Sarasota Golf News

The First Tee Sarasota/Manatee now offers an "Open Lesson" class at Pop's Driving Range from 5:30-7 p.m. every Thursday through Dec. 17. The fee is $10 per class.

“This is a great opportunity for students and parents to come experience what The First Tee Golf & Life Skills curriculum is all about in a fun, relaxed environment,” said First Tee Director David Windsor, the 2008 North Florida PGA Teacher of the Year.

Here’s an excellent chance for low-handicap senior golfers to play two awesome courses and eventually play in the 2010  Outback Steakhouse Pro Am.
  
The Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am announced that one golfer will win a spot, valued at $12,000, in the 2010 Champions Tour golf tournament by participating in the Bright House Networks Challenge Golf Series. The Bright House Networks Challenge Golf Series offers two different opportunities for golfers to qualify for a final shot at winning a playing spot in the 2010 Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am held April 12-18 at TPC Tampa Bay. 

One professional and two amateurs from the area are attempting to qualify for the Champions Tour this week at MetroWest in Orlando.

Barry Cheesman, who has  played on the PGA Tour and has won on the Nationwide Tour, is in the field, along with amateurs George DeSear of Bradenton and Moe Guttman of Sarasota.

Jordan Spieth, 16, of Dallas, and Victoria Tanco, 15, of Bradenton, were named the Rolex Junior Players of the Year by the American Junior Golf Association. By earning Rolex Junior Player of the Year honors for the second straight year, Tanco has become the fourth girl in the AJGA's 32-year history to win the award back-to-back.

Introduced by the AJGA in 1978, the Rolex Junior Player of the Year award recognizes one boy and one girl who had the most outstanding year in junior golf events at the national level. Past recipients have gone on to become some of the most esteemed players on the PGA and LPGA Tours, including Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Charles Howell III, Hunter Mahan, Scott Verplank, Cristie Kerr, Paula Creamer and Morgan Pressel.

Joey  Lamielle  and Tommy Rymer of Sarasota have advanced to the second stage of the PGA Tour Qualifying School at the Grasslands Golf and Country Club in Lakeland. A Booker graduate, Lamielle tied for fourth at 15-under par. Rymer, a Florida State graduate, finished at 7-under.

Lamielle struggled on the Nationwide Tour this past summer, but he qualified for the U.S. Open in 2008. He reached the final stage of Q-School one other time but came up short.

There are many changes at Sabal Trace Golf and Country Club in North Port. The course has already had and will undergo even more extensive renovations. Casino gaming machines are being installed, but the real headliner is head professional Cathy Edelen, who has returned to the club after a two-year absence.
      
“I’ve kept a villa on the golf course and always planned to come back,” she said.

Put Calusa Lakes Golf Club on your list of one of the must-play courses.
      
When she isn’t selling property in Stoneybrook of Sarasota or Heritage Oaks, realtor Nancy Casey likes to play golf. She came away impressed with Calusa, which just re-opened Sept. 1 after being closed for several months for the installation of new greens.

Attention low-handicap golfers: Here is your chance to play The Concession.  However, there are only 20 spots available for the third annual Concession Cup to be played Dec. 4-6 at the exclusive club in East Manatee County.
    
This is an elite men's amateur event which features two-man teams played at scratch with one better ball.  The teams will compete in a 36-hole, stroke-play competition. The deadline to enter is Nov. 20.

Sarasota National Hosts Callaway Golf

Sarasota National in Venice is hosting a Callaway Club Fitting and Demo Day on Oct. 30.
                 
The Callaway Club Fitting van is the same one the company uses during PGA Tour stops, so it is a great opportunity to get fitted correctly and to experience how sophisticated club fitting has become: swing speed, ball speed, launch angle, spin velocity and even the proper ball for your game.
       
Golfers are urged to visit Sarasota National on Oct. 30 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. or set up a time by calling 941-493-5192.

Remember Barry Cheesman? Many amateur golfers in the Sarasota area do.
      
The former minor-league baseball player started playing amateur golf in Sarasota at Rolling Green Golf Club with a group called the “Animals.” Cheesman became their hero. He went on to win the Florida State Amateur, qualified for the Nationwide Tour and eventually the PGA Tour.