Yard ball: Innovative Ponte Vedra Beach course The Yards now available on golf simulator

Garry Smits, Florida Times-Union
·6 min read
The Yards owner David Miller (left) and general manager Mike Miles stand on one of the greens that will make up part of a six-hole par-3 course, with the clubhouse in the background.
The Yards owner David Miller (left) and general manager Mike Miles stand on one of the greens that will make up part of a six-hole par-3 course, with the clubhouse in the background.

The Yards, a 12-hole golf course in Ponte Vedra Beach that opened in late 2020, is now available to aG subscribers of the wedge-based game, “Dialed In,” to assist players with their short game.

The simulator company aboutGOLF will give fans of the course a chance to play it in a virtual setting at indoor golf centers.

“Golf is no longer simply 18 holes in the traditional sense. Whether it’s indoor golf or abbreviated experiences, the sport is changing through technology and in interest from a variety of participants,” said Ken Kamada, aboutGOLF CEO. “The Yards has embraced this change. With a three-hole stretch of holes all 100 yards or less called The Beer Loop, we can give our users a chance to compete in a shorter timeframe.

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"Dialed In also focuses on improving a player’s short game," Kamada continued. "When a player pairs Dialed In with other aboutGOLF games like Razor’s Edge, Bend it and Conquest, players can work through the entire bag in a gamified environment.”

The Yards is an original Arnold Palmer-designed course that general manager Mike Miles and owner David Miller transformed into new golf experience that became North Florida’s first 12-hole course.

TPC Sawgrass hosts Vision Cup

The United States Blind Golf Association (USBGA), in conjunction with Ground Zero 360, is holding its 2022 Vision Cup and charity golf competition at the TPC Sawgrass Sept. 19-23.

Visually impaired golfers from North America in eight sight categories will compete against other international players to raise money for Ground Zero 360, an exhibition created by artist Nicola McClean that honors the sacrifice of the victims and their families of the 9/11 terror attacks.

The TPC Sawgrass will host the Vision Cup this week.
The TPC Sawgrass will host the Vision Cup this week.

The exhibition includes artworks from more than 80 world-renowned artists, painters and sculptors and has been on display at the TPC Sawgrass clubhouse. It is 501(c)(3) organization that has the support of the National 9-11 Memorial and Museum and the 9-11 Families.

The event will begin with a 9-11 Remembrance ceremony on Monday, followed by a shotgun start at Nos. 1 and 10 of the Stadium Course.

The United States Blind Golf Association is a non-profit organization founded in 1953. The goal is to increase awareness of golf for the blind and visually impaired in the United States through hosting tournaments and growing the sport by introducing youth to the game.

Prep event combines boys, girls scores

Every shot matters on Saturday at the Jacksonville Beach Golf Club, whether it's struck by a boy or girl from seven area high schools.

Providence High School will host an 18-hole tournament for the third year in a row but boys and girls scores will be counted. The best four scores from each team will go to a cumulative score to determine the overall champion.

Joining Providence will be Ponte Vedra, Nease, Bolles, Episcopal, Fernandina Beach and Beachside. Individuals from other schools such as Fletcher and Lake City Columbia also are playing.

The tournament begins at 11:30 a.m. from the first and 10th tees. Admission is free.

Going low at Fleming Island

The Randy Warren Invitational last week at the Golf Club of Fleming Island was a blizzard of red numbers, with the host team Fleming Island High winning by four shots over Ponte Vedra.

Camden Smith of Ponte Vedra High School won the Randy Warren Invitational at Fleming Island with at 63.
Camden Smith of Ponte Vedra High School won the Randy Warren Invitational at Fleming Island with at 63.

Camden Smith of the Sharks fired an 8-under 63 to beat Colton Swartz of Fleming Island by one shot. Brody Stevenson of Bartram Trail shot 68 and Ryan Houck and Jaylen Abbas of Fleming Island and Luke Balaskiewicz of Bolles all shot 69. Five other players were at 1-under 70: Rohan Singh of Ponte Vedra, Chase Carroll of Middleburg, Cam Goldknopf and Connor Hess of Episcopal and Tyler Mawhinney of Fleming Island.

Episcopal (288) finished third, followed by Bolles (293), Nease (295) and Lakewood Ranch (301).

Changkija wins PGA Section

Sandra Changkija of the ChampionsGate Resort near Orlando won the PGA North Florida Section Championship and Women's Section Championship at the TPC Sawgrass after finishing at 2-under par 214.

She beat defending champion Greg Koch of the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando by one shot and topped Jennifer Borocz of Ponte Vedra Beach by nine shots in the women's championship.

David Hronek of GOLFTEC Sarasota finished third at 1-over and former University of North Florida player and Isleworth head pro Matt Borchert was fourth at 4-over.

Mattiace, Every headline tournament

Two-time PGA Tour winners Len Mattiace and Matt Every will play in the Women’s Care Peace at Home Pro-Am Golf Tournament Oct. 23-24 at The Plantation at Ponte Vedra Beach, which will benefit the Betty Griffin Center.

Joining Mattiace and Every will be former PGA Tour commissioner and World Golf Hall of Fame member Deane Beman, five-time Tour winner Billy Kratzert, LPGA Tour player Brittany Lincicome, and Korn Ferry Tour players Brett Drewitt, Luke Guthrie, Mark Blakefield and Justin Hueber.

More professionals are expected to be added during the run-up to the tournament.

The field will be limited to the first 80 players to register. The entry fee of $1,200 per player includes dinner, breakfast, a clinic and reception. Players can find out more information at https://bettygriffincenter.org/2022golfproam/ or register directly at https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/BettyGriffinHouse/PlayerRegistration.html.

Melnyk reaches second round

Bolles and University of Florida graduate Dalton Melnyk finished solo third in stroke-play qualifying in the U.S. Mid-Amateur, at the Erin Hills and Blue Mound Golf Clubs in Wisconsin, then won his first-round match 2 and 1 over Matt Parziale. Melnyk was the first-round leader with a 65 at Erin Hills, then shot 70 at Blue Mound. He lost in the second round, 2 and 1, to Josh Persons. ... Katie Mitchell of Fernandina Beach is playing in the U.S. Women's Amateur beginning Saturday at the Fiddlesticks Golf Club in Fort Myers. ... The First Coast Women's Amateur donated $500 to the JAGA Scholarship ... The Fleming Island 17 and under team of Benjamin Carlton, Brady Harris, Cambree Hodge, Chloe Blanc, Kalia Polete and Lucas Wahlstrom reached the semifinals of the National Car Rental PGA Junior League Regional at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie. The team is coached by Bryan Kipnis.

Contact Garry Smits at gsmits@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @GSmitter

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: The 12-hole Yards course can now be played on aboutGOLF simulators