP

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It has been two weeks since the Passion Foundation’s 5th Annual Tri-Town Classic Charity Golf Tournament at Stoneybrook Golf Course in Estero, and we now have what we need to get the recap done. 

As any avid golfer (or as the relational partner of an avid golfer) knows, when it comes to an opportunity to swing the sticks (as my buddy Maxwell likes to say), any excuse will do.

Well there aren’t too many excuses better than a worthwhile charity, such as the Passion Foundation’s, to head for the links…and when you include a venue like Stoneybrook for the charitable event, is an excuse even necessary? I don’t think so.

Melissa Haynie welcomes after party-goers

And so it was with a clear conscience and considerable anticipation that Steph and I headed down to Stoneybrook on May 16th for that 5th Annual event, and it was with great gratification that we left Stoneybrook and headed for the after party at The Sandy Parrot. Heck, we had already had a great time, and maybe we would get lucky too and win one of the raffle prizes.

At the Sandy Parrot

From the size of the crowd, it appeared that most of the event’s 80 participants and their guests had similar ideas, and had made it down to the Sandy Parrot to celebrate the culmination of the Tri-Town Classic. 

Hungry golfers 

I know we kept the kitchen and wait-staff awfully busy, but I couldn’t tell you how many different dishes they brought out. We didn’t leave there hungry; that I can tell you!

Jamming at the Sandy Parrot

Event organizers, Melissa Haynie, Dana Simantel, and all who helped them put this thing together did a tremendous job, especially with getting the media out, finding sponsors and amassing raffle prizes.

Some of the event sponsors

Eleven major sponsors (contributing $500 or more), including TSU LLC (which produces the very blog you are reading), chipped in to make the event a success. A number of other individuals and businesses stepped up as contributing sponsors as well.

At the party hole with Mike, John & Bob

If you were at Stoneybrook on the 16th, I'm guessing you would agree that a good time was had by all. I know that my playing partners (Mike Manning, Johnny Amoroso, and Bob Disharoon) would all agree, since we had a blast making our way around the delightful Stoneybrook track. I had an especially good time on Hole No.2 when my drive, my 3-wood, and my 20-foot putt nabbed us an Eagle! 

Most of the time, though, it was Mike bombing it out there and John getting us on the green that characterized our foursome. 

I think John stuck this one

It was obvious that my partners were familiar with each other because the banter was absolutely hilarious! Even if the golf hadn't been as entertaining as it was, these guys would have made it worthwhile.

Mike letting it rip

As for my eagle, sure it was only playing 501 yards from the white tees, which is where we played from, but an eagle is an eagle, and they don’t come around too often in my world of golf. I dropped at least two other long putts for the team, and I’m sure that would be surprising to anyone who plays with me on a regular basis. I did miss a 3-footer that would have tied us for third, but let’s not focus too much on that.

Jeff Nixon & Stoneybrook staff join the party

I would rather focus on Stoneybrook, the site of the Classic. I don’t know that we would have much say-so as an event sponsor, but we would vote to hold the Passion Foundation’s flagship charity event at Stoneybrook every year! Why? I’m guessing that Melissa hasn’t worked with a better golf course staff than the folks she worked with at Stoneybrook. 

Getting the show on the road

As a matter of fact, since writing the above, Melissa wrote me, "They were great! It went so smooth, they were so accommodating, it was a pleasure to work with them. I already can't wait for next year!" But the fact that the staff is super cool is only one reason that I'd vote for Stoneybrook.

My primary reason would be because  the course is just a plain joy to play! As you can imagine, I have played quite a few courses in the area over the past eight years, and 

Stoneybrook is definitely one of the more interesting and visually appealing tracks I have played. I’m a major fan of all the stonework, and wooden bridges, such as you would find coming up on Hole No.5.

I’m also a sucker for wildlife, variety in the foliage, and diversity in the landscape so that as I come upon each hole, it presents a view that captures my attention. 

Stoneybrook presented all that and more. I also happen to enjoy a course with water accentuating the terrain and there is apparent agua on just about every hole, although it doesn’t always come into play.

I don’t know that anyone would call Stoneybrook “spectacular,” given the incredible depth that we have in golf courses across southwest Florida and picturesque scenes we see on the tube, but as a lover of golf, each hole at Stoneybrook tugged at my heartstrings, engaged my eyes, and made me want more.

