Get your sunscreen, bottles of Gatorade™, and clubs ready, because it’s going to be hot, it might be rainy, but we will be golfing on June 27th, 2021, at Gainesville’s finest Mark Bostick Golf Course for the Inaugural Sweltering Swamp Invitational to raise funds/equipment for our local Gator Junior Golf Association’s efforts to grow the game and give lessons to underprivileged children.
Home to the University of Florida Gator Golf teams, this 1921 Donald Ross classic was the original location for Gainesville Country Club, before GCC was subsequently hosed by UF purchasing the property in 1963 for pennies on the dollar in today’s dollars. While the course had some much needed retouching 20 years ago by sticky Bobby Weed, Ross’ influence can still be felt in full effect.
Some say the course may play short in today’s standards, par 70 at 6200yd, but do not be fooled as it still has plenty of teeth that can bite you at any given moment with its 140 well-placed bunkers and sporadic tree-lined fairways. The course also includes an up-hill par 5 that plays around 530yd that can feel like 900yd; especially if your tee shot goes astray as you march uphill towards the plateaued green with a false front.
To fully embrace the course for this Florida summer event, I’m advocating for people to walk/push through their round since the course isn’t terribly long. It does contain some verticality but is perfectably walkable. Electric carts will also be made available for those who want to ride (additional charges may apply).
Personally, I’ll be pushing my cart with an umbrella as I lather myself in sunscreen throughout the round while chugging water and the aforementioned Gatorade™.
I’ve worked the date out with the Course Director to ensure that we will weeks out from any summer aeration maintenance so the course provides the best possible experience; fast, firm, and lightning fast greens (barring any summer rainstorms).
Tee times will start at 9am with a round cost of $50 per player (plus tax). The event is currently set at 32 players, but based on interest this number could go up.
The winner of the event will be determined through a handicapped stableford point system and awarded a custom-made trophy. For those interested, I have submitted a request for NIT spot(s) to be rewarded for this event.
For the charity fundraising, the event will have a cash-entry longest-drive and closest-to-the-pin competition, where half of said monies entered will get donated directly to the charity, and the other half is at the winner’s discretion to donate as well (or get booed by the group later, too far?). Keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming raffle thread (date TBA shortly). To sweeten the charity pot even more, I will be donating $5 per birdie and double bogey I score, and proposing my fellow competitors to do something similar if possible.
However, if you feel better donating equipment to the charity organization instead of cold, hard cash, the charity organization confirmed they could use tees, balls, hats, and golf gloves that are child sized. I’m working on some deals right now and will relay whatever information comes my way in case anyone wants to go this route instead with a group order. Either way, let’s make sure and help out the kids of the Gainesville area one way or another!
With Covid-19 still affecting how the course is handling events, the post-event award ceremony and shenanigans will take place in Gainesville’s Midtown at the rooftop bar portion of The Social restaurant.
Please mark the sheet appropriately if you would like to join us for a warm-up round at one of the other local courses (TBD) the day prior to the event, Saturday, June 19th, to give those who want a better feel for what most golf is like in Gainesville before being treated to the best course in town on Sunday.
Fine print: the usual standard rules are in place, no tank tops, shirts must have sleeves, no metal spiked shoes, no outside coolers, etc.
I’m not sure how it applies to us since we’re not doing catering for the event, but no Coke products are sold on site, sorry @djscokedealer. Pepsi products only.
Since UF is a public state university, there’s also no alcohol permitted on course, so do not expect any beer angels to provide you any sweet, sweet swing lube mid round. While the clubhouse does sell beers, the caveat is the beers must be consumed in said clubhouse. So slam those beers there like you’re pledging for Delta Phi.
In my experience this is very much a “be cool bro” moment if you do bring alcohol; just don’t go crazy and don’t drink near the clubhouse or by a ranger. The course has its rules so I’m relaying that so we don’t have any issues and can host this event next year. There will be plenty of time for libations at The Social.
Lastly, thank you for taking time to read through the above novel. I’ve been talking about hosting an event for a while now and it’s finally come to fruition. I’m super excited to share the Gainesville golf experience with everyone who makes it out.
TL;DR
When: June 27th, 2021, at 9am ET
Where: Mark Bostick Golf Course, Gainesville, FL
Cost: $50 +tax
Format: Handicapped stableford
Charity: Gator Junior Golf Association