Rotarians at work.
Photo by Brittany Richards
Clear blue skies, warm sunshine, and a cool breeze greeted the mixture of seasoned and novice golfers as they arrived at Hamock Bay Golf and Country Club for the annual Rotary Golf Classic on Saturday, August 29.
Presented by both Marco Island’s Sunrise and Noontime Rotary clubs, this joint venture is both a club and crowd favorite fundraiser.
Sixteen total teams checked in, purchased 50/50 raffle tickets, warmed up with some practice putts, and enjoyed a delicious continental breakfast provided by Ori’s Café before the classic commenced.
With a shotgun start at 8:30 AM, the dozens of golf carts took off towards their assigned starting places.
In addition to the Best Ball Scramble format, there were several special events scattered amongst the rolling greens: Closest to Pin, Longest Drive, a Progressive Putting Challenge with a $5,000 cash prize, and four Hole-in-One opportunities. One of those opportunities offered a $10,000 bonus cash prize! (courtesy of Elite Contracting Services).
There were also On-the-Course games that offered a big boost for a small price: An Over the Hill, where a foursome could tee off at the top of the hill. A Halfway Home, where a foursome could tee off halfway to the green. A Pay-the-Pro offered golf pro Raymond Miron the ability to utilize his talent by hitting one shot for a foursome.
Among the crowd of golfers was the steady stream of volunteers. Rotary at Work shirts could be seen checkered throughout the activity, and the Golf Committee (comprised of Sunrise and Noontime members) did an excellent job rotating volunteer tasks through scheduled shifts during the event.
All proceeds from the event go to the many local charities on Marco Island that the Rotary clubs support.
Practicing the perfect putt.
Photo by Brittany Richards
Hunter Nicholl, Cliff Robinson, Carleton Clark, and Brian Berryman took second place.
Photo by Brittany Richards
Barbara Ann Heegan, Geoff Fahringer, Craig Biddick, and Harry Slack.
Photo by Brittany Richards
Individuals, realtors, and local businesses stepped up to the tee with 39-hole sponsorships.
Photo by Brittany Richards
The golf committee gave a warm thanks to the attendees, volunteers, sponsors, and the nine major donors who contributed to yet another year of making this event a success:
Phelon Family Brands – Tee to Green; Rose Marina – Games; Tenney Law – Cart; Joey’s Pizza and Pasta, Popoff Pool Services, Chris Sullivan of RE/MAX Alliance Group, and Woodward, Pires and Lombardo – VIP Business; Elite Contracting Services – Hole-in-One; and Ori’s Bakery and Café – Breakfast.
Brittany Richards is a full-time Marco Island resident passionate about all things literary. Creating stories as soon as she could read and write, she seeks to inspire the next generation to put down the screen and pick up a book. Whether as a nanny, camp counselor, or gymnastics coach, she has a history of working with children. She looks forward to combining her two joys with The Adventures of Harley and Harper. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling to new destinations, boating with her husband, or cuddling up with her dogs.