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NAPLES Area golf clubs and organizations will participate in the second annual Patriot Golf Day, Friday through Monday, at facilities across the country.
All funds raised will benefit the Folds of Honor Foundation to provide educational scholarships to families of soldiers who have become disabled or lost their lives in the line of duty. In 2007, some 3,200 facilities participated and raised more than $1 million.
Golfers are being urged to donate at least $1 for each round they play.
PGA pro Dan Rooney, an F-16 pilot in the Oklahoma Air National Guard, is the founder of Folds of Honor.
WCI Communities Inc. courses The Colony (390-4700), Hammock Bay (259-1100), Tiburon (594-2040), Raptor Bay (390-4610), and Pelican Preserve (985-1707) are among those participating. For info, go to wcigolf.com.
“This is a great way for the golf industry to help the families of those who have lost their lives so that we may have our freedom,” said Bob Radunz, general manager of The Colony Golf & Country Club.
Other participating facilities: Naples — Arrowhead (596-1000); Bonita Bay Club East; Cedar Hammock (793-1134); Collier’s Reserve; Countryside; Cypress Woods (592-7860); Del Webb at Ave Maria; Golf Club of the Everglades; The Glades; Heritage Bay (353-2561); Hibiscus; Imperial; Club at Mediterra; Miromar Lakes (482-7644); Naples Grande Golf School; Pelican Marsh; Stonebridge; Club at TwinEagles (352-2121); Vanderbilt (348-2663); Vineyards; Bonita Springs — Bonita Bay Club (498-2626); Josh Musselman’s Golf Express (390-2508); Spanish Wells; Vasari (594-3959); Cape Coral — Coral Oaks (573-3100); Estero — Estero Country Club at The Vines (267-7003); Pelican Sound (948-4333); West Bay Club (948-3482); Fort Myers — Crown Colony; Gateway (561-1010); Club at Grandezza (948-2900); Hideaway (275-5581); Kelly Greens (466-9552); The Landings (482-0242); Legends; Lexington (437-3380); The Plantation (561-8650); San Carlos (267-3131); North Fort Myers — Del Tura (731-7814); Magnolia Landing; Six Lakes
The Naples Chapter of the Executive Women’s Golf Association is holding an event on Saturday at Vineyards to benefit Folds of Honor. The entry fee is $35, with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start. Golfers are being urged to donate $5 or more. There also will be a raffle. Call 430-5637.
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The First Tee of Naples/Collier’s Rene Kelly will be playing in this week’s Wal-Mart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach on the Champions Tour.
Pairings have not been released. Kelly, 17, a senior at Riverdale, will be paired with a Champions Tour pro. She qualified last month and is the first representative of the new chapter to play in the tourney.
Gary Hallberg, a golf ambassador for West Bay Club, part-time Naples resident John Harris, a Calusa Pines member, part-time Miromar Lakes resident Chip Beck, and Naples National member Fuzzy Zoeller are area professionals playing.
Last week, Hallberg tied for 19th; Zoeller tied for 25th; Harris tied for 55th; and Beck tied for 58th. 2008 ACE Group Classic champ Scott Hoch withdrew after eight holes with a wrist injury he said was unrelated to a prior surgery.
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Naples’ Rocco Mediate, a Calusa Pines member, missed the cut last week at the Barclays, the first FedEx Cup playoff event, which didn’t help his chances of become a captain’s pick for the U.S. Ryder Cup team. Captain Paul Azinger will make his four selections Tuesday after the Deutsche Bank Championship.
Fort Myers’ George McNeill tied for 31st at the Barclays and moved up 31 spots into 70th on the points list.
Mediate remained in the top 120 on the FedEx Cup points list, so he qualified for the Deutsche Bank. Fredrik Jacobson, dropped 28 spots to 74th on the points list, and also qualified for the Deutsche. The top 70 after the Deutsche Bank Championship, which finishes Monday, advance to the third event, the BMW Championship, following the Ryder Cup.
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The First Tee of Naples/Collier has released its fall schedule, beginning with a Play Golf Day every Wednesday from 4-6 p.m. at Quality Inn & Suites Golf Resort. The chapter is for ages 8-18 and is free. Registration is required to participate. The deadline is Sept. 5. Starting Sept. 12 through Dec. 12, the First Tee Life Skills will be every Friday, also for ages 8-18.
High school: Vineyards Country Club, 3-5 p.m.; Middle school: Quality Inn & Suites Golf Resort, 4-6 p.m.; Elementary school: Quality Inn & Suites Golf Resort, 4-6 p.m.
