By Gary Curreri
Deerfield Beach’s Crystal Lake Golf Club kicked off its 52 year anniversary recently as Crystal Lake staff members fired up the grill, local craft beer flowed and live music played for everyone to enjoy.
“We’ve been told by some of our most loyal players that ‘Crystal Lake is back,’ – and we couldn’t be more excited about it,” said Crystal Lake Golf Club General Manager David Kandel. “We are confident in saying we have been the home of South Florida’s best value golf for more than five decades, and we invite everyone to come on out and experience it for themselves!”
Kandel, who took over as General Manager last January, is inviting players to “Re-Discover Crystal Lake” and its revamped playing experience.
“We’ve got a golf course here that is constantly described as a lot of fun to play,” said Kandel, who worked different roles at the club since 2010 including Pro Shop attendant and Golf Operations Manager.
Built in 1965, Crystal Lake Golf Club is a 6,953-yard championship par 72 golf course that was re-designed by Rees Jones in 1981. An older course with tall pines, scattered palm trees and native flora, it was renovated in 2000 with new tees and tifdwarf USGA-designed greens. The slight doglegs left and right combined with undulating greens present a challenge to golfers of all skill levels.
“If you’re looking for an enjoyable round of golf with some great people, there’s no better place than Crystal Lake Golf Club,” Kandel said. “It was wonderful celebrating the history of Crystal Lake with our amazing golf family. We are lucky to have the best customer base in the industry and it was great celebrating our anniversary with them.”
Kandel said the club is home to perfect golfing weather year-round for snowbirds in colder regions, in addition to those in the local community.
Tee times this season start at $30 and can be booked by calling 954-943-2902, or by visiting the website at www.crystallakegc.com.
Pompano pledges $1,000 donation to Jr. Lifeguards
The city of Pompano Beach Mayor Lamar Fisher recently donated $1,000 to the Pompano Beach Junior Lifeguard/Grommets Program.
Nemia Schulte, president of the Pompano Beach Junior Lifeguard Association, said Fisher had excess money from his campaign fund, so he donated it to the city program.
“Mayor Fisher has always been a big supporter of the Junior Lifeguard Program,” Schulte said. “In the past, when we had some of our kids selected to Worlds or do well at Nationals, he would issue a City Proclamation for our athletes and team before the Commissioner’s meeting.
“When my eldest daughter Julia was selected to represent the U.S. Youth National Team at Worlds in Australia in 2012, he had presented her with a proclamation,” she continued. “The commissioners also donated money to her to help her to defray some of the cost of the trip. It was really awesome to have them donate to our organization.”
Schulte said it is one of the city’s most popular and successful programs. There are approximately 300 Juniors and Grommets who participate in the program each summer.
“It is not only an educational opportunity for our children, but also one filled with many team-bonding social events,” Schulte said. “It appears that someone knows someone whose family is or has been involved with the program over the past 20-plus years of its existence.
“Also, we are proud to say that the program,” she continued, “has also reached national and international recognition for being one of the most successful junior lifeguard programs in the world.”
There are camps planned for this summer and the United States Lifeguard Association National competition will be held on Aug. 9 in Daytona Beach for Junior Lifeguards.
For more information, send an email to Schulte at nemia2000@aol.com.
