Year: 2021

Won AJGA Junior Am, Recorded First Hole-in-One, Selected to First Tee National Championship & Earned the Rank of Eagle Scout

Chapter student Tyler Mistretta captained the winning team in the recent AJGA Junior Am at Banyan Cay Golf & Resort. The team (pictured top row left) included Chapter President Bobby Hendel, Executive Director Carl Mistretta and Chapter Ambassador Jonathan Cross. They beat chapter student Staci Pla’s team in a scorecard playoff with a net score of 17 under par. Special thanks to the Palm Beach County Sports Commission for sponsoring the Junior Am team. The very next day, Tyler recorded his first hole-in-one on hole #2 at Banyan Cay (pictured top right). He used an 8-iron on the 183-yard par 3 hole. “I just pured it right at the pin,” said Tyler. “One hop and it went in. Best shot I hit all week on one of my most favorite courses.” A few days later, Tyler was selected to play in the inaugural First Tee National Championship. The tournament will bring together First Tee chapters’ elite players from across the country for an opportunity to showcase how the program has helped build the strength of character needed to play at the collegiate level. The First Tee National Championship will be a 54-hole stroke-play event June 20-25 at Clemson University’s The Walker Course, featuring a Girls and Boys division for high school participants ages 14-19. Participants will have the opportunity to take in the “college experience” including dorm-living, an official Clemson University campus tour and dinner at the West End Zone Club of the football team’s Memorial Stadium. After a long career in scouting that began in the first grade, Tyler earned the rank of Eagle scout and celebrated with four other friends that earned the rank (pictured second row right: Nick Scalzo, Louis Rosado, Tyler, Ethan Appleby and Paul Czerniak). They each earned a $500 scholarship from Troop 155 and a matching $500 scholarship from Securion Investigations and Protective Services. During his time in Scouting, Tyler served as Troop 155’s Senior Patrol Leader and attended the 2017 National Jamboree and National Youth Leadership Training.

The Toski Junior Tournament will be held on Thursday, June 17th, 2021 at Boca Grove Golf & Tennis Club. The tournament entry fee includes lunch. Boys and Girls, ages 10-18 in three separate divisions: $65 for 18 holes (9:00 am shotgun) Boys and Girls, ages 7-9: $45 for 9 holes (approximately 11:00am) Please register on the tournament website. For more information, please email Tereza Trnkova at [email protected]or [email protected] TOSKI COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS: For high school seniors that are college-bound, please email your resume to Tereza to include your golf accomplishments, SAT score, GPA, community service hours, scholarship honors and any other extra-curricular activities. Please indicate if you are receiving a golf scholarship from the college you are attending.

For over ten years, the Palm Beach Golf Course Superintendents Association has generously supported our chapter. Each year they fund projects and expenses that help us maintain and improve the conditions at our golf facility in Dyer Park. Past projects include: two maintenance buildings to house our equipment and supplies, a booster pump to improve our irrigation water pressure, bunker and greens renovations and added drainage and irrigation heads. “To show our appreciation to the members of the PBGCSA, we hosted their members and their families for a fun day of games for their children, food and playing on our par-3 course,” said Chapter Executive Director Carl Mistretta. Both maintenance buildings were named for late PBGCSA members Neil Sheridan from the Breakers Hotel and Steven Wright from Pine Tree and Boca West. Their families were on hand to cut the ribbons and dedicate each building to their loved ones.

Weekly summer camps allow participants ages 6 to 18 to learn First Tee life skills through the game of golf. Intermediate and advanced camps also being offered! Camps are offered at golf courses located throughout Palm Beach County. Please visit our website for locations and to register your children. Camp locations include: Banyan Cay Resort & Golf Finnegan Learning Center Dyer Park John Prince Learning Center Madison Green Country Club Okeeheelee Golf Course Palm Beach Par 3 Park Ridge Golf Course Seagate Country Club The Golf Club of Jupiter

Florida Wildlife Commission Commissioner Gary Nicklaus contacted our Chapter to propose a golf and fishing pilot program. As a professional golfer and avid fisherman, Gary understands that the lakes on golf courses are typically rarely fished. Combining golf and fishing presents an incredible opportunity to bring together two sports that share in outdoor recreation. First Tee – Palm Beaches was recently awarded the Regional Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network 2021 Outstanding Partner Grand Prize Winner. We selected a GoPro camera as our prize, and it recently arrived. Pictured above are members or our Teen Golf Association with the camera and accessories. Look out for new videos!

Bob Hall is 78 years old and a veteran of the Naval Construction Battalions, better known as the Navy Seabees. Bob also helps us with electrical work at First Tee. You can find him and his wife playing our par 3 course on Sundays.

