Golf In and Around Hoover

Shown l-r, overall winners, Cook's Pest Control Team Robby Cole, Golf Committee Chair Dan Ellis, and Mark Barron won the 13th Annual Hoover Area Chamber Golf Tournament with a team score of 62. Both are members are Riverchase Country Club where the tournament was held, and both are scratch golfers or better.

The Thirteenth Annual Chamber Golf Classic, re-scheduled for September24 at Riverchase Country Club was a huge success!  With over 118 golfers participating, it was held in perfect Chamber of Commerce weather!

The two-man, best-ball format is more popular than ever, with one particular change made this year in the individual awards that seemed to make everyone happy.

Instead of a long-drive contest that eliminates all but five or six participants, we had two straightest-drive contests.  In a straight-drive contest, every golfer at least has some chance to win.

The overall winners in the First Flight were the team from Cook's Pest Control, Mark Baron and Robbie Cole, with a Team Score of 62.  Second Place winners in the First Flight were from EMPAC, Inc., with a team score of 64; while Third Place went to the St. Vincent's Team of Brad Stein and Kenny Nezat with a score of 66.  In each flight, identical prizes were awarded, with first place winners receiving Garmin GPS devices; second place winners receiving iPod Nanos; and third place winners receiving 24-volt reversible power hammer-drills.

In the Second Flight, First Place went to the Alabama Power Company Team of Emily Boles and Gary Hearn; Second Place to the Birmingham News Team of Robert Holder and Danny Harold; and Third Place to the AT&T Team of Matt Mayo and Earl Niven.  All three winning teams in the Second Flight scored a 75. Ties were determined by scoring backward from the 18th hole scores.

In the Third Flight, First Place went to the First Southern Services Team of Jon Lord and Jim Scott; Second Place went to the Rocky Ridge Retirement Community Team of Gerry Gruen and Gary Archer; and Third Place to the American Osment Team of Joe DiBenedetto and Johnny Weirengo.

Individual Proximity Awards went to Robert Holder of The Birmingham News Team for Closest to the Pin on Number 3 with a tee-shot 6-½ feet from the pin.  He also won this hole last year with a tee-shot 13 inches from the pin; to Brad Stein for Closest to the Pin on Number 12 (194 yards) with a tee shot four feet from the pin.

Straightest Drive Winners were UAB Medical West Team Member Daniel Drennen on Number 7, and Cook's Pest Control Team Member and overall winner Mark Barron on Number 10.  Each individual winner won a $50.00 Gift Card donated by Michael's Steaks and Seafood.

The 13th Annual Hoover Chamber Golf Classic is filling up fast so get your registration in soon! Scheduled for Wednesday, September 24, at Riverchase Country Club, this is one of the area"s fastest growing tournaments -- and one of the most popular in the area. Without a doubt, the field will be full with some 130 golfers participating according to Golf Committee Chairman Dan Ellis of ABSOLUTE Mortgage, LLC.

St. Vincent's Health System is the Title Sponsor again this year, with Don Drennen Buick-Chrysler-Jeep as our Platinum Sponsor. Gold Sponsor AT&T/ The Real Yellow Pages is our host for this year's tournament luncheon. Key sponsorship slots are still available, including several Hole Sponsorships.

This is the largest fund raising event for the Hoover Area Chamber with the majority of proceeds funding over $15,000.00 in scholarships for area students through the Lila Parks Scholarship Fund and Miss Hoover Pageant. It is a great way to support the Chamber while promoting your company to dozens of members, golfers, and volunteers from around the Hoover area.

Each player receives unlimited soft drinks, snacks and water, plus a continental breakfast and lunch buffet. Registration for a 2-man team is $300.00; a foursome (two 2-man teams) $600.00. Corporate sponsorships include all golf fees, along with hole sponsorship, and are available for $1,000.00 (Gold - 6 players), $750.00 (Silver - 4 players), and $500.00 (Bronze - 2 players). Gold, Silver and Bronze Sponsorships include Mulligans.  Non-golfing members can also participate as volunteers and Hole Sponsors ($250.00).

Golfers will play a "two-man, modified best ball" format, based on actual scores. The lower of the two players' scores on each hole is the team score. Teams will be sorted into three flights after scores are turned in. Identical awards will be presented to the top three teams in each of the three flights. Flights will be divided based on the number of teams participating. This is not a "scramble" format -- handicaps are not considered in tabulation of the winners.

There will be a Shotgun Start at 8:30 a.m. following a continental breakfast. Raffle tickets will be on sale for $20.00 for five tickets and may be charged to chamber accounts in good standing. Raffle prizes are donated by chamber members with values ranging from $50.00 up to $1,000.00 or more.

For more information on sponsorships and/or registration, call Bill Powell at 988-5672
Click here for Application.

Regions Charity Classic Golf Tournament at Ross Bridge.

Over sixty volunteers signed up for more than 1,000 hours at the Regions Charity Classic Golf Tournament at Ross Bridge in May, dozens as marshals on the two fairways adopted by the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce, Holes Eleven and Twelve. A few even helped as the Greater Shelby County Chamber adopted Hole Thirteen with their first year of involvement.

