Most golfers are aware the game is often one of hope. Never more so than recently at Miccosukee Golf and Country Club in southern Miami Dade.
Golfers got together in a Golf for Hope, Haiti tournament to raise funds for the earthquake-ravaged country. Timing is everything in golf, but also in helping people. The tournament was in the planning stages for almost six months with the idea of simply helping the impoverished people and children of Haiti. Then the earthquake hit, adding even more importance and urgency to the event.
Helping to bring about the tournament was Gerald Little, 39, who admits his fund-raising prowess is much better than his golf game because his average score hovers in the 100-stroke level. Little’s partner in the endeavor was Michael Simmons, the 76-year-old teaching pro at Miccosukee.
Little and his organization – Love, Hope, Prosper – helped sponsored the tournament, which attracted more than 140 golfers.
“I’m affiliated with four houses in Haiti,” Little said, “with seven children in each house.” Three of the four houses, located about a mile from Port au Prince, where most of the earthquake damage occurred, were destroyed and the fourth one was slightly damaged.
“All of our kids survived,” Little said, “so we were blessed.”
The 28 kids, all orphans ranging in age from 5 to 12, are now living in the one remaining home.
Little, a firefighter, has been working to overcome the poverty so prevalent in Haiti for four years. He says the earthquake “… brought to light what was needed. Now, very much more, the money is important.”
A little can go a long way. Little said with $4,000 he can feed, house and send seven of his orphans to school for a year.
Haiti has been star-crossed by nature in recent years. In addition to the earthquake, numerous hurricanes have hit the country, causing substantial damage.
Little, who was an elementary school teacher at a private school for five years starting in 1995, was interested in Haiti at that point in his life. He would teach his kids about the tough life of children growing up in that country.
“I wanted them to see the other side,” he said. He asked his students to donate toys to children in Miami’s Little Haiti.
Then four years ago Little’s wife introduced him to someone at church who was totally involved in Haiti.
“I flew down there with that gentleman and that was it,” Little said. “It’s hard to turn your face when you see it in person.”
Little said he plans to rebuild the destroyed homes. “We’re starting from scratch,” he said. “Our plan is to get a good portion of land out in the country.”
The inaugural tournament also was co-sponsored by Golf for Hope, Simmons’ organization. Simmons called it a “huge success.” On course, there was more talk about the earthquake than pars and birdies – not to mention bogeys and double-bogeys.
“It will be the first of many, I hope,” Little said of the event.
The tournament was played under grey, overcast skies, and it started pouring rain five minutes after the final group came in. “Somebody was looking out for us,” Little said.
Simmons and Little hooked up on the Haiti project more than a year ago.
“We were chatting and the subject turned to Haiti, and I could see he was compelled to help,” Simmons said. “That’s when we came up with the idea of a golf tournament.”
Golf being used to help Haiti might seem strange because it is more than safe to say it is not the country’s national sport.
“I think there is one golf course in Haiti,” Simmons said. “And right now it is being used as an area to disperse aid from.”
Even though there aren’t many people swinging clubs in Haiti, there were plenty of golfers swinging them in Miami in hopes of helping the people of that country.
Women’s results
Gross: Connie Stevens, 91; Jackie Cox, 93; Ingrid Hunter, 99. Net: Debra Rosmarin, 80; Kyon Kim, 85; Aurora Saffron, 87.
Men’s results
Gross (handicap 0-5): Roberto Santos, 75; Marcelo Huarte, 78; Jaime Rodriguez, 86. (6-10): Ernie Young, 81; Dick Johnson, 81; Axel Press-Khune, 83. (11-15):. Kenneth Morris, 91; Armando Cunill, 94; Jack Weiss, 95. (16-20): Mike Selwyn, 88; Joe Miro, 89; Eddie Gervies, 93. (20 & over): Frank Gil, 92; Larry McDonald , 92; Roberto Hirelman, 95.
Net (6-10): David Espinoza, 71; Alexi Morales, 75; Wilson Dondo, 75. (11-15): Gaton Rodriguez, 77; Cesar Javellana, 78; Ed Lewis, 79. (16-20): Mark Thomson, 69; Tommy Powel, 71; Brian Cullen, 71. (20 and over): Robert Coleman, 66; Bill Walker, 69; Alex Capote, 70.

Pro Golf Miami moves
A popular golf shop in southern Miami-Dade has moved. Pro Golf of Miami, which was located off Kendall Drive at 107th Ave., opened up its new digs at 7045 SW 87th Ave., in mid-December. The store is a franchise but is family-owned.
“Our clientele has followed us over to the new place,” president Billy Baldwin said. “We were able to keep all our employees, and things are going good enough that we might have to hire another person.”
The store has high-technology testing equipment, including a simulator.

Melreese makeover
It took 11-12 years of working out of trailers, but International Links Miami-Melreese Golf Club (it will always just be Melreese to old-timers) has all its fancy new facilities up and running.
“The golf course has always been fabulous,” director of operations John Reed said, “and now the rest of it is. Everybody loves it. It’s long overdue.”
The makeover, completed three months ago, includes new buildings for the pro shop, locker rooms, offices and restaurant.
“The food is great,” Reed said. “We’re happy over here.”
Bill Van Smith directed South Florida sports coverage for four decades for the Miami Herald. If you have an item for the Miami-Dade notebook, write to him at bvansmith@gmail.com.

Author: By Bill Van Smith

Received: 2010-03-05 [y/m/d]

Item #735


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