All of the above are components of a distinctive Stoneybrook aesthetic, and if the aesthetics weren’t enough to endear this unique track to me, the practicalities would. There are seven, yep, count em, seven sets of tees to accommodate just about anyone, including the bombers who can tee it up from 7353 yards, and the greens were in great shape when we played the event!

Jeff Nixon showing how it's done

Stoneybrook houses an aqua range, a short game practice area, a huge putting green, and a full complement of distinguished Golf Professionals (Jeff Nixon and Andy Scott are decorated pros, and Jordan Ball is on his way). The facility also provides a junior friendly environment, and if it’s good enough for the FGCU Lady Eagles Golf Team, then it’s surely good enough for me.

Repeat Champions

I really could go on and on ad nauseam as far as the Stoneybrook experience is concerned, but time is running a bit short, and I did want to offer up kudos to the winners of the Passion Foundation’s 5th Annual Tri-Town Classic Charity Golf Tournament. Rob and Tiff Rardin and Kevin and Megan Henry successfully defended their 2013 title, and I imagine they will be back for more in 2015. 

As for the purpose of the event, to raise funds for the Passion Foundation’s efforts to protect our young ones from the potential lethal horrors of melanoma, $11,000.00 were raised toward that end. Steph and I were happy to be a part of that effort, and we hope to see many more uv-ray-protective structures raised in playgrounds across southwest Florida.

Angie Guillette with champ

I suppose the bottom line of this recap post is that the Passion Foundation event was one heck of a good time, on one heck of a golf course, and we were able to contribute to one heck of a good cause. If you were there, I'm sure you agree, and if you weren't, maybe you'll get on board next year. Thanks for tipping us off Angie! Click here for more on the Passion Foundation, and here to explore Stoneybrook Golf Course.

A GOOD DAY AT RIVER STRAND IN BRADENTON

Additional photos of River Strand can be accessed here

Spectators at USPTA National Clay Court
Championships at The Landings

I’m guessing that you have been to a public gathering, like a conference, a tournament or something like that, and have struck up a conversation with someone, and one or both of you have talked about connecting at some point in the future, but it never happens. Am I right? Well that happens all the time in my world, perhaps because of the volume of public gatherings I attend.

Nate Griffin at The Landings

At the recent USPTA Clay Court Championships at the Landings Yacht, Golf and Tennis Club in Fort Myers, I had one of those conversations, but I contacted the individual that I had had the conversation with the very next day, and lo and behold, a couple of text messages later we were on for 18 holes of golf at his club, River Strand Golf and Country Club in Bradenton.

Abdul, Nate, & John Gillis at round robin

That alone told me that Nate Griffin, Director of Tennis at River Strand since 2007, was a standup guy, something I had already suspected from reviewing the River Strand website. 

River Strand Tennis Center

When Steph and I got to River Strand and observed Nate and his Head Pro, Abdul Idi, interacting with their members during a round robin, I figured we had encountered one of those rare, genuine individuals that walk the planet.

Among the many things that I love about golf is that it can tell you quite a bit about a person’s disposition and character during those few hours it takes to play 18 holes. After playing 18 with Nate and John Gillis, one of his tennis members who joined us, my early assessment of Nate’s disposition had been confirmed.  

Kevin Tierney- Golf Staff 

In addition to confirming our initial impression of Nate’s disposition, those 18 holes also confirmed our perception that River Strand was an upper echelon community, and that the recreational facilities 

were top notch. The 8-court, Har-Tru, tennis facility was all that a tennis player could want and the pool area was one in which Steph admitted she wouldn't mind lounging.

But it wasn’t the tennis courts or the pool that held my curiosity and made my adrenaline flow. It was, of course, the 27 holes of golf designed by Arthur Hills/Steve Forrest and Associates. Although the meat of a golf facility is the course itself, the gravy is the staff and their guest-relations skills.

Dave Konopczynski- Asst. Golf Professional

On this score, River Strand posted high numbers as Dave Konopczynski, Assistant Golf Professional, the first person I met in the well-equipped pro shop, was definitely up to snuff. 

Bob Cribbet- Golf Staff

Bob Cribbet, a member of the pro shop staff and the second individual I ran into in the golf shop, was also well-versed in how to interact with people…and they were that way before they knew we were Nate’s guests.

