Hope Center For Autism Programs Are Back!

This school year, we again partnered with the Hope Center for Autism, located in Stuart.  We bring golf into the classroom! The Hope Center for Autism is a school that specializes in preparing students to be college, career, and community ready through the implementation of evidence-based interventions designed to support the learning needs of students with autism spectrum disorder. 

Coach Gabbie Budd, LPGA spends time with students individually each week to help increase their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Students range from 3rd to 5th grade.  They have had a blast so far learning how to chip and putt and even take full swings! Their improvement has been astonishing so far, and Coach Gabbie is very excited to continue building game changers at the Hope Center for Autism.

 Sailfish Sands Grand Opening

Our Chapter has located our Martin County office at the newly opened Sailfish Sands Golf Course.  Chapter staff, Directors and students attended the Grand Opening and ribbon cutting ceremony.  We conducted a clinic for juniors to try out their swings on the renovated driving range. Alumnus Tyler Mistretta and Chapter students Bella Cecere and Wiley Inman helped Coaches Ben Miller, PGA and Gabbie Budd, LPGA teach the other students about their golf swings and told them about First Tee.

The new Sailfish Sands Golf Course now features a reversible 9-hole golf course designed by John Sanford, driving range powered by TOPTRACER technology, a renovated pro shop, an 18-hole championship course, and a new full-service restaurant.

Coach Ben Miller, PGA is offering First Tee programs at Sailfish Sands.  Please visit our website for more information and to register.

Fall Programs Open For Registration 

Fall is here and the weather is cooling off.  Enroll your children in our programs in Martin or St. Lucie Counties.

For more information and to register, please visit our website.

Sponsor Spotlight: Brock Development

Brock Development Corporation was founded in 1973, by Herbert Brock. They are a family-owned real estate development and management company that specializes in the acquisition, development, redevelopment, management, and leasing of commercial real estate assets. With offices in Florida and New York, they have developed a variety of retail, office, hotel and residential projects. 

Herb always used to say – “be good to your properties and they will be good to you.” As firm believers in this family motto, they nurture their assets, still owning and managing many of the properties they have developed over the past 45 years. 

Currently, Brock Development Corporation’s portfolio of commercial real estate assets is comprised of over 2 million square feet of commercial space and select land holdings with prime potential to take advantage of future growth. 

The company’s leadership team is Peter Brock and his brother, Palm Beach Chapter Director Andrew Brock.  Please visit their website for more information.

 Annual Appeal – Enter Our Pebble Beach Raffle

This year, our Annual Appeal will feature a raffle for a trip to play Pebble Beach!  For every $100 donated, you will be entered to win a 3-night stay at the Lodge at Pebble Beach (includes two Garden View rooms) and a foursome to play one round at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course. The prize package also includes $1,500 towards airfare, trip expenses, etc. 

Certain restrictions apply. Drawing to be held February 27, 2023. Winner will book their trip directly with Pebble Beach Resorts. The winning certificate does not expire, and the golf and room rates are valid for one year.

For example: $300 donation = 3 chances to win.

Enter Now!

 The Junior Honda Classic

Register now for the The Junior Honda Classic on Saturday, January 7-8, 2023. The Junior Honda Classic is a premier event on the IMG Junior Golf Tour schedule and celebrates junior golf while perpetuating The Honda Classic’s initiatives to grow the game. Boys and girls ages 7-18 can participate in this event. This event returns to PGA National Resort & Spa as well. 

For more information and to register, visit their website.

 Great Day at The Bear’s Club

Chapter donors, Directors, students, and staff teed it up in October at Jack Nicklaus’ home course, The Bear’s Club. 

“What can you say?  Just an outstanding golf course, great weather, fun caddies and incredible food,” said Chapter Director Andrew Brock.  “This event is a celebration of the hard work we do every year to serve children and veterans in Palm Beach County.  We are so appreciative to Jack Nicklaus, the golf staff and the members of the club for hosting this event.”

Director Brock served as Tournament Chairman and helped develop and market a new sponsorship program for the event that featured our largest field ever and most amount raised in the history of the tournament.

The team of Tom Bliss, Andrew Knight, Jon Cross and Kyle O’Neill won the gross division with a score of 63.  The net division was won by Team BallenIsles consisting of Chapter Director Ed Slotnick, Alan Robinovitz, Ron Getlan and Rich Levy with a score of 47!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Billy Has Fun Week at TimberTech Championship

Keiser University’s men’s golf team caddied and served as standard bearers at the TimberTech Championship at Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club.

In the first Pro-Am, Chapter alumnus Billy Reid caddied in the group with Darren Clarke. Clarke is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who currently plays on the PGA Tour Champions and has previously played on the European Tour and PGA Tour.  Clarke’s biggest victory was the 2011 British Open.

When talking about the experience, Billy said: “Darren was beyond a pleasure. I asked him about his experiences on the PGA Tour, as it’s always cool to hear about what it’s like to be a touring pro. Throughout the round he shared a fun attitude with our entire group that made my job easy!”

In the second Pro-Am, Billy caddied in the group with Steven Alker from New Zealand. Since 2021, Alker has won an amazing 5 times on the Champions Tour. They had a lot to discuss as Billy’s father, Mark Reid, a Palm Beach Director, was born in Australia.

Next up, Billy was a standard bearer for Jim Furyk’s group.  Furyk won the FedEx Cup and PGA Tour Player of the Year in 2010.  He also won the 2003 US Open and holds the record for the lowest round in PGA Tour history, a score of 58. Of course, it was great fun to hang out with legendary Tour caddie Fluff during the round!

On his second day as a standard bearer Billy was assigned to the group with Billy Andrade.  Andrade is Major League Baseball Ambassador for the PGA Tour.  Billy Reid was a two-sport athlete in high school, playing golf and baseball.  These two talked about golf and baseball during the round and Andrade gifted Billy some sweet SWAG after the round.

 Asha = Golfer and Musician

Chapter student Asha Farrelly recently competed in the high school District Championship at Jensen Beach Country Club on the Dreyfoos School of the Arts golf team.  Asha is a freshman at Dreyfoos, where she plays flute in the Symphonic Band. She recently earned All-State honors for the flute.  Next up, Asha will perform in Tampa this January with students from across the state.

 Downright Extraordinary Walk

29 years ago, a group of 60 people gathered in a park to do a small walk and promote the abilities of people with Down syndrome.  None of them would have guessed that over a quarter century later, the walk would have grown into an event that attracts two thousand people and largely supports the programs of the Gold Coast Down Syndrome Organization.  

Chapter students and Coaches attended the walk in October to show our support and share the game of golf. Our organization began serving children with special needs in 1988.  It is still an important part of our mission and programs.