World War II veteran and chapter student Bob Massimini was invited by our Founding Partner, Erin Finnegan, to attend a fundraiser for Operation 300 at The Car Barn in Jupiter, FL. Operation 300 provides mentorship to children of the fallen, honoring the sacrifice of those who have given their all for our freedom. They have promoted patriotism and service in our communities since 2012. Bob served in the United States Navy in World War II at Iwo Jima and is now 95 years old and attends our veterans’ program three times a week.

Our Chapter recently lost two dear friends and supporters who knew each other well and loved and respected the game of golf. Richard Ekey (pictured above left) was simply the ultimate grinder. After 14 months in ICU, he was called to the Lord on March 24th. He learned his love of golf from his father and felt compelled to share it with others, including our Chapter students and veterans. Richard was a beacon of hope to many. He was a member of the Christ Fellowship Church, Founder of the Men’s Branch of Triumph over Suffering, Co-founder of the Cancer Support Group of Palm Beach Gardens, Board member of the Big Heart Brigade, Member of the Board of Directors for the Gathering Palm Beach County, Former Officer, Board Member, Chairman and Class of 2000 Hall of Fame Member of the Palm Beach County Golf Association. “Richard was my mentor and one of my closest friends,” said Chapter Executive Director Carl Mistretta. “He was my first volunteer and cut the fairways to help out in my early days before we could afford full-time maintenance staff. Riding the mower was his time for meditation and to speak with the Lord. He pushed our entire staff to raise the bar and become a leading First Tee chapter in the country.” There will be a celebration of life for Richard at First Tee – Palm Beaches in Dyer Park for Richard this Friday, April 23rd at 6:00pm. Please contact [email protected] for more information. Larry Bush (pictured above right), covered golf in Palm Beach County for more than six decades, died in his sleep on March 19th at the age of 87. The longtime West Palm Beach resident started working for the Palm Peach Evening Times in 1958. Bush also worked for newspapers in Tampa, Fort Pierce and Cocoa before becoming a freelance writer in 1981. If there was a local golf tournament in the county, Bush was invariably there covering it. His knowledge, history and perspective of the game made him a favorite among golfers, from legends such as Jack Nicklaus to the average amateur or PGA Professional. His work was honored by the Golf Writers Association of America, the Florida Chapter of the U.S. Harness Writers Association, the Florida Press Association, and he also received the Harry C. Eckhoff Award from the National Golf Foundation. Mr. Bush was inducted into the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame in 2000, and into the Palm Beach County Golf Association Hall of Fame in 2010.

Staci Pla (pictured above left) shot 78-73=151 for a four-shot victory to win the Girls 11-14 year old Junior World Qualifier at Country Club at Ocala. She qualified for the 2021 IMG Academy Junior World Golf Championships at Torrey Pines. 2020 SFPGA Prep Tour Player of the Year Wylie “Coyote” Inman (pictured above middle) won a Challenge Tour event with a score of 72-72=144 for a six-shot win at Crane Watch. With an early win this season, the Coyote has officially moved up to the Champions Tour. Can he win on two SFPGA tours in the same year? 2020 SFPGA Champion Tour Player of the Year Tyler Mistretta (pictured above right) won the North Palm Beach Country Club Men’s Championship with a score of 79-73=152. He defeated four-time defending champion Jeff Egizio in a one-hole playoff. Tyler currently holds both the North Palm Junior and Club Championship titles.

It is that time of year. Club Drives are in progress all over Palm Beach County to support our Chapter. The ladies of The Country Club of Florida, St. Andrews Country Club and Banyan Golf Club recently conducted successful Club Drives and fundraisers.

Country Club of Florida The Country Club of Florida held a 9-hole ladies golf event with proceeds benefitting our girls’ programs. Over $5,500 was raised and lots of clubs were donated. Special thanks to member Sherry Fleming for assisting with the coordination.

Banyan Golf Club Chapter alumna and our Program and Marketing Coordinator, Emily Valentine, was invited to Banyan Golf Club to attend the ladies closing lunch and accept over $1,700 in donations and a big pile of donated clubs and equipment. Special thanks to member Sue Epstein for helping with this year’s Club Drive and fundraising.

St Andrews Country Club St. Andrews Country Club Ladies Golf Association held a 9-hole event fundraiser and a Club Drive in February raising over $1,300 dollars and collecting a haul of clubs and bags. Special thanks to Golf Professional Terry Farino, PGA for organizing the event.

  Huge SHOUT OUT to the ladies at these three clubs as they have been long time supporters of our girls’ programs. Our students sincerely appreciate their generosity. Interested in hosting a Club Drive? Please contact Chapter Development Director David Trout, PGA at [email protected]