An after-school program will be from Oct. 23 through Nov. 22, with five-hole matches starting at 4 p.m. with six players participating from each school’s team. Matches will be played on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, usually two matches per week. Transportation to the match is the responsibility of the player. The cost of the program is $50. School tryouts will be held at Quality Inn & Suites Golf Resort at the corner of Golden Gate Parkway and Collier Boulevard: Sept. 14, 1 p.m., Pelican Marsh, Vineyards; Sept. 21, 1 p.m., Naples Park, Osceola; Sept. 28, 1 p.m., Lake Park, Veterans Memorial, Corkscrew; Oct. 5, 1 p.m., Calusa Park, Big Cypress, Laurel Oak.
Registration applications can be found at thefirstteenaplescollier.org. E-mail tftnaplescollier@aol.com for info.
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Joe Allinder of Spring Run Golf Club in Bonita Springs won the South Florida PGA Tournament Series No. 3 on Monday at the Breakers’ Rees Jones Course. Allinder had 47 Stableford points and shot a 5-under 67. Gene Fieger of Hideout tied for fourth with 45 points, and Dennis Meyer of Dennis Meyer’s Golf School tied for sixth with 44. Boomer Erick of Calusa Pines had 43 points. Allinder also earned a spot in the Nationwide Tour’s Miccosukee Championship from Oct. 23-26 based on his performance in tournament series events.
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Marco Island resident Tee McCabe and Fort Myers native Tommy Tolles both missed the cut at last week’s Northeast Pennsylvania Classic on the Nationwide Tour. McCabe dropped a spot to 44th on the money list, and Tolles fell three to 65th.
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Bonita Bay Club resident Catriona Matthew tied for sixth in the Safeway Classic in Portland, Ore. Liz Janangelo, a golf ambassador for West Bay Club in Estero, missed the cut by a shot, and Naples High graduate Kris Tamulis also missed the cut. Matthew is 40th on the money list, Tamulis is 86th, and Janangelo is 146th.
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The second round of the 20th annual Southwest Florida Match Play Championship was played over the weekend at Bonita Bay Club East. In Championship Flight, Sergei Talalenko defeated Lee Booker, 2-up; Scott Ernst beat Mike Womble, 5 and 4; Adam Meyer beat Bruce Sands, 4 and 3; and Chad Michael beat Greg Donahue, 1-up. In A Flight, Troy Grabow beat Roger Nedoba, 4 and 2. In B Flight, Ric Watters beat David Miller, 1-up. In C Flight, Tim Hammond beat John Gast, 2 and 1, and Dale Van Der Ploeg beat John Brucato, 4 and 3. The Championship Flight semifinals will be played Saturday, starting at 9 a.m., with Ernst facing Meyer and Talalenko playing Michael. The finals in A and B flights, and semifinals in C Flight will also be played.
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Rodney Bungartz of Arrowhead Golf Club will be conducting middle and high school golf classes Thursdays starting Sept. 4 from 4-5 p.m.
The weekly curriculum: One — Putting, rules, etiquette; Two — Chipping, pitching; Three — Full swing setup, irons; Four — Full swing woods; Five — Greenside bunkers, fairway bunkers, rules; Six — On-course club selection and strategies.
The cost is $90 for the six-session class. Advanced sign-up is required. Call 348-5929 or e-mail rodney@naplesgolfinstructor.com.
* * *
Candelighters of Southwest Florida will host its 14th annual Gold Ribbon Classic Golf Tournament on Sept. 27 at Bonita Bay Club. Candlelighters is an independently operated, nonprofit charity. The money raised will help sustain current programs benefiting local pediatric oncology patients and their family members, as well as those suffering from other blood disorders. For info, call 432-2223 or visit candlelightersSWFL.org.
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The fifth annual Fancy Pants Pete Villani Memorial Golf Classic is Sept. 27 at Vineyards Country Club. The event has a closest-to-the-pin on every hole, and also a contest to win a car if a golfer’s drive hits the car placed out in a fairway from 220 yards. The entry fee is $250 and benefits the Pete Villani-Michael Grech Memorial Fund at the Community Foundation. Last year, $5,000 was donated to the Naples Rotary Gift of Life program and benefited a 12-year-old girl from Venezuela. A total of $15,000 was donated to KIDS Can at Cancer Alliance, $2,500 to Voices for Kids, and $2,500 to Greater Naples Little League. For info, contact Sonny Grech at 450-5184 or sonny1072@comcast.net.
