Category: News

NATHAN VERTES

Chapter Alumnus Nathan Vertes volunteers for Beaver Golf while he is home from college. He is excelling at the University of Florida where he is majoring in biochemistry and pre-pharmacy. Nathan was also one of our inaugural First Tee Scholars, which afforded him a college scholarship from First Tee HQ.  HQ has even provided Nathan with a mentor who oversees Pharmacy at the Mayo Clinic.

He recently applied to UF’s Pharmacy Early Assurance Program (PEAP) and was accepted. Through this program, he will be provided with mentorships, workshops, and training for a career in pharmacy. To top it off, while on vacation with his family in Michigan he has begun studying to get his pharmacy technician certification to take the national test. He also applied for and received a summer internship at Physicians Compounding Pharmacy in Bloomfield Hills, MI. After all these accomplishments you will still find him playing golf and volunteering his time with First Tee students.

PBGCSA CONTINUES SUPPORT

Chapter Program Director Zack Anderton and Henry Chateauvert attended a recent event hosted by the Palm Beach Golf Course Superintendents Association to receive our annual grant. We are so thankful that the PBGCSA Board of Directors continue to support our Chapter through this grant that helps us maintain and improve our turf conditions.

The purpose of the Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association is to promote sustainable turf management and unify the golf course superintendents of the state. To achieve these goals, the Florida GCSA will engage in cooperative communications and education efforts with various interested organizations and regulatory and governmental offices to achieve the highest standards of professionalism.

LOBLOLLY TOURNAMENT NEXT MONTH

Our Treasure Coast Chapter is excited to announce that their tournament this year will be at Loblolly!  Loblolly just completed a major renovation of the golf course and clubhouse.  They are both spectacular.  Loblolly is very special for those that have not played it.

Spring Invitational

Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Loblolly
“Member for a Day”

12:00 Noon Registration, Warm-Up and Lunch
1pm Shotgun
Dinner & Drinks following golf
Four Person Teams. Play Your Own Ball. One Best Ball of the Foursome.
Net and Gross Divisions. Limited Field.
$750 per person, $3,000 per foursome.

Please visit our website for the tournament application and sponsorship opportunities.

Please contact Steven Andrade at [email protected] for more information.

THE CORNELIA T. BAILEY FOUNDATION

The Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation was founded in 2007 to promote the arts, education, and initiatives that seek to better our world by utilizing nature and the sciences.

Mrs. Cornelia T. Bailey established the foundation during her lifetime, and it now honors her philanthropic legacy. She enjoyed supporting philanthropic organizations that focused on education, veteran outreach, medical research, and, most significantly, the arts in all their forms. We are proud to continue her legacy.

The Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation generously funds our veterans’ programs, ensuring that all veterans can enjoy the program, free of charge. They also fund our advanced players to compete in local Veterans’ Golf Association tournaments.

STUDENTS PLAY THE PRO-AM WITH AN ACE!

In a tournament week full of student opportunities, it all began with Chapter students Marley Pedrique, Elisa Hernandez and Gavin Palmer playing the Monday Pro-Am with PGA TOUR professional Kevin Velo and Chapter CEO Carl Mistretta Jr.

The highlight of the day was Elisa made her first hole-in-one on hole #5.  The shot never left the stick, hit a few feet in front of the hole and rolled straight in the hole like a putt.

“These teens can play,” said Mistretta. “The girls even played the same tees as me and bombed it by me all day.”

STUDENTS HAVE A BLAST AT JUNIOR DAY

Tuesday of tournament week featured our first ever Junior Day where our students competed in a four-hole tournament on PGA National’s par-3 Staple Course.

This new event was a HUGE success, with nearly 100 kids and teens in attendance. PGA Tour professional Jackson Suber stopped by to share insights on the game and inspire the young golfers and he hit a few shots.  After the tournament, the teens had the incredible opportunity to meet Jordan Spieth. 

“This was awesome,” said one of our parents.  “We should do this every year and get them out there playing with each other and competing.”

WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP FORUM

Chapter students, staff, and Coaches attended the annual Women’s Leadership Forum on Wednesday of tournament week. The forum was an enlightening and educational event attended by more than 150 current and emerging women leaders to join in the celebration to discuss leadership development and female empowerment.

Our table members were dressed from head to toe by Marie Birdie, our new corporate sponsor and a brand dedicated to empowering women through sport.  The ladies proudly sported their signature pink jackets, shirts, and skirts or pants, embodying confidence and professionalism.

Palm Beach County Mayor and Chapter Board Member Maria Marino opened the event with a compelling speech on community and leadership, setting the tone for meaningful discussions. Paula D’Arienzo, Head of Hospitality at FIFA, delivered the keynote address, offering insights into global leadership and her experiences in the sports industry.

The event concluded on a high note with a heartfelt check presentation from Todd Fleming, Executive Director of the Cognizant Classic, to the Alliance for Women Executives (AWE), supporting their mission to advance women’s education and leadership.

Chapter staff members Savannah Mansueti, Gabbie Budd, and Nyla Sims attended alongside five Chapter students: Jenna Missett, Elise Rivas Mucklow, Reilly Friedman, Alyssa Cleckley, and Sofia Mayer.  Marie Birdie representatives Rebekah Alfond and Ellen Breighner also joined our table.

HAVE YOU SEEN US ON TV?

Our students have had the fantastic opportunity to serve as ball runners throughout TGL’s inaugural year. After a recent match pitting Jupiter Links against The Bay Golf Club, Kevin Kisner and Shane Lowry were kind enough to sign gloves and balls and spend time with our students alongside host Roger Steele.

Check out the interview on Instagram of Chapter student Taylor Pedrique about her experiences as a ball runner.

SPEAKLIFE END BULLYING

ur Chapter participated in Speaklife End Bullying’s inaugural golf tournament at Tesoro in Port Saint Lucie as players and a proud sponsor. President and Trustee Andrew Hunt, Director Wes Hightower, and staff members Gabbie Budd and Steven Andrade enjoyed a fantastic day supporting this cause. Speaklife End Bullying made the event even more special with the presence of NFL safety and Speaklife advocate Justin Simmons. We are delighted to stand alongside Speaklife in their mission to end bullying and empower young lives.

Driven by a profound personal experience with bullying in 2000, Dan and Rebecca Burd founded Speak Life Performing Arts Company with the mission to empower students to act beyond awareness through performing arts and digital theater in educational assembly programs. They are aiming to reach one million students in one thousand schools, fostering a culture shift towards positive change, with many more impactful stories yet to be told.