Shown here in a group shot before players arrived at our holes on Saturday morning are, left-to-right, Chamber Director Bill Powell, Hole Eleven Captain Joe DiBenedetto, Steve Schumm, Steve Nix, Randy Horden, Phyllis Scott, Chris Harper, Beau Lee, Josh Cornutt, Barry Cornutt, and Hole Twelve Captain John Kirkpatrick. Marshals not available for this photo were Chris Harper, Skip Earnest, Joe Thomas, Peggy & Bob Thompson, John Boeker, Joe Comer, Keith Culver, Ginnie Sue Hess, Dennis Lathem, Harrison Lowery, Pat Lozito, Collin Pharr, Debbie Rockwell, Buddy Spidle, and Tommy Vines. This photo was taken by Rhonda Pyatt, who also volunteered.

Shown here at the Regions Charity Golf Classic Hoover Chamber Business After Hours is the only two-time winner of the tournament, Brad Bryant, left, with Hoover Mayor Tony Petelos, and Brad's wife, Sue. Brad has attended the Chamber Business After Hours event for three consecutive years and considered it almost a good-luck charm, since he had won the tournament the first two times he attended. The After Hours events is one of the most popular events the Chamber hosts each year, and this year, held in the AT&T Sky Suite on the 18th Green, some 250 people were able to attend. The event this year was sponsored by Alabama Power Company, Allied Waste Services, Brookdale Place at University Park, Colonial Bank, Hoar Construction, and UAB Medical West.

Rotary Golf Tournament - Please click here.

Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce member golf courses include:

Public
Ballantrae Golf Club (Pelham) 620-4653 www.ballantraegolf.com <<....more
Highland Park Golf Course (Birmingham) 322-1902 www.honoursgolf.net/highlandpark

Montevallo Golf Club (Montevallo) 665-8057
Robert Trent Jones (Oxmoor) 769-1308 www.rtjgolf.com
Ross Bridge – Robert Trent Jones (Hoover)www.rossbridgeresort.com
Tannehill National Golf Course (Bessemer/McCalla) 477-4653 www.tannehillnationalgolf.com

Private Country/Golf Clubs
Chace Lake Country Club 988-5212 www.chacelake.com
Hoover Country Club 822-0647 www.hoovercountryclub.org
Greystone Golf & Country Club 986-5120 www.greystonecc.com

Riverchase Country Club 988-4140 www.riverchase.com

Pelham's Ballantrae Golf Club — A Golfer's Paradise!

Ballantrae Golf Club, one of several public courses in the Hoover Chamber, opened in nearby Pelham in June 2004, with Championship-level quality and wide-open fairways. Ballantrae offers both memberships and public golf course packages. The length of the course, located just four miles east of Interstate 65, ranges from 5,000 to over 7,000 yards

Since Ballantrae Golf Club opened its greens to the public on June 1, 2004, many businesses, corporations and individuals have been enjoying the lush grounds. The beautiful new Ballantrae Golf Club features an 18 hole championship course designed by Bob Cupp, and the breathtaking scenery comes complimentary with each round. The hills and valleys are framed within a forest to create a picturesque and private setting for the challenging course. With that said, Ballantrae remains true to its original goal, to provide golfers with "World Class Greens - Working Class Fees." Head PGA Golf Pro Phillip Wright is no stranger to breaking in new golf clubs. He played a vital role in establishing The Capstone Club in Tuscaloosa, where he remained on staff for sixteen years.

According to Phillip, Ballantrae has exceeded his expectations. "We have had an amazing response thus far, and our membership sales have surpassed our goals. Many first-time visitors greet me with a 'wow' as they enter the club. We've heard nothing but positive comments, and the scenery, well, it's simply breathtaking. I'm just proud to be a part of it all." Brian Barker and Hal Brown serve with Phillip as assistant golf pros at the club. Ballantrae's "old-world clubhouse" resembles a Scottish manor house. The first floor features a fully-stocked pro shop, the Fireside Grill and Dining Room, as well as a locker room for club members to use. The second floor of the clubhouse serves as the new home office for the PGA Dixie Section. Executive Director, Dave Berry, has been with the PGA for seventeen years and says the Ballantrae site is just the scenario they've been searching for. "It's fabulous, a great arrangement for everyone involved," Dave said. Paul Andrewjeski, formerly GM at the Pelham Civic Complex, will serve as the director of the golf club.

"I look forward to this new challenge with the city, and I want to thank the mayor and council for having such confidence in me. I am grateful to Phillip Wright, our Golf Course Superintendent Gary Bush, and all those on staff for putting forth a great effort in making this a first-class facility," Paul said. Ballantrae Golf Club is located off Highway 11, at the end of Weatherly Club Drive. For membership information or to schedule a tee time, please call 620-Golf (4653).

Make plans now to visit Ballantrae - a golfer's paradise—and take advantage of all that the club has to offer.