Golf writer Andy Reistetter lives in the Golf Capital of the World- Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., home of the Nationwide Tour’s Winn Dixie Jacksonville Open on Dye’s Valley for the last two years.
Also, Florida’s First Coast is home to the PGA TOUR, TPC Sawgrass, The Players and the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Reistetter captures the spirit of this year’s tournament in this slideshow. Do you see a familiar face?
- Welcome to Dye’s Valley…
Welcome to Dye’s Death Valley II. This is no half sister to the Stadium Course. It is a pure blood “Dye-abolical” designed golf course. You may need some simple “Dye-rections” to find Dye’s Valley, as it is a little more than driver distance from the iconic TPC Sawgrass Clubhouse.
- Who Cares About Football Anyway?
Even Jaxson de Ville, the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars mascot, played hooky from work on Monday to catch the Junior Clinic with Nationwide Tour players and then a demonstration by two-time world long drive champion Jamie Sadlowski. Judged by how he hits the golf ball, Jaxson the Jaguar plays better golf than the Jaguars do football.
- Winn Dixie Junior Clinic a HUGE Success!
THE best junior clinic I have seen in four years on tour. What made it so? Twelve instruction stations manned by dedicated NWT players (and one Champions player) where the kids got to hit the balls and apply what the professionals where telling them.
Local favorites included Len Mattiace, Frank Lickliter, III, Russell Knox and Champions Tour member and 2005 Players champion Fred Funk. Others giving of their time to promote the game of golf to juniors on a beautiful day were Ron Whittaker, Brendon Todd, James Sacheck, Clayton Rask, Matt Hendrix, Tommy Biershenk, Will Wilcox and Danny Wax.
- Fred Funk Knows How to Teach Kids
Fred starts each kid without a club or ball. He works on posture, balance and then body movement, focusing on the triangle between extended arms and shoulders. He gives them a club and works on grip and rehearsing the swing without a ball. Then, he tees up a ball for them, and voila, the ball gets in the way of a good swing!
Son Taylor is a sophomore golfer on the local Ponte Vedra Sharks team which just won the district championship. Next up is the regions, and then hopefully, the state finals.
- Jamie Sadlowski Hits it a Long Ways
Sadlowski (in black shirt) tries to “hit it as far as humanly possible.”
He says it’s easy. “Just count to eight seconds before it lands.”
Jamie readily admits being 23 helps! Hey, maybe Dye’s Valley is less than a driver from the Clubhouse. Note that Jaxson Jaguar dude taking notes…he’s a golfer dude for sure. Also note the number of Nationwide Tour players that hung around to watch and perhaps pick up a tip or two.
- Guinness Book of World Records: TPC Sawgrass Stages World’s Largest Pro-Am
Not sure how accurate that is, but it is the largest pro-am on the world’s largest tour, so doesn’t that make it so?
Think about it: Two courses, morning and afternoon shotguns, five-hour rounds, 10 hours of daylight (OK, 12 hours) and over 400 golfers. Head professional Matt Borocz and his team should be coordinating the handling of all luggage at our nation’s airports. Takeoffs and landings too! WOW factor to the 18th degree.
- Look Who’s Back in Town
… and playing the stadium course before his concert Wednesday evening: Florida’s own Jake Owen! Owen wanted to be a professional golfer, winning his first tournament at age 15. He went to Florida State University.
A wakeboarding accident and ensuing reconstructive surgery ended his golfing career.
- The Stage is Set
… and fans of Jake Owen are getting settled in on the back lawn of the TPC Sawgrass Clubhouse for an evening of great fun and good music.
- Inside the Truck
Golf Channel’s Karel Schliksbier gives the local Ponte Vedra Sharks high school golf team a tour of the behind-the-scenes action in golf broadcasting. With more than one ball in play at the same time and 18 fields of play, broadcasting golf is one of the more demanding of all sports.
- Inside Another Truck…
Golf Channel Producer Keith Hirshland (black shirt of left) is the storyteller during the broadcast. Ponte Vedra Sharks Hanks Massey (yellow shirt in center) and Jack Bishop (red shirt with black vest on right) survey the activity in the main truck.
- Get the Picture?
Golf Channel cameraman Randy saddles Hanks with a HD lite 25-pound camera. Try carrying running around with that on your shoulder all day with two hip replacements! Being a remote cameraman on the ground is not an easy job!
- The Planters Peanut Mobile Came to Dye’s Valley…
But who is inside?
- Well, It’s Mr. Peanut Planters!
(With volunteer Shelley)
We see this guy swim really fast in commercials. In Dye’s Valley, he not only parts the water really fast, but he walks on water as well. Did you catch him in the water at No. 9 and 13 on TV?
- The Volunteers Are the Heart of Any Tournament on the PGA Tour
This is volunteer Kathy Hodges. She has more flair than Jennifer Aniston in the movie Office Space.
- Sometime it Hurts To Be a Volunteer
Ask Sheila on the 15th hole, who got hit by an errant drive of Luke List. Peter Lynch, president and CEO of tournament sponsor Winn Dixie, happened to be driving by and went to get some ice for her shoulder. Note the ice back is a plastic glove, which I guess is the ultimate helping hand.
- Team Tim Finchem?
NOT. Team Tim Wilkinson. The black shirts are for the Kiwi’s favorite rugby team that recently won the world cup. The silver fern only grows in New Zealand. Go TTW!
- I Will Have a Jacksonville Double!
Winning caddie and local resident Michael Carrick (no, Stevie Williams does not win every event) has won the Jacksonville Double! On the bag with Tom Kite when he won The Players in 1989, Carrick is the only one to have won both of Jacksonville’s professional golf tournaments.
- Charity Wins at TPC Sawgrass
Whether is it The Players with a record $5.9 million or the Winn Dixie Jacksonville Open with a strong $1.8 million, charity in the Northeast Florida and Jacksonville area wins. Champion Galvin Coles more than “stopped by” the volunteer’s party Sunday evening…he “came and stayed” to the delight of all the volunteers and Yours Truly! What an outstanding event: the 2011 Winn Dixie Jacksonville Open presented by PLANTERS.
- Dye’s Valley…
TPC Sawgrass, Winn Dixie, PLANTERS, the Nationwide Tour…Dye’s Valley…it all seems to be truly “Dye-licious.”
Andy Reistetter is a freelance golf writer as well as a spotter, research and broadcast assistant for The Golf Channel, NBC and CBS Sports. He spends time on all four major American golf tours- the PGA TOUR, Champions, Nationwide and LPGA Tours.
Reistetter resides within two miles of the PGA Tour headquarters and home of The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach.
A lifetime golfer, Andy enjoys volunteering at the World Golf Hall of Fame and THE Players while pursuing his passion for the game of golf and everything associated with it. He can be reached by e-mailing him at AndyReistetter@gmail.com
