Category: Palm Beaches

Pratt & Whitney continues their generous support of our veterans’ programs. Our nation’s heroes enjoy the game of golf together at the Finnegan Learning Center in Dyer Park, Alantis Country Club and John Prince Learning Center. Our goal with these programs is to not only teach golf but give comradery to these veterans who fought for our country. 

Our Chapter delivers weekly golf programs to many local veterans. We provide golf equipment, golf instruction, and opportunities to socialize and play local golf courses. To learn more or to register for a program, please visit our website.

Thanks to the generosity of the First Nonprofit Foundation, our students and coaches can use our own Trackman. It has been a game changing addition to our programs, especially for our more advanced players that wish to play middle, high school, and college golf. 

We use the Trackman multiple times each week to help students better understand and improve their game. Trackman is state-of-the-art hardware and software for golf. It is a radar system that reads club and ball data by the changing frequency of microwaves reflected off the club and ball (much like a doppler weather system). Trackman will remain an integral component of our instructional programs for years to come.

After a fun summer partnership with BGC, we held an end of program golf event at Drive Shack for their students. Coach Reva and Coach Corey spent 5 weeks preparing the students at their school with golf drills and games to prepare them for a school versus school competition. The results ended in Forest Hill High winning 3rd with 205 points, Lake Worth taking 2nd with 215 points, and Santaluces finishing 1st with 245 points.

Prior to COVID, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commissioner Gary Nicklaus and Chapter Board Member Bill O’Leary helped us form a partnership with FWC to offer a golf and fishing program to our students. Students hit on the range and practiced their chipping and putting and then grabbed the fishing poles to fish the lakes of the par-3 course at The Bear’s Club. On the last day of class, the students played the par-3 course and then hooked some big ones.

Pictured above left: Landon cost the most fish. Pictured above right: Sara shows off her nice catch.

With the assistance of FWC biologists Keaton Fish and Beau Yeiser, we conducted a summer program to teach eight students how to freshwater fish. The students were able to experience two fun Florida outdoor activities. Thank you to The Bear’s Club and our Coaches (Connie, Zack, Dane, Dariel) for conducting this program in partnership with FWC.

The Club at Ibis generously hosted our first annual Chapter Championship. Three person teams from the Treasure Coast, Palm Beaches and Broward Chapters competed in a one best-ball format. As expected, it came down to the last few holes with Palm Beaches shooting 2-under par 70 to edge Broward by two shots. 

“Because this was the first one, we really had no idea what to expect,” said Billy Reid. “This tournament was awesome! Great course, delicious food, fun format, nice tee gifts and prizes. If you are a chapter student, you want to play in this next year to make sure Palm Beaches defends our title.”

The winning Palm Beaches team players were Billy Reid, Zoe Shamy and Jayda Dookie (pictured above left with Palm Beach President Bobby Hendel and Program Coordinator Zack Anderton).

We also had an individual alumni division won by Tyler Mistretta (pictured above middle) with a bogey free round of 2-under 70 to beat Janelle Johnson by five shots.

THANK YOU SPONSORS!

Enroll your children in our First Tee programs as golf is the sport of business and the sport of a lifetime!

Our program locations include:
• Commons Park Golf Learning Center
• Drive Shack
• John Prince Golf Learning Center
• The Golf Club of Jupiter
• Keiser University Golf Coaching Center
• Madison Green Country Club
• Michael B. Finnegan Learning Center – Dyer Park
• North Palm Beach Country Club
• Okeeheelee Golf Course
• Palm Beach Par 3 Golf Course
• Park Ridge Golf Course
• Southwinds Golf Course
• Westchester Country Club
• The Village Golf Club

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

Our annual golf tournament will be held on Tuesday, October 18th at The Bear’s Club. Sponsorships are now available for the event. Our day at Jack Nicklaus’ home course includes lunch, gift bag, golf, caddy, prizes, dinner and drinks. All players compete in both gross and net divisions.

This is your chance to join our current sponsors of Andrew and Cindy Brock, PGA TOUR Superstore TruGreen and Comcast. We are offering a variety of sponsor opportunities.

The schedule for the day is noon lunch and warm-up, and a 1:00pm shotgun. The tournament format is play your own ball, no scramble, one best ball of the foursome. Limited field to ensure a fast pace of play.

For more information contact [email protected] or call 561-307-4060.

We recently had 10 students from Coach Glen Beaver’s programs compete in Drive, Chip & Putt, a free nationwide junior golf development competition aimed at growing the game by focusing on the three fundamental skills employed in golf. The competition was conducted at The Falls Club, with three of our students advancing to the next round to be held in August at Old Marsh Golf Club.
 
Advancing to Sub-Regionals pictured above: 
Abriella Morrison: Girls 6-18. 2nd Overall
Ameila Mayer: Girls 9-10. 3rd Overall
Mateo Muñiz: Boys 10-12. 3rd Overall

Also, Sara Valentine from Coach Connie Capanegra’s class, competed at The Club at Ibis and won overall first place at the competition to also advance to the next round.

Pictured left: Sara in the middle accepting the winning ribbon.

In addition, 4 other students from Coach Glen’s class (pictured below) won ribbons.  
Xander Trivlis: Boys 7-9. 1st Chipping
Blake Mayer: Boys 7-9. 3rd Chipping
Marina Sterijevski: Girls 9-11. 3rd Putting
Sofia Mayer: Girls 12-13. 3rd Chipping

Chapter alumna Nyla Sims is interning this semester at the prestigious Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey. Nyla is a senior at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore enrolled in the PGA Golf Management program. 

“What an incredible opportunity for Nyla to begin her career,” said Chapter Executive Director Carl Mistretta. “Baltusrol has played host to 17 major championships including seven U.S. Opens, two U.S. Women’s Opens and two PGA Championships. The club has a deep history in the game, and she will learn so much from their golf staff and the membership.”

Nyla plays on her college golf team and is a member of the Club Management Association of America, the Professional Golf Management Student Association and *Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She has also received our Chapter college scholarship.

“My ultimate goal is to become a PGA Professional and General Manager of a golf club,” said Nyla. “I want to continue to help grow the game of golf and create more diversity in the spirit of everything I have learned through First Tee.”

First Tee karma definitely exists. Just a few weeks before the U.S. Open, Chapter Director John Hahn let staff know that PGA TOUR professional and local resident Matt Fitzpatrick had golf clothes and equipment to donate to our Chapter. The donation included hats, shirts, shoes and other equipment.

A few weeks later, Matt went on to win the U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts. Congrats on the historic win Matt and thank you for donating to the students of First Tee!

Pictured above left: Students from PBSO Police Athletic League were each given a Workday hat donated by Matt.

Wiley “Coyote” Inman won a SFPGA Medalist Tour Event! He won in a playoff after posting 73-70 for a one under two-day total at Osprey Point on the Raven/Falcon course. This was Coyote’s first win since he moved up to the SFPGA’s top junior division. 

The Coyote followed the SFPGA win by firing rounds of 72-68 to clinch a spot in the Junior PGA Championships to be conducted at Cog Hill in Palos Park, Illinois in August.

“Very proud of the Coyote,” said Chapter Executive Director Carl Mistretta. “Even more impressive is that he is notching these victories against the older players. He just finished eighth grade and will start high school in the fall and play on the Palm Beach Gardens High golf team.”

Wylie has also been volunteering as a Junior Assistant Coach with our summer camp programs at Dyer Park. 

Keep it up Coyote. We think you might have found your lucky hat!