Steph browsing pro shop

River Strand Range

As we waited for Nate to finish his round robin at the tennis courts, we moseyed on down to the practice area, and I was like the proverbial kid in the candy store. I dropped a couple balls on the practice green, hit a few putts and realized immediately that I was obviously in a world far different than the gentle Paspalum world I typically inhabit at my home course, The Hideaway, in Fort Myers.

River Strand Practice Green

The TifEagle practice green, and, indeed, all of the greens at River Strand seemed quite a bit faster than the 10.9 that was listed as the green speed. You know those putts where you are wondering just how far past the hole it's gonna go if you miss the hole,

Sanctuary No.4

even if you just barely touch it? There were a few of those at River Strand and they definitely made things interesting and boosted the adrenalin rush of a 4-footer for par.

At The Hideaway, the Paspalum fairways are almost like hitting off a driving range mat, they are so beautifully uniform. As the Winter Rye is just giving way to the Bermuda at River Strand, there were a variety of lies that toyed with my eyes. You can imagine that I produced a variety of shots as well, and looking at my card, I also produced a high frequency of shots.

Nate, John, and I played the Sanctuary and Tributary nines from the white tees (5,822 yards), and if I were a baseball player, I would be handsomely paid for all the extra bases I recorded. 

I think I had an entire season's worth of triples (bogeys that is) that day. Neither of the nines seemed that difficult to the eye, and I was playing my standard bogey golf through the first five on Sanctuary before my batting practice started paying off and I carded consecutive triples. I usually space those out a little better.

The changes in elevation, the variable and creative bunkering, along with the contouring of the fairways and greens kept the mind engaged for sure. For example, there are zero bunkers on Sanctury's par-4 No.1, but nine bunkers on the par-5 No.2. On Hole No.4, a 167-yard par-3, the water to the left of the green may make you want to bail right, but some intricate bunkering and mounding to the right, and an illusory pair of bunkers in front of the green make you think your shot over a few times. I did manage one of my few pars on No.4.

Playing from the white tees took the water out of play on a number of holes…theoretically anyway. After pulling myself together on the final two holes of the Sanctuary nine (bogey on the par-4

eighth, and par on the par-5 ninth), we motored over to the

Tributary nine, and I was looking forward to another par or birdie on the 285-yard first hole. I don’t remember what happened there (sometimes losing my mind is a blessing!), but my card tells me that it was another baseball hole with me batting clean-up (triple). 

Hills and Forrest obviously wanted some feel-good time for players on the first two holes of Tributary, because after the short first, No.2 is just 117 yards. 

If only I could hit my irons like Nate or putt like John, I might have had that birdie, but another extra-base hit (double) was what I came up with after hitting short and struggling on the green.

Although the rest of the Tributary nine seemed ideal for a short hitter like me (the longest par-4 was the 356-yard par-6), I hit very few good shots coming in. As a matter of fact, my only two pars on the Tributary nine came on No.6 and the second longest par-4, the 308-yard No. 9. If you ain’t long, you'd better be accurate, and unfortunately, I’m neither at the moment... But it’s early in the season.

The bottom line is, and this is another of those things about golf that has me locked in, that despite playing poorly, carding more “extra-base hits” (doubles & triples) than is normal, even for me, I had a great time with Nate and John at River Strand and so did Steph. 

A stimulating environment, a great test of skills (pass or fail), and good company, equals a really good time.  I'm betting that if you love the game, you'd have a good a time as we did. We send out a sincere note of thanks to Nate, John, and the golf staff at River Strand!

Steph & T. A.

PASSION FOUNDATION GOLF TOURNEY THIS FRIDAY AT STONEYBROOK

Previous Tri-Town Classic-
Photo courtesy of passion-foundation.org

In just a few days, actually just two now (Friday, May 16), the Passion Foundation’s 5th Annual Tri-Town Classic Charity Golf Tournament will be teeing off at 1pm at Stoneybrook Golf Course in Estero, and I can’t wait to swing the clubs for a terrific cause.  

Stoneybrook Golf Shop

What is the cause? Simply to raise awareness of and enhance the prevention of melanoma. What I really like is that the awareness and prevention targets kids, whom we rarely think of as potential melanoma victims, but who become the adults who are eventually diagnosed. 

