Category: News

Chapter Mourns The Loss Of Two Golf Legends

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.

Chapter Students Staci, Wylie And Tyler Secure Victories

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.

Club Drives – Thank You Ladies!!

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]

Join Us For Summer Camps

Weekly summer camps allow participants ages 6 to 18 to learn First Tee life skills through the game of golf. Camps are offered at golf courses located throughout Palm Beach County. Please visit our website for locations and to register your children.

Veterans Spotlight – John Hartwell

John Hartwell is 71 years old and served in the Army. John started in our First Tee veterans’ program this winter at Jensen Beach Golf Club. He has been playing golf for 10 years and is originally from Connecticut. “I truly can’t believe how great they treat the veterans down here in Florida,” said John. “We are very lucky to have great First Tee coaches and golf courses that are so generous to host us.”

Little Brother Hooked On Golf Because Of His Big

Damarius has been with one of our program partners Big Brothers Big Sisters for several years. Just this year he was matched with a Big who loved sports as much as Damarius does. Big Brother Hank loves the game of golf and he started to bring Damarius to the golf course. Because he did not have his own clubs, Hank let Damarius borrow his clubs. Thanks to our generous club donors, First Tee – Treasure Coast supplied Damarius a set of his own clubs that fit him perfectly. “After just three lessons, he has found a love for the sport,” said Hank.

Congratulations To 2021 Chapter Award Winners

Mason Sarkin – Participant of the Year Mason is 12 years old. He has been with Coach Bo and First Tee for 6 years. He attends Hidden Oaks Middle School in Palm City where he is an Honor Roll student. He loves football, basketball and especially golf. His favorite part of golf is putting and getting to walk the course. “My favorite thing about First Tee are the coaches and the new friends I have made,” said Mason. “If I could play a round of golf with anyone, it would be Rickie Fowler. He is my favorite professional.”
Chris Connelly – Coach of the Year Chris was the lead coach for chapter programs at Riverbend Country Club and The Champions Club during a very challenging year. Chris not only coached but also helped mentor newer coaches along the way. Chris has been a PGA professional for over 10 years and enjoys giving back to a game that has given him so much. He also played in our 100-Hole Challenge fundraiser and raised $2,500 for our programs.
Matthew Boyd – Volunteer of the Year Matthew is a retired Police Chief of the City of Miami Gardens. While in Miami he was introduced to First Tee and spent several years volunteering for their chapter. When he retired to Port Saint Lucie, he became a volunteer with First Tee – Treasure Coast. In 2020, he assisted Coach Willie Scott in starting up a very successful First Tee program at Fairwinds Golf Club in Fort Pierce. “The success of my program is due to the help of great volunteers like Matthew,” said Coach Willie.
 

Chapter Students Win Monday After The Honda Tourney

For the last 12 years, our Chapter has conducted the Monday after The Honda Invitational. Our donors, supporters and students play the Sunday pins from the PGA TOUR event. A few crazy people even played the pro tees! Chapter students Katie Harwood and Jacie Goodman (pictured above left) won the low net division with an impressive score of 54. They were joined by Chapter Director of Community Outreach, Anthony Coletta and fellow student Trevor Tarashuk (pictured above right). “We putted lights out and made everything,” said Katie. “If one of us had a tough hole, the other person played it well. It was a great team effort. We are both very thankful to First Tee and The Honda Classic for inviting us to play.” Monday after the Honda tournament results were as follows: LOW GROSS 1st – Bobby Collins & Carl Panattoni (67) 2nd – Morgan Slaton & Mack Edwards (68) 3rd – Matt Boris & Lance Gillet (68) LOW NET 1st – Katie Harwood & Jacie Goodman (54) 2nd – Willie Melia & Bill Dunn (59) 3rd – Clay Surovek & John Surovek (62) “The course was in fantastic condition and the greens were lightning fast,” said Chapter President Andrew Hunt. “The Monday after tournament shows our guests what it is really like to play on the PGA TOUR. We are so grateful to The Honda Classic for giving us this opportunity to raise some funds and have such a memorable experience.”

Golf Is A Social Distancing Sport – Register Now!

First Tee registration is open at multiple program locations in St. Lucie and Martin Counties. Please visit our website to learn more about class days and times at the following locations: • Crane Watch Club • The Saints at Port St. Lucie Golf Course • The Champions Club • Riverbend Country Club • Jensen Beach Golf Club • Fairwinds Golf Course

Veterans Spotlight – Robert Ketterer

Robert is a U.S. Navy veteran and has been playing golf and participating in our programs for 4 years. “I use the game of golf, and the First Tee Program, to meet veterans from across the country,” said Robert. “I’ve met interesting people and coaches through this program and it has pushed me to learn new skills later in life.”

Veterans Golf Programs Continue To Thrive

Our Chapter, in partnership with United Way of Broward County’s MISSION UNITED and three of our local country clubs with a generous grant from the Mangurian Foundation are pleased to offer three 8-week golf coaching programs, open to all veterans, FREE of charge. PGA professionals and First Tee coaches will provide expert instruction on the game, the use of adaptive equipment when necessary, and are paired with our heroes by ability to create an inclusive environment that keeps veterans in the game and promotes camaraderie and fun. Programs are underway at The Club at Weston Hills, Pompano Beach Golf Course and Eagle Trace Golf Course. For new players, golf equipment will be provided. Class size is limited to 15 veterans in each program. To register, for an upcoming class please email: [email protected]

Corporate Spotlight – Steady Returns

Would you benefit from a long-term relationship with a financial professional you trust—one who clearly answers your questions, provides ongoing financial coaching & advice, and manages your investment portfolio so that you may enjoy your retirement years? “Over many years meeting with clients in their homes and offices, my brother Michael and I have seen that while some people prefer to be financial do-it-yourselfers, many others are simply not interested in following the financial markets or making important financial decisions by themselves, said Director of Client Service and Chapter Director Christopher Burr (pictured above). “They want to work with an advisor.” “People do not want to feel like just a number, having their hard-earned assets flipped to a new, inexperienced person every other year. Or worse, having to call an 800 number to speak with someone they have never met. Instead, they want consistency. They want someone they know they can rely on, someone easy to get ahold of who knows them and their financial situation intimately.” In 2012 Steady Returns LLC was formed, an independent registered investment advisory (RIA) firm, dedicated to getting to know our clients, putting their interest first, and managing their investments independently and transparently. If this type of advisory relationship resonates with you, please visit www.steady-returns.com or call Chris directly at (561) 400-5970. Why do we support First Tee – Broward? “After learning about the Nine Core Values of the First Tee and reflecting back on our lives and how our parents provided us the resources to play golf, take golf lessons, and travel to junior tournaments, we decided there is no better way to give back to our community and the game we love than to get involved with fundraising for the children who do not have the financial resources to practice and play, as well as providing the opportunity for our military veterans to participate in free golf and life lessons.” – Christopher Burr, Steady Returns

Introducing the 1% First Tee Club

We encourage all golfers to contribute at least 1% of their annual golf expenditures to their local First Tee program. How much do you spend on golf? Do you want to join us in the 1% First Tee Club? Feel free to call me directly to discuss how to get involved, whether financially or also as a volunteer.