I arrived at the CuisinArt Golf Resort and Spa for the 3rd annual Around Anguilla in 18 holes Golf Tournament at 8:45am. Registration was still occurring which was ideal as I wanted to speak to some of the participating golfers. There were 52 golfers in total and 15 of this number were from St. Martin/St. Maarten.
The golfers
I spotted Tommy Astaphan and Larry Stott and went over to say hi. I smiled as always with Mr. Astaphan’s exuberance as he proclaimed loudly that his team would be the winner of the golf tournament.
Sitting next to Mr. Astaphan was Courtney Morton who then indicated to me that his team had won the first place for the Anguilla Low Net competition for the last two years. I wanted to learn more. Courtney introduced me to his team (50% intact from the previous year). They had been golfing for at most three or four years but have racked up remarkable achievements in monthly golf tournaments.
I next ventured over to Richard Alexander who introduced me to the rest of his team. One of the things he was sure of was that his team would win the award for the best dressed team which they did!
The next stop was by some golfers on the range. They were from France. I thought they were participating in the golf tournament but I was wrong. They were very sweet though.
I spotted members of the Digicel Team and some other golfers and went over to say hello. They were all in a great mood and were expecting to just have some fun on the greens.
It was now time for all the golfers to convene. I listened to Scott Delong (PGA Certified Head Golf Professional at CuisinArt Golf Resort and Spa) give the instructions for the tournament and then the golfers headed out to play 18 holes of golf. There would be two official winners – one for Gross and one for Net. However, all of the golfers are winners for participating in this worthwhile initiative.
The work of the Anguilla Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACOCI)
ACOCI aims to strengthen business networking and advocacy by offering vital and viable context for business, while striving for excellence with an emphasis on customer care.
The Golf Tournament is organized by this dynamic organisation that does a phenomenal job of planning and executing this event annually. Special recognition must be given to the administrative Assistant Lily Warning-Moses of ACOCI for her enthusiasm and drive in pulling all pieces of this event together. The tournament is one of ACOCI’s main fundraisers. The other annual fundraiser is Starry Night which is held in June at Italia restaurant at CuisinArt Golf Resort and Spa.
ACOCI Scholarship Fund
Proceeds from both fundraisers go to the ACOCI Annual Scholarship Fund which is done in partnership with the Anguilla Community College. ACOCI is passionate about providing opportunities for further education for youth in Anguilla. The first recipient of the ACOCI Scholarship is Ms. Wykeisha Mills. Ms. Mills expressed her appreciation to ACOCI for giving her the opportunity to pursue her dreams starting with enrollment in the Associate Degree in Business Studies at the Anguilla Community College.
Sponsorship of the Golf Tournament
The event and the fundraising effort would not have been a success without sponsorship. Digicel was the title sponsor and was recognized with a plaque for their generous sponsorship. Many others gave generously by sponsoring holes, prizes, discounts on services or as special events sponsors. The sponsors for the 2014 golf tournament were:
Digicel, Viceroy Hotels Resorts and Residences, Anguilla Social Security Board, Cape Air, Bumper II Bumper, Tradewind Aviation, Anguilla Tourist Board, Nagico Insurance, Clientell Consulting, LLC, Picante, Cerulean Villa, E’s Oven Restaurant and Bar, Lloyds Aviation, Black Orchid, Keithley Lake and Associates, Morlens Architecture Services, Design Anguilla, Funtime Boat Charters, Hi-Tek Signs and Designs, Cuisinart Golf Resort and Spa, KCN TV 4, Ani Villas, da’Vida, Funtime Boat Charters, Shoal Bay Villas, Dolphin Discovery, Anguilla Golf Association, Oyster Bay Beach Resort (St. Maarten), Mr. Rodney Tackling, Ron’s Sign Shop, Scott Delong, PGA, Paradise Cove Resort, Sand Bar Restaurant, Dolce Vita Restaurant, Sandy Island Restaurant, On Da Rocks Restaurant, Jacala Restaurant.
Cocktail Hour, Closing Ceremony and Awards Presentation
After 4.5 hours of golf, all the teams assembled for the closing ceremony and cocktail hour. I will mention here that the cocktail reception items were yummy but I digress.
The results of the tournament were written on a large scoreboard and the golfers mulled around, chatted and relaxed as Scott, the golf pro, penned the results. Courtney Morton invited me outside to look at the Board. I know very little about golf but I understood that the results for his team were good.
The winners are below.
Gross:
1st- Theron Loizos, Darren Banks, Elaine Banks, and Nathalie LeSenechal
2nd- Kenny Patterson, Ivan Haverton, Steve Oostrom and Kit Lee.
Net:
1st- Val Banks, Courtney Morton, Lester Samuel and Troy Gumbs
2nd- Richard Alexander, Jose Flores, Jeffers Emmanuel, and Rafael Gonzalez.
Hole contests:
Closest to the Pin:
2- T. Loizos
8- T. Loizos
11- T. Loizos
15- E. Banks
Longest Drive:
6- Darren Banks
The team of Courtney Morton, Lester Samuel, Troy Gumbs and Val Banks did it, just as they predicted- a three-peat! Congrats to all the winners.
It was then time for the raffle! The golfers and other invited guests bought many tickets, at $10 a ticket, all in support of a good cause. Participants won weekend stays at hotels and dinners and lunches at various restaurants in Anguilla.
It was a pleasure attending the third annual golf tournament. I have never played golf but I hope to rectify that sometime in 2015. I had a fun time relaxing at the Resort.
Congrats to the organizers and participants in this year’s tournament.
For more information about contributing to the ACOCI Scholarship Fund or participating in the golf tournament, please contact
Anguilla Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACOCI)
Mrs. Lily Warning-Moses
Administrative Assistant
Anguilla Chamber of Commerce & Industry Ltd
PO Box 321, The Valley
AI-2640 Anguilla
Tel: 1 (264) 497-2839
Mobile: 1 (264) 235-2840
Fax: 1 (264) 497-3880
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]