John Neet is one of the most popular club pros in the Northeastern New York PGA. He’s served as either a head pro or an assistant pro at such facilities as Stadium Golf Club, Normanside Country Club, Eagle Crest Golf Club and The Edison Club. Currently, he’s the head pro at Golf Galaxy in Albany.
But Neet, who has helped countless people learn the game, needs some help himself. Neet was diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer in May at age 40. His good friends from the NENYPGA, as well as so many others who have crossed his path over the last 20 years, would like to help him out. You can, too.
The Edison Club will host a “Celebration of Life Fundraiser” Sept. 20. For those who wish to play in a modified scramble, the cost of the event is $200 that includes a dinner and cocktail party after golf. Anyone who wants to come to the dinner and cocktail party only will be charged $75. There will be a limit of 75 foursomes, and priority will be given to sponsors on a first-come, first-served basis.
Registration will be at 10 a.m., the scramble “with a twist” begins at 10:30 a.m. The twist is that the tournament will be a modified scramble guaranteed to finish in 4 hours.
The pig roast and cocktail party will be from 3-7 p.m., followed by a performance by Big Sky Country from 4-6:30. A live auction will be held at 5. Raffles and prizes are also included.
Other sponsorships to help the Neet family defray medical costs are also available. To become a “Neet” partner, two foursomes can pay $3,000 and get both golf and the dinner/party, along with a tee sign, a program ad and a tent sign. For $1,500, called the “golf partner” sponsor, one foursome gets everything except a tent sign. For $500, called the “dinner” partner, two people get the dinner and party, as well as a tee sign and putting signage.
“We want this to sell out. We’d like all 300 possible players here,” Edison head pro Craig McLean said. ”John is a great guy, and he’s in a tough spot. We all want to help him out.”
For more information, contact McLean at The Edison Club at 399-2992. If anyone has unique items to be auctioned off, they can contact Sarah Simson at [email protected]
CHIP SHOTS
The Eastern New York Golf Association continues its weekly tour Tuesday at Fairways at Halfmoon.
Wolferts Roost Country Club and Shaker Ridge Country Club will be dual hosts for the Epilepsy Foundation of Northeastern New York’s annual Jack Straughter Memorial Golf tournament for Epilepsy Sept. 28. There will be a noon shotgun start, followed by a reception at 6 at the Roost. Jack Klauk, a pro on both the PGA and Web.com tours, will be a special guest. His career was interrupted by epilepsy in 2012, and after brain surgery and several procedures, he’s trying to regain his PGA status. At Shaker Ridge CC, 2012 RE/MAX World Long Drive Champion Eric Lastowka will be the special guest. Contact Susan Kaczynski at 456-7501 for more information.
Local pros earning spots in the NENYPGA Match Play Championship Sept. 15-16 at Wolferts Roost Country Club are Kevin Pokorski (Ausable Club), Eric Mabee (CC of Pittsfield), Maite Cupp (Ballston Spa CC), Marc Levesque (Columbia G&CC), Steve Plata (Saratoga National) and Keith Sprenger (Pioneer Hills). The rest of the field is comprised of the top 10 players on the current Champions Cup Point Standings.
HOLES-IN-ONE
Maks Petar of Windy Hills Golf Club posted a hole-in-one on the 13th hole at Frear Park in Troy during the Eastern New York Golf Association stop there last week.
Tony Campoli used a 6-iron for his ace on the 130-yard ninth hole, and Eddie Von Stettina Jr. used a pitching wedge on the seventh hole to record holes-in-one at Briar Creek last week.
EAGLES
Tom Miller eagled the par-5 18th hole, and Mike Deines eagled the par-4 14th hole at Stadium Golf Club.
Pat Moore eagled the par-5 15th hole while competing in the Footwedge league at Briar Creek.
At Amsterdam Municipal, Pete Bennice scored a double eagle-2 on the par-5 10th hole.
Paul Gegzno also eagled the 12th hole at Amsterdam Municipal.
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