GCR Charity Golf Tournament

Gold Coast Region Golf We Tee It Up for Charity

Contributions by Die Porsche Kassette Staff Andrew Moffitt, Event Photography

On a Sunny Saturday morning in midMay, members and friends of the Gold Coast Region PCA held our first golf tournament. GCR players took to the Country Club of Coral Springs for a golf outing where all profits from the event went to Memorial Cancer Institute in Aventura, FL.

GCR PCA member, Mike Del Pozo, organized the golf outing for the club following a suggestion at a club social committee meeting earlier in the year. Once the golf event was proposed it was off to the Porsche races so to speak. A committee was formed with Mike DP as chairman, a budget was approved, and plans moved along quickly. In keeping with our charitable giving history, it was recommended that proceeds from the event be donated to the Memorial Cancer Institute to honor Mrs. Laraine Olliviere, President Peter Olliviere’s late wife who had been treated for cancer at the Aventura facility.

Nearly fifty golfers attacked the Coral Springs course for a great round of hitting and chasing a little white ball. The presenting sponsor was FRONT ROW THEATER. FRONT ROW is a south Florida company with over 15 years of experience installing home theaters and smart home equipment. Our Gold level sponsor was TUNERS, the independent Porsche service and repair shop on Wiles Road in Coral Springs. Besides supporting their Porsche service facility, they brought several Porsche vehicles for display at the entrance to the golf clubhouse. Impressive vehicles, each Porsche 911 highly desirable.

Additional “Friends of the Tournament” Sponsors are Country Club of Coral Springs the host facility. DP Window Cleaning, Connectica, Davis Cigars 1276, The Vintage Ice Cream Guys, and Black Flamingo Brewery were in attendance with support for GCR and the Memorial Cancer Institute. For those so inclined Davis Cigars had excellent cigars for many of the players, to chomp on throughout the day. The Vintage Ice Cream Guys offered all you could eat ice cream for the players as they came through the clubhouse turn. Perhaps the golfer favorite was the free beer! Black Flamingo Brewery brought two kegs of suds, ice cold, and quite consumable for those needing a bit of “swing oil”.

As the day arrived, we had a few folks who signed up to play but had to back out for one reason or another. To a person each let their “contribution” registration fee ride. With open spots in the foursomes, ever thinking Chairman Del Pozo invited a total of six special guests. Four of the guys were US service veterans. They played as a group and did quite well for military folks. The additional two guests were also retired military, Commander Tom Melville, and Corpsman Tony Spina. Each are US Navy veterans of Vietnam era; both having served for our country. Tom was assigned to ship carrying rapidly deployed Marine, Navy and Navy Seals by boat and helicopter. Tony was a Navy corpsman assigned to a US Marine Recon group. And they could both play!

Being the first golf outing event for GCR PCA it was not without a couple hiccups. Mike Del Pozo wandered through multiple challenges. Unfortunately, we did not draw as many golfers as anticipated. None of this deterred Mike’s team, the generous sponsors, nor the golfers. And it was a great event to build on for our next round. With the assistance of volunteers and sponsors each participant received a golf towel, swag bag, and a great lunch. It was great fun for our first effort at diging up turf while whacking golf balls. It was made great through the efforts of many, and the simple fact that the Memorial Cancer Institute will receive a nice contribution in memory of Laraine Olliviere. The approximate amount to be presented is $6,000.00.

Everyone in attendance won! But there were also real winners in the following categories: Longest Drive; Closest to the Pin; and Lowest Net Score. Ms. Christy Spangler, GCR PCA played with her parents, she also won in the closest to the pin contest for the gals. The big winner of the event was Steve Kidd who received the door prize offered by FRONT ROW THEATER. The prize, a top of the line 55” Sony OLED flat screen television. The FRONT ROW owner Chris Cotter was thankful and appreciative of the charity event. His business partner, Elliot Goldman, had lost his mother to cancer several years ago. They both greatly appreciated the Club’s efforts and advised Mike DP that they would be happy to support our golf event again next year.

In review of the event, Mike and Leslie Del Pozo pointed out several key suggestions for our next event. First, you do not need to be a golfer to have fun with the group, just buy a lunch ticket and have fun with the players. Second, all golf skill levels are welcome, we are doing it for charity and a to enjoy the legendary Porsche camaraderie that exists beyond our cars. Third, the tournament is played as a scramble which means everyone hits and the best shot is selected to play from for the next stroke. All together, these relaxed rules give anyone a chance to enjoy the outdoors on manicured fairways and smooth greens. Did we mention all the proceeds went to beat cancer? You bet!

Probably the biggest question leading up to the golf tournament, was not how many golfers, or what to wear, but: WILL MY CLUBS AND BAG FIT IN MY PORSCHE? If you ditch your right seat passenger, yes! It was truly a fun Saturday for GCR Porsche Peeps.