By Barbara Palmgren
On a cold, really cold and windy Sunday in December, young golfers with a parent partner, braved the weather to participate in an annual event at Shalimar Pointe Golf Club. This was the club’s 8th year to participate in the First Tee event.
Organizers, Jean Wallace and Donna Rayburn, members of the Shalimar Pointe Ladies Golf Association, spent months fundraising and preparing for 54 juniors with adult playing partners to play the front nine of the golf course. Other members helped register players and Doris Anderson baked cookies for the entire crowd. Of course, a delicious meal with hamburgers and chips awaited each team when they finished.
The First Tee organization is a youth development organization that enables young golfers to build strength of character as well as learn golf skills. As part of this national organization, First Tee Gulf Coast is located in Pensacola, Florida and hosts events all along the gulf coast. Marty Stanovich, Executive Director, arrived to congratulate all the players and Ty Aulger, Tournament Director, presented awards.
First place winners come from a variety of locations ranging from Freeport to Santa Rosa Beach. Here are the first-place winners:
Girls 5-11: Charlie Miller from Santa Rosa Beach
Boys 5-11: Dillon Bond from Niceville
Girls 12-18: Rayna Perkins from Freeport
Boys 12-18: Luke Pearce from Gulf Breeze
Yes, the family that golfs together stays together…even under cold conditions.
