Naples Golf News

Brad Doren, PGA Professional, opened Custom Golf of Estero in July of 2009 with a goal of creating serious game improvement through properly Fitted Clubs and enhanced Studio Lessons.

When customers come to our store, they have access to the same technology for club fitting and swing improvements that the tour players receive. One-hour sessions are available where golfers learn their full potential through Launch Monitor testing and High Speed Video Analysis. When the session is over, you know exactly what type of club, shaft, kick point, length and lie best suites your game along with swing analysis changes guaranteed to make you a better golfer.

West Bay Beach & Golf Club PGA Director of Golf Jeffrey Raimer has been named the 2009 SFPGA Golf Professional of the Year. This award is the highest honor a PGA Professional can receive, recognizing the individual for their overall performance, level of service to the Association, leadership, image, and the ability to inspire fellow professionals and promote the game of golf.

“I am extremely humbled and honored to be chosen by my peers for this prestigious award,” said Raimer. “This is the culmination of 25 years of service to an industry I love. I am extremely fortunate to be a part of it some small way. I will strive to uphold the high standards expected of a Golf Professional of the Year, and I am excited for my family and West Bay Beach & Golf Club. I will always cherish this award."

Del Tura Country Club PGA Director of Golf Jeff Nixon has been named the 2009 PGA President’s Plaque recipient for the South Florida PGA. This award is designed to recognize individual PGA member professionals for their extraordinary and exemplary contributions and achievements in the area of Player Development. This award considers the Professional’s growth of the game leadership commitment at the Section and National levels, plus the impact made at his/her own facility. This is Nixon's third consecutive year winning the PGA President’s Plaque from the South Florida PGA Section.

“I am a little overwhelmed to be recognized three years in a row," said Nixon. "It’s a really nice thing and every year to be given an award by your peers is the highest award you can get. Growing the game is something I am very passionate about. I grew up on 9-hole municipal course in Cape Coral and I remember how great it seemed growing up to want to become a PGA Professional. I want to be able to give back to as well and pass along my own passion for the game.”

ESTERO, Fla. - Old Corkscrew Golf Club is hosting the Florida State Amateur Match Play Championship August 6-9. Top ranked amateur golfers from around the state vied for positions in the tournament in qualifying tournaments at seven sites across the state. The Match Play Championship begins with an 18-hole seeding round to fill the 64 player field. Single elimination match play follows to determine the Match Play Champion. Spectators are welcome to observe play at the tournament.

Organized in 1913, the Florida State Golf Association is a not-for-profit organization that governs amateur golf in the state of Florida. In addition to conducting 25 championships for amateur golfers in the state, the FSGA is responsible for more than 40 qualifying tournaments for USGA National Championships and the new Florida Junior Tour. The FSGA also maintains the USGA Handicap System, performs course ratings throughout Florida and assists in junior programs and scholarships.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - On a perfect getaway, guests would be surrounded by luxury and emerald greens, all the golf courses would carry the quality signature of The PGA of America and every day would dawn with the promise of tropical pleasures.

At Castle Pines Golf Villas , you'll stay and play in the heart of The PGA Village Port St Lucie. All units are tastefully decorated, and offer every amenity necessary, just bring your golf clubs and you are ready for fun in the sun. Choose from a wide range of course-side accommodations with all the comforts of home and then some: deluxe guest rooms, golf villas and even town homes. 

Southwest Florida golf professionals raised $71,515, Monday, April 6, 2009, to help youngsters with substance abuse problems at The Vince Smith Center of Southwest Florida Addiction Services, as well as the PGA Art Soderholm Scholarship Fund, Junior Golf, Florida Gulf Coast University Professional Golf Management Program, and Florida Gulf Coast University Men’s & Women’s Golf Teams.

Altogether, 34 teams from various clubs throughout Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties played in the 29th Annual Coors Light Tournament of Charities, the area’s largest pro-amateur golf tourney, hosted this year by Pelican Preserve Golf Club in Fort Myers.

On April 20th the Southwest Florida Chapter of the PGA held it’s annual spring meeting and awards ceremony at Heritage Palms Country Club in Ft. Myers. The following Professionals were recognized for their dedication to the game and the local community.

GOLF PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

Donald Shea / Foxfire Country Club

• Highest honor paid to a professional.
• Demonstrates leadership, service and promotion of the game of golf.
• Successful performance at his/her facility
• Provides a level of service to the Chapter and his/her peers.
• Quality of image as a golf professional and inspires fellow professionals.

Joe Allinder defeated his former boss John Lee in the finals of the Match Play Championship to capture the year’s first major. Allinder, head professional at Spring Run, captured his fourth career SW FL Chapter Match Play Title held at the LaPlaya Beach and Golf Club and moved into the second position on the Player of the Year points list.

The much ballyhooed TPC Sawgrass, headquarters of the PGA Tour and home of the Tour's richest tournament, The Players Championship, will be one of the two courses to host this year's Florida State Golf Association's Amateur Championship, June 25-28.

Sawgrass Country Club will share hosting duties. Sawgrass CC was designed by Ed Seay of Arnold Palmer Course Design.

NAPLES – Tournament officials confirmed that the 2009 ACE Group Classic hosted by Peter Jacobsen was a success in its inaugural year at TPC Treviso Bay.  Attendance for tournament week surpassed 110,000 for the first time in the event’s history and proceeds totaling $232,100 have been donated to fourteen local charities. Additionally, officials for the ACE Group have confirmed that they will continue as the title sponsor of the 2010 event that will return to TPC Treviso Bay.

“ACE is proud of its long-term association with The ACE Group Classic and, in turn, the support provided to charitable organizations in Southwest Florida,” said Richard Tallo, senior vice president of North America communications and marketing for the ACE Group. “We are pleased to continue our sponsorship of the event through 2010 and look forward to another successful year.”