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The Club at TwinEagles’ two courses — The Aerie and The Talon — are undergoing maintenance and modification improvements. The Aerie closed in mid-June and will remain closed through the rest of the month. Work involves 15 of the 18 holes, and includes extending fairways, eliminating some waste areas and adding formal bunkers. The third green was also reconstructed. The Talon will close for a month or so after The Aerie reopens.
For more golf info, go to naplesnews.com/sports. To submit an item for this column, e-mail gshardwig@naplesnews.com or send a fax to 263-4816.
Other upcoming golf events follow:
• 2008 Merrill Lynch Shootout — Dec. 10-14 at Tiburon Golf Club. Tickets will go on sale Sept. 29, but reservations for Taste of WCI packages are being accepted. The packages include a weekly grounds pass, plus over 50 vouchers at 12 different courses for $110. For info, visit mlshootout.com or call 888-66-SHARK or 254-9770.
• Executive Womens Golf Association — Weekly 18-hole golf has been set up at Arrowhead (596-1000) on Saturdays at 10:38 a.m.; Tiburon (593-2201) on Thursdays at 2:30 p.m.; Glen Eagle (353-3699) (nine holes) on Wednesday evenings. Discount rates are available at Arrowhead (596-1000), Del Webb at Ave Maria (304-2835); The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club (435-2475); The Quarry (304-0172); Spanish Wells (992-5522); and Tiburon (593-2201). Upcoming events: Sept. 6, Audubon, $40/members, $45/guests; Sept. 16, get-together at Spring Run, starting at 5:30 p.m., online sign-up, apparel show; Sept. 27, LaPlaya, $35 members, $45 guests. Contact Jeanie Bicanich at jbicanich@aol.com, call 254-8285 or go to naplesewga.com.
• Tournament Players Association — Upcoming event: Saturday and Sunday, 20th Southwest Florida Match Play Championship, Bonita Bay Club East; Call 458-0754 or e-mail tpagolf@msn.com.
• Golf Channel Amateur Tour Fort Myers/Naples — The largest amateur tour in North America has a local tour. To join, go to golfchannel.com/amateurtour or call local tour director Jim Stockman at 593-3485. Membership is $199 per year. Upcoming events: Saturday, Lely Mustang; Sept. 17, Olde Cypress. Entry fee is $120.
• American Singles Golf Association — The Southwest Florida Chapter offers weekday golf at Pelican Sound Golf & River Club on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month through September. Tee times at noon. Contact Kathy Sloan at kesloan2@gmail.com, call 233-2482 or go to southwestfl.singlesgolf.com.
• South Florida Pro Tour — Tournament entry fees are $225 for members for one-day events and $350 for two-day events. Membership fees are $125, with a $25 discount for PGA professionals. The tour runs through October and has some events set up at sfprotour.com.
• Collier County Women’s Golf Association — Started its 43rd year. Call Doris Roberts at 793-0644 or Helen Nulse at 353-6944. Schedule: Sept. 5, Countryside; Sept. 19, Naples Heritage; Sept. 26, Vanderbilt; Oct. 3, Stonebridge.
• South Florida PGA Junior Tour — The tour has a $25 membership fee and a $69 fee per tournament. Age divisions are boys and girls 12-13, 14-15, 16-18; Call 954-752-9299 or go to sflorida.pga.com. Schedule: Oct. 4-5, Doral Resort, Red Course, Miami; Nov. 15-16, Junior Tour Championship, PGA Golf Club, Port St. Lucie.
• Florida Junior Tour — The Florida State Golf Association’s 2008-09 schedule starts Sept. 13-14 and continues through May. Local events: Oct. 4-5 at Wyndemere Country Club and Oct. 11-12 at West Bay Club. For info, go to fsga.org.
• Coral Isle Golf Center Junior Camp — Through August; Mondays through Thursdays; Classes limited to eight; Call T.J. at 877-2191.
• Rodney Bungartz/Arrowhead Golf Club Junior Afterschool Clinics — Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, starting today. Clinics from 4-5 p.m. and cost $12 per junior per session. Clinics open to ages 7 and up. Students 6 and under must have prior approval. Call 348-5929 or e-mail rodney@naplesgolfinstructor.com.