Stoneybrook junior golf camp

According to cancer.net, “The risk of developing melanoma may also be higher in people who have had multiple, severe, blistering sunburns, particularly in childhood [emphasis added].”

Sounds to me like making sure kids are protected from the sun’s rays may be characterized as an “ounce of prevention,” especially since the “pound of cure” is often not enough. 

What a bag!

Again, using cancer.net’s stats, “Melanoma accounts for less than 2% of all skin cancer cases but a majority of skin cancer deaths, as it is the most serious form of skin cancer.” I’m thinking early shelter is a really good idea! Tara and Jon Parla believe it’s a good idea as well, and they founded the Passion Foundation and began their campaign of education and prevention after Tara was diagnosed with metastasis melanoma in 2010 (read Tara’s story here). 

The Parlas- Photo courtesy
of passion-foundation.org

Since that time, the Foundation, in collaboration with Riverchase Dermatology and Shades Abound, has helped erect seven shade tents over playgrounds at local schools, and the project marches on with the help of all the participants in, and sponsors of, the Tri-Town Classic.

In addition to a great cause, the Tri-Town Classic is a great time, and at a very special venue. In the eight years I have been in Fort Myers, 

Stoneybrook scenes

I have played quite a few tracks (oh, that means "courses" for the uninitiated), and as Steph and I traversed Stoneybrook yesterday, I couldn’t, for the life of me, figure out why I have not played Stoneybrook! 

Stoneybrook scenes

This isn’t the place to do a full review of Stoneybrook (that deserves a post all its own; click here if you can’t wait for mine), but I have to mention the facility that will host the Passion Foundation’s Tri-Town Classic, and it is a facility that I loved on sight and can’t wait to play. 

Stoneybrook scenes

As Steph and I drove the course, we couldn’t help but compare it to another course that we had recently driven a bit north of our location. Stoneybrook was the leader by quite a few lengths.

In fact, comparing Stoneybrook to the various courses I have played in the area, I have to conclude that it has a rather unique charm. 

Stoneybrook scenes

The fantastic features of the course I will save for the review, but in addition to the features that we discovered later, Steph and I could tell the difference immediately upon heading toward the range. Given the Passion Foundation’s objectives with children, Stoneybrook is perhaps the ideal venue to hold the Foundation’s signature event.

Jeff Nixon shares some knowledge

It was obvious that Jeff Nixon (Head Golf Professional) and Jordan Ball (1^st Assistant Golf Professional) have worked to ensure that Stoneybrook is a junior golf haven. I have a desk draw full of cards from a variety of golf courses in a number of states, but I have not experienced the scene that we experienced as we walked up to chat with Jeff and Jordan on the range.

Stoneybrook junior campers

The cluster of junior bags, and the tikes whoowned them striping balls into the fountain spray of the aqua range made quite the inspiring and
heartwarming impression.

Showing off his soft draw

I’m sure there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of scenes like this across the country, but I just haven’t seen any. We were looking at the future of golf, and it was a sight to see.

Photo courtesy of passion-foundation.org

As I am writing this, it occurred to me that it might be good to have the kind of protective
covering over the Stoneybrook driving range that Shades Abound erects over playgrounds. I know that I wouldn’t mind the protection, and doubt that anyone else would either. But I digress…

Tri-Town Tourney participants
Photo courtesy of passion-foundation.org

The bottom line is that Friday afternoon at Stoneybrook, a fun golf event to benefit a noteworthy social cause will take place and Steph and I will be there in support, and to enjoy. Our Company TSU LLC and Tasgolfblog.blogspot.com are Fore Caddie sponsors and you could certainly chip in to prevent melanoma by donating to the Passion Foundation.

It's not too late for you to get into the Tri-Town Classic, and if you prefer, I bet that you

Sandy Parrot
Photo courtesy of Sandy Parrot website

could attend and drop off a check at the after party to be hosted at The Sandy Parrot. Live music, prizes, raffles, giveaways, and much more are available to participants and their family and friends. Hope to see you there this coming Friday. 

Contact Melissa Haynie at melissa@tri-townconstruction.com or call 239-898-6531 if you would like to be a part of the Tri-Town Classic.

 Drive for show & putt for dough...T. A. & Steph