Category: Palm Beaches

Emilio Katsilometes shot 79 to finish 2nd in the SFPGA Prep Tour at Shell Point Golf Club in Fort Myers. He finished just one shot out of the lead in very windy conditions.

Emilio is a sophomore at Cypress Bay High School and a student at Davie Golf Club. He also volunteers as a junior coach at AllGolf @ C.B. Smith Park with Chapter Coach Chris Cupp, PGA.

We have enjoyed a long and successful partnership with the Palm Beach Golf Course Superintendents Association. Their foundation funds various capital improvements each year at our Finnegan Learning Center in Dyer Park. This year, their grant funding was used to purchase a sand spreader.

“Palm Beach County superintendents are always willing to donate supplies, flags, cups and other golf course equipment and accessories,” said Mark Reid, Chapter Director and the Breakers Director of Grounds and Golf Maintenance. “We are very proud of the turf conditions we achieve at Dyer Park with the help of many area superintendents.”

We are delighted to welcome chapter alumna Nyla Sims as our new full-time Chapter Coach! She has begun coaching programs at many different locations across Palm Beach County. Nyla played college golf at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. She will be graduating next year with her bachelor’s degree from their PGA Golf Management program.

“I am so excited to be joining the First Tee as a program coach and working with the kids and teens,” said Nyla. “I look forward to serving the community through the great game of golf.”

Our veterans’ programs are game changing as we give back to those who sacrificed for our freedom. We have created programs that offer veterans of all levels the opportunity to learn and play golf. Our nation’s heroes utilize our driving range in order to enhance their games, then play our par 3 course and finally tee it up at local regulation golf courses. We also provide golf equipment and instruction.

One of veterans, Devin Shaw, said “Playing golf with the friends I have made at First Tee, is what I look most forward to during the week.”

“The First Tee Veteran program is life altering,” said John Melvin, who uses our Paragolfer that has given him and many of our paralyzed veterans an amazing opportunity to stand up and play golf.

Friends of Margaret “Phyllis” Capparelli played a memorial 9-Hole scramble in her honor at Southwinds County Golf Course. The group raised money for a memorial bench plaque at Southwinds Golf Course and to support the children and teens of our Chapter.  As her friends know, Phyllis loved playing golf.  She also loved children and taught her own grandsons the game of golf.  She believed everyone should have a chance to learn golf, enhance their skills and develop their life and leadership skills. Her friends raised over $1,800.00 in her name to support our mission and programs.

Chapter students Wylie Inman and Staci Pla each won their respective age divisions at The Junior Honda Classic. The tournament is a premier competitive and developmental golf experience hosted at PGA National featuring players from over 20 states and 16 foreign countries.

Wylie the “Coyote” shot 68-75 for a one under total of 143 in the Boys 13-14 Division on the Fazio Course. Coyote was the only player under par in his division. Staci shot 71-72 for a one under total of 143 in the Girls 15-18 Division on the Palmer Course. Staci was the only player under par in her division. Both Wylie and Staci have set the goal to play D1 college golf.

“We have many of our students playing high-level competitive junior golf,” said Carl Mistretta, Chapter Executive Director. “But to bring home a win in a tough field is something very special. The Junior Honda always has a strong field of junior players. It is a hard tournament to win. Way to go Staci and Coyote!”

Pictured above left: Coyote with Ken Kennerly, Honda Classic Executive Director Emeritus and our Chapter Vice President.

Pictured above right: Staci with Ken and Andrew George, Honda Classic Executive Director.

February 23rd to 26th

PGA National Resort & Spa, The Champion Course

Need tournament tickets or hospitality? Please visit the tournament website.

Want to play where the pros play?  We play the Sunday pins from the PGA Tour event on Monday, February 27th.  Please visit our website for more information and the registration form.

Mark your calendars for the First Tee Junior Clinic on Tuesday, February 21st. Please arrive at 3:15pm. 

Chapter Ambassadors are invited to network in our special section at the Bear Trap Reserve on Thursday of tournament week.  Parking, food and beverages are included!  For more information, please visit our website.

Winter is here and the weather has cooled off. Enroll your children in our Palm Beach County programs. We have 16 program locations across the county.

Classes are grouped by ages. All ages (from 2 to 18 years old) are invited to Saturday classes at the Finnegan Learning Center at Dyer Park!

2-3 years old: Little Chippers
4-6 years old: Rugrats
7-9 years old
10-14 years old
15-18 years old

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

Jim Goldsmith, Army, has been playing golf for the last 3 years. He was a recent participant in our veterans’ programs.

When talking about his experience in our 8-week programs he said: “What a great and timely experience this was for me. My coaches all knew how to work with me to correct my posture, stance, and swing. They were amazing and very patient. It is a true blessing to share this golfing outing with my fellow veterans. Thanks to all that put this together to make it happen. I look forward to continuing to participate in this amazing program.”

9PickUp was created to make it easy for South Floridians to give back to their community by donating gently used furniture and household items. To benefit Networking to Help Children we pick up Clothing, Furniture, Home Décor, Electronics and Miscellaneous items free of charge all for a great cause. They are happy to ease Networking to Help Children efforts by providing them with an easy, free means of donation pickups.