• WCI Junior Golf Promotion — Through Sept. 30, golfers 18 and under can play complimentary rounds at many WCI courses. One child plays free for each paying adult. A second would pay a $20 junior guest fee. Participating courses: Hammock Bay, 259-1110; Tiburon, 594-2040; Raptor Bay, 390-4610; The Colony, 390-4710; Pelican Preserve, 985-1707.
• State Mid-Amateur qualifiers — Sept. 6 at West Bay Club. The Mid-Amateur is Oct. 2-5 at Coral Creek Club in Placida. For info, go to fsga.org.
• Rick Smith Golf Academy — High school afternoon program: One hour spent at the academy, another hour on the course at Tiburon. The program is from 1-3 p.m. Cost is $50 per week, per student. Elementary and middle school: Ages 7 and older meet Mondays from 4-5:30 p.m., starting Monday and going through Dec. 15. Middle school students meet Wednesdays from 4:30-6 p.m. starting today and going through Dec. 17. Cost for either program is $190 for a four-week session. Call 593-1111. Tom O’Brien from the academy is starting a JV program, which began last week and runs for five weeks. There will be two nine-hole matches per week. Contact O’Brien at 250-3164.
• Arrowhead adult classes -- Rodney Bungartz of Arrowhead is holding an adult golf class starting Aug. 20 from 6-7 p.m. on Wednesdays. The cost is $99 for six sessions.
Schedule: Aug. 20, Putting, rules, etiquette (bring a putter); Aug. 27, chipping, pitching (7, 8-iron, pitching wedge); Sept. 3, full swing, setup, irons; Sept. 10, full swing, woods; Sept. 17, greenside, fairway bunkers, rules; Sept. 24, on-course club selection and strategies.
Advance signup is required. Call 348-5929 or e-mail rodney@naplesgolfinstructor.com.
• Coral Isle Golf Center -- Ladies clinics each Tuesday and Wednesday, men’s clinics each Thursday, a mixed clinic each Wednesday at 2 p.m., and a mixed clinic each Saturday. All clinics are at 10 a.m., other than the Wednesday mixed clinic. Junior clinics also are offered from 3:45 p.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays and 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. on Saturdays. Call 732-6900 for more information.
• Eagle Lakes Country Club --- Hosting a clinic every Saturday from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., covering a new topic every week. PGA professional Phil Grear will conduct the clinic. Cost is $25 per person.
The club is offering ½-day and three-day golf schools with a 3-to-1 student/teacher ratio. Individual lessons are available. There will be clinics every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., addressing a different topic each week. There will be an emphasis on learning shots within 100 yards of the green.
The club staff has a total of 45 years of teaching experience. Michael Jachemack and Vanessa MacKinnon also are on the staff. Call 732-5108 or 732-0034 for further information.
• Greater Naples Golf Association — Accepting new members for its senior division. Interested golfers can contact Harry Sauchelli at 598-1261 for an application.
• Naples Recreational Golf — Singles 45-65 on Sunday mornings. Call 594-0661.
• Golden Gate Women’s Golf Association — Accepting members for a Thursday morning golf league. Call 774-3031.
• Arrowhead Golf Club — Weekly scramble, Wednesdays. Shotgun start, 5:30 p.m. Call 596-1000 at least two days in advance to sign up.
• Southwest Chapter PGA — For more information, go online to www.sflorida.pga.com and click on "Chapters."
• Body Balance For Performance of Naples — Mike Willett and Mike Via have their own golf/physical therapy show on Comcast Channel 35.
• Play Golf America programs — Rodney Bungartz is now running the Play Golf America adult programs previously coordinated by Ty Andersen.
Adults clinics are Mondays from 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. and Thursdays from 6-7 p.m Cost for each session is $20. Private lessons are also available.
For more information on any of the Play Golf America Programs offered including family, buddy and private lessons call 348-5929 or visit www.naplesgolfinstructor.com
• Arrowhead Golf Academy — PGA professional Mike Dopslaff, a four-time Southwest Florida PGA Player of the Year, provides instruction. Individual, group lessons. Call 596-1000.
• KISS Golf For Women Golf Schools — At Royal Poinciana Country Club. LPGA teaching professionals Lorie McCabe and her staff offer two- and three-day golf schools for women. Private instruction also is available. Call 1-888-451-KISS or 354-3633. The school’s Web site is www.kissgolfforwomen.com.
• Gary Bower Lessons -- Teaching professional Gary Bower, former host of the television show “Golf Tips’’ and inventor of the 2-Way Putter Alignment System, will be giving playing lessons in Southwest Florida from December through March.
