TIME TO SCHEDULE CLUB DRIVES FOR 2017

jcc-driveOur 2016 Club Drives were a tremendous success and the resulting stats are impressive: Over 5,000 golf clubs collected. 35 participating country clubs in Palm Beach County. $25,000+ raised to support the mission and programs of The First Tee of The Palm Beaches. “What an incredible growth our Club Drive program has experienced in the last few years,” said Dr. Eddy Slotnick, Chapter Director and Club Drive Chairman. “We are so very appreciative to all the clubs that participated this year. Our goal is to grow the program substantially again next year.” The Country Club of Mirasol collected the most clubs with over 1,200 donated this past season. Right on their heels for top donations included PGA National Resort and Spa, Bear Lakes, Trump National Jupiter and Banyan Golf Club. All participating golf course receive a plaque from our Chapter. Pictured above from Jupiter Country Club left to right: General Manager John Barrett and Head Golf Professional Mike Bronkema. The Club Drive program began as an opportunity to collect equipment for students of The First Tee of the Palm Beaches. The donations became overwhelming for the staff as most adult clubs are always too long and heavy for juniors. Older players benefited from the program, but the clubs were not suitable for younger players. Cutting down shafts and re-gripping proved exhausting and expensive.“It got to the point where we had to stop the program,” said Carl Mistretta, Chapter Executive Director. “We had so many clubs in the lobby of our clubhouse I could not wade through them all to reach my office. But, each time we conducted a Club Drive, we met many new friends and supporters who learned about our Chapter.”

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Over time, the Chapter figured out a way to use or sell every club donated. Now it is never an issue of having too many donated clubs. There are always plenty of clubs available at our 12-acre golf facility in Dyer Park and the excess clubs have become an annual revenue source. pga-national-club-driveThe most important byproduct of the Club Drive is that thousands of country club members learn each year about their local chapter of The First Tee. The Club Drive has led to many clubs later supporting our Chapter through their club’s charitable foundations. Also, many of the men’s and ladies’ golf associations began to make donations from their tournaments and events. “Our chapter has grown each year since inception,” said Steve Rockoff, Chairman of the Childrens Golf Foundation, the governing body of the chapter. “We cannot continue to grow and expand without the support of our local country clubs.” Below is an alpha list of all participating for the 2015-2016 season: Addison Reserve Country Club BallenIsles Country Club Banyan Golf Club Bear Lakes Country Club Boca Dunes Golf & Country Club Boca Grove Golf & Tennis Club Boca West Country Club Bocaire Country Club Country Club at Mirasol Eastpointe Country Club Emerald Dunes Club Forest Oaks Golf Club Frenchman’s Reserve Country Club Gleneagles Country Club High Ridge Country Club Hunters Run Jupiter Country Club Lost Tree Club Mayacoo Lakes Country Club Old Marsh Golf Club Palm Beach Country Club Palm Beach Par-3 Golf Course PGA National Golf Club St. Andrews Country Club The Bear’s Club The Breakers Rees Jones Course The Broken Sound Club The Club at Admiral’s Cove The Club at Admiral’s Cove/Golf Village The Club at Ibis The Country Club of Florida The Falls Club of the Palm Beaches The Golf Club of Jupiter The Wanderers Club Trump International Golf Club Trump National Jupiter To sign your club up for a 2017 Club Drive, please contact Chapter Director Dr. Eddy Slotnick at [email protected] for more information.