A shotgun start without the shot or the gun launched more than
65 golfers in carts with caddies to 18 different holes on a
glorious day on the greens.
A shotgun start without the shot or the gun launched more than 65 golfers in carts with caddies to 18 different holes on a glorious day on the greens.
The greens and the caddies belonged to CordeValle Golf Club in San Martin. The Aug. 2 Golf Tournament was a benefit for the CordeValle Youth Golf Foundation established in the fall of 2003 to support Santa Clara County Youth Golf programs and open to public play.
A gracious invitation and an even more gracious hosting of the tournament were supplied by the CordeValle golf and catering staff. Eric Wasinger, head golf professional – there are no abbreviations at this club – David Reese, also on the golf staff, Linda Tacklind and Melanie George all welcomed participants with a monogrammed hat sprouting two drink tickets from the top – if you left the drink tickets on during the round you looked like an angler or a Seuss character – free run of the driving range and open grazing of the bountiful lunch under the white tent.
Because I don’t torture myself with the game of golf – oops, I mean I don’t play – I entertained myself during the warm up with naming all the goodies in the superb vegetable wraps: grilled vegetables, fresh mozzarella, avocado, asparagus and lettuce. Piled high in baskets were hearty meat sandwiches on marbled rye and bowls of pasta salad with feta and Kalamata olives.
The view from the driving range with the sun just breaking through the morning fog left one begging “just bury me here.” To round out the view, good looking “Cabana Boys” attentively waiting on the tournament participants – remind me to tell you when my friend Jean Duarte and I open our Summer Camp for Moms with said Cabana Boys.
Sporting the previously mentioned angler/Seuss look was George Stramback of Morgan Hill warming up on the range. Stramback was taking a vacation day from G.E. along with three co-workers to play on one of South County’s most beautiful courses.
While the tournament-goers frustrated themselves out on the course – oops, I mean played a lovely game that builds friendships – all for the good of the kids, I was treated to a personal tour of the club by the assistant to Director of Golf Tacklind. She is a local working to support her habit in the horse world, a sport whose expenses rate right up there with yachting.
We started in the professional shop (not pro shop remember – no abbreviations) where Imelda Marcos would have thought she had died and gone to heaven. There were shoes, shoes, shoes … to match every outfit, after outfit, after outfit.
Working in the shop for her first day was Taralyn Isaksen, cousin to one of my best friends growing up. Quickly, I remembered she may be the link to the famous orange rolls that her grandmother use to make and we used to devour. Linda just didn’t understand my recipe find!
More than the orange roll recipe, I found many local students working at CordeValle. After speaking with Paul Heymann, executive chef for the club, we both agreed this type of atmosphere gives our young people the opportunity to work at a top resort learning to deliver first class service. Would you like a side of radicchio with that?
Jerry Strangis of San Jose was playing his third tournament benefiting the foundation with his friend George Shirakawa as part of a friendly foursome. They were some of the first to finish and first to cash in their drink tickets.
Dinner was served on the patio for the tired but happy golfers. The bar was open and the beer was icy cold.
How much better could it get? Lunch, dinner, a hat, drinks and a round of golf on a top notch course all for $140. I’ve spent more at a hockey game in the cheap seats.
As each group came in from the course, their smiles of satisfaction said “I’ll be back.”
In fact, there happens to be one more opportunity this year to enjoy this type of day, on Nov. 15, for the last benefit of the year. To register online go to www.cordevalle.com or phone 695-4573.
Ciao for now.
Mary Anne McCarthy is a Morgan Hill resident who covers the local social life. Have an event coming up or tidbit for Mary Anne? E-mail it to hi*********@*************es.com