Each 9-hole playing lesson will cover woods, irons, chipping, putting, sand shots and golf course strategy. The cost is $85 per golfer. For more information, call 614-527-9527 or visit www.websitetelevision.net.
• Tom Patri Golf School — Patri is a Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher, and he works with all golfers of all ages and abilities. TPGS offers half-day golf schools, with and without nine holes of golf, and also offers fitness programs geared to golfers. Visit www.tompatri.com. Patri is at Friar’s Head in New York during the summer.
• Rick Smith Golf Academy — At Tiburón Golf Club. Smith, a Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher and rated the No. 5 teacher by Golf Digest, has a staff of PGA instructors at Tiburón Golf Club. The academy has its lowest rates of the year through Sept. 30 for all 2:1 ratio schools. A school may be one half day up to three full days. The three-day class includes 18 hours of instruction, including video analysis and a launch monitor session, plus a round of golf at Tiburon. Private lessons also are available. Students may receive 2 for the price of 1, 3 for the price of 2, or 4 for the price of 3. Call 593-1111 or visit ww.wcigolf.com/ricksmithacademy.
• Dr. Jim Suttie Golf Academy — at The Club at TwinEagles. New studio with state-of-the-art technology. 2000 PGA of America Teacher of the Year. Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher. Rated No. 11 by Golf Digest. Instructional programs include 2- and 3-day schools as well as private lessons. Call 866-817-7729 or visit www.jimsuttie.com. Suttie currently is at Cog Hill in Lemont, Ill., for the summer.
• David Leadbetter Golf Academy — At LaPlaya Beach & Golf Club. Leadbetter is a Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher. Academy programs include three-day golf schools and players’ schools, and a one-day mini-school. Private instruction and playing lessons also are available. Call 592-1444.
• Mike Calbot International Golf Studio & Triad Golf Schools — Now at Old Corkscrew Golf Club in Estero. Full and half day schools are offered. Instructional packages are one, two or three days. All instruction is by appointment only. Private instruction and playing lessons also available. Thirty-five years of instructional experience. Call 482-0900 or visit www.webgolfdoctor.com.
• Bourne School of Golf — At Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club. Bob Bourne is a master professional with the PGA of America and a former tour player with 35 years of experience in the game. The Bourne School of Golf at Miromar Lakes is open to members and non-members. One of Bourne’s keys is instructional follow-up for all students. Call 482-7644.
• Naples Golf Academy — Located at the Hibiscus Golf Club. Lauri Travers leads a team of instructors that offers private lessons, golf schools, clinics and playing lessons. Specialty programs geared toward women and beginner golfers are available year-round. Visit us at LearningGolf.com or call 239-732-9944 for more information.
• The Nick Faldo Golf Institute — At Marriott’s Marco Island Resort. Instruction programs are based on the teaching philosophy and techniques developed by Faldo. A three-day improvement school ($1,175-$1,295 per person), two-day weekend/short game school ($675 to $895), and a two-day selection session package ($500-$595 per person) are among the packages. Call 1-888-GO-FALDO for prices and information.
• The Golf Institute — Club fitting program includes evaluation based on series of tests, including frequency check and lie and loft angle. Putting evaluations also are available. Call 643-5895.
• Dennis Meyer’s Golf School — at Quality Inn Suites & Golf Resort in Golden Gate offers two-, three- , and four-day schools. Playing lessons included in full-day golf schools. Half-day options are available as well. Private lessons available. Call 1-800-445-4554 or 267-4652.
• Steve Anderson Lessons — Director of instruction at Greentree Resorts in Lehigh Acres. 2000 Teacher of the Year by the Southwest Chapter. Awarded Advanced Specialty Certification in Instruction by PGA. Call 369-1997.
• John Jacobs Golf School — at Lely Resort. Staffed by local PGA and LPGA professionals. School offers 5-day week and 2-day weekend sessions, plus corporate days and private instruction. Discounted rates for junior golfers. For more information, call 1-800-472-5007 or visit www.jacobsgolf.com.
• America’s Favorite Golf Schools -- At Quality Inn & Suites Golf Resort. Three-, four- and five-day schools are available. Commuter rates are available. Steve Driscoll, a United States Golf Teachers Federation, leads the instruction. Schools run through May 15. Call 1-800-365-6640.
To submit an item for the golf column, e-mail gshardwig@naplesnews.com or send a fax to 263-4816.








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