Orlando Golf News

MINNEOLA, Fla. – The scenic views at Sugarloaf Mountain Golf & Town Club welcomed 20 Orlando-area PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour golfers for the club’s inaugural “Sugarloaf Masters” tournament Wednesday.

Chris DiMarco, who turned professional in 1990 and was in the Official World Golf Rankings top 10 for more than 50 weeks between 2002 and 2006, emerged as inaugural champion with a 5-under-par 67.  DiMarco also hosts his own golf radio show on XM Radio.
 

ORLANDO, Fla. - Marriott Golf, one of the world’s premier golf operators, announced the Company will be hosting the 2nd annual “Hit The Green” fundraiser for Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) throughout the 2008 calendar year. Beginning in April, 20 of Marriott Golf’s domestic properties will each be hosting promotional days to help raise funds for CMN.

In 2007, participating Marriott Golf properties raised nearly $40,000 for CMN, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by generating funds for children’s hospitals across North America.

Three Orlando area courses will be participating in the program. Those courses are the Grande Pines Golf Club , Grande Vista Golf Club and Hawk's Landing Golf Club.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Some of golf’s most influential leaders and members of the game’s most prominent associations converged on the nation’s capitol to celebrate a bipartisan Congressional resolution which declared April 16, 2008 as National Golf Day.

The golf leaders discussed the game’s impact on society, in particular its role to the U.S. economy.

The golf industry is the sports and entertainment worlds’ largest contributor to our economy, generating $76 billion in direct economic impact according to a recent study, the 2005 Golf Economy Report, commissioned by World Golf Foundation’s GOLF 20/20 initiative completed earlier this year and released at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla. 

Close to 100 million people on television worldwide, and 5.4 million online on masters.org, experienced the 2008 Masters it was announced by Billy Payne, Chairman of the Masters Tournament and Augusta National Golf Club.

The preliminary global television numbers were up approximately 15 percent from last year. In all, the Masters was viewed, either live or delayed, in over 190 countries. Additionally, the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service showed the event to US bases throughout the world. 

CELEBRATION, FLA. – Celebration Golf Club’s annual golf tournament in March to benefit the Robert Gamez Foundation for Under Privileged Children raised more than $100,000 for the cause.

Gene Garrote, vice president of Celebration Golf Company, said more than 100 golfers participated in the annual event.

For more information, contact:
Gene Garrote, Vice President, Celebration Golf Company, 407-566-1046
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142

About Celebration Golf

Celebration Golf Club with a 4½ star rating out of five by Golf Digest is also ranked as one of the top 25 family golf resorts and in the top 50 courses for women by Golf for Women magazine in 2007. 

CELEBRATION, FL (April 9, 2008)—Mystic Dunes Golf Club is hosting the second annual Red White & Blue Invitational on Sunday, June 29, 2008. A portion of the tournament’s proceeds will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP).

Registration will begin at 12:30 p.m. followed by a 1:00 p.m. shotgun start. An awards banquet and American-style barbeque with all the traditional fixings will round out the day.

“Mystic Dunes Golf Club is proud to help raise funds for injured service men and women,” said Melissa Suttles, General Manager. “Hosting this tournament and supporting this cause is a small contribution compared with what all of the amazing service people sacrifice every day for all of us.”

Tournament fees are $60 per player or $200 per foursome. The deadline for entry is Wednesday, June 25, 2008. For more information or to register for the tournament, please call Keith Bielski at (407) 787-5639.

ORLANDO, FLORIDA – April 9, 2008…Marriott Golf, one of the world’s premier golf operators, today announced the Company will be hosting the 2nd annual “Hit The Green” fundraiser for Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) throughout the 2008 calendar year. Beginning in April, 20 of Marriott Golf’s domestic properties will each be hosting promotional days to help raise funds for CMN.

In 2007, participating Marriott Golf properties raised nearly $40,000 for CMN, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by generating funds for children’s hospitals across North America.

Participating properties will each host 12 CMN promotional days as part of the fundraiser, and a designated par 3 will serve as the “Hit The Green” hole, offering golfers the opportunity to win prizes, while supporting a worthy cause.

ChampionsGate, Fla. – ChampionsGate Resort in Osceola County will host and sponsor the 18-hole 2008 Osceola Chamber of Commerce golf tournament on Friday, May 16.

Marc Reicher, senior vice president of operations at Champions Gate Resort, said more than 288 golfers are expected to tee off in the 8 a.m. shotgun start.

Reicher said the day’s events will include a helicopter ball drop. “The helicopter ball drop is very exciting,” said Reicher. “A helicopter will buzz the golf course and drop hundreds of golf balls. The person who purchases the golf ball that hits closest to the hole wins a prize,” Reicher explained.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Team Isleworth reclaimed the 2008 Tavistock Cup as they defended their home turf against Team Lake Nona. Team Isleworth won in a 19 ½-11 ½ victory and was crowned the World Golf and Country Club Champion.

The 2008 Tavistock Cup presented by Citi Private Bank was highlighted by a spectacular performance by rookie J.B. Holmes, as he took home the Payne Stewart Salver Award, the Old Mutual Long Drive Challenge and the Cadillac Closest to the Pin.

34 courses to meet Audubon Certification by end of 2008

This week Doral Resort and Spa will earn the distinction of becoming the second course to host the WGC-CA Championship for back-to-back years since the first two years at Valderamma, the host of this September’s Ryder Cup competition.

Another honor will also be bestowed upon Doral this week, as it becomes the first-ever Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary in North America to host a World Golf Championships event.

In conjunction with Doral receiving this distinction, Marriott Gold announced this week new standards requiring 34 of the company’s managed golf courses throughout North America and the Caribbean to become Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries, by the end of 2008.

To date, Marriott Golf has six golf courses including Doral that have Audubon certification. Two of those, Grande Pines Golf Club and the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, are in Orlando.