By Gary Curreri
The 7th Annual Women’s Invitational Golf Tournament benefiting Women in Distress was a great success as more than $22,000 was raised for the local organization. A total of 32 teams with 128 players took part in the tournament at the Pompano Beach Golf Club’s Palms Course. This year’s charity tournament, produced by the Colony West Women’s Golf Group, was moved from the Colony West course because their clubhouse with a restaurant is under construction.
“The money raised for Women in Distress by the tournament was $22,315.01,” said Tournament Chair Jan Parke. “It is the most amount that our tournament has every raised.”
Parke said the overall amount raised for Women in Distress is $87,813.22. The Tournament Naming Sponsor – Norman & Bettina Roberts Foundation, Inc. – donated a $10,000 check for Women in Distress and that was arranged by Tournament Assistant Chair Alberta Bove.
The winners of the Low Gross competition with a 66 were the Damn Damsels composed of Taffy Brower, Nancy Hersey, Elise Gordon and Mechelle Brown. Four shots back in second place was the Carolina Babes, made up of Kris Boogren, Molly O’Neill, JoAnn Feindt and Suzanne Rho.
The Birdies and Blossoms were the winners of the Low Net competition after they carded a 50.4 score. That team was Pam Cromwell, Joyce Gelli, Nancy Bigwood and Nancy Rose Peduzzi.
Other Low Net winners were: 2. Wicked Stix, who was composed of Janet Anderson, Penny Eppy, Marilyn Hughes, Renate Hood, who shot 50.6; 3. The Swinging Springers, which was made up of Wendy Furth, Pam Schiff, Sue Ann Burns and Nancy Burns, who shot 51 (won tiebreaker); 4. DJCM’S, composed of Donna Casey, Mary Mahan, Connie Cluen and Janet Burt, who carded a 51; 5. (The team of) Par-Fectionists, composed of Jean Cerra, Dale Stallings, Donna Henderson and Gail McLellan, who shot 51.6.
The Closest to the Pin winner was Debbie Davis, while the Closest to the Wiggly Line winner was Barbara Brody.
Mary Riedel, the president and CEO of Women in Distress Broward County, Inc. also spoke at the luncheon and described the organization.
Other committee members included Geri Thomas (registration), Natalee Jones (prizes), Mary Bock (goodie bags), Jackie Rogazione (hole signs) and Penny Eppy (miscellanies).
“We had a lot of the players who talked to me and our committee saying they enjoyed the tournament and it was very organized and asked if they could sign up that day for the 2020 tournament,” Parke added. “Many liked the drawing prizes, including 25 foursomes from golf courses and the special prize of seven days at the Pokolodi Lodge in Colorado — they bought more for tickets. I was pleased that we had so many teams that played in previous years,” she continued. “We always let them register before we put the opportunity to the public. This year, 28 teams out of the 32 were previous teams with most